Five Tips For When You Can't Make It To the Gym

We all face a harsh reality come the first of the year: getting back into the swing of things after the holiday rut. It might be hard to get back on the workout wagon after a month of hedonism, or maybe you just don't want to go out into the cold. Still, you must find a way to exercise. What can you do to get or stay fit when you don't want to go to the gym?

1. Use winter as your gym.
If it snows where you live and you don't want to deal with driving, get your workout by shoveling the driveway -- a hell of a workout in itself! Or go for a walk off the sidewalk and into the snow. It's like running on sand: You'll burn a lot of calories with hard effort, especially if it's a wooded hike over hills and valleys. Snowballs, anyone? You'd be amazed at how winded you can get with a snow fight, building a snow fort or just running around in that fresh powder.

2. Hit the floor.
Create a good home gym that will last you year-round. A trip to your local sporting goods store can set you up with everything you need: hand weights, resistance bands, a Swiss ball and a yoga mat. Take it a step further with a home TRX kit, and you may never pay for a gym membership again.

3. App it up.
Choose from dozens of health and fitness apps to create a style of workout you'll enjoy. Take the opportunity to learn new things. If you're typically a lifter, try a little yoga. If you're a runner, find a HIIT class online. And for the technophobes who don't do apps or those who don't want to pay a monthly fee, go the old-fashioned route and get a home workout DVD system. (You can even buy one on eBay.) No excuses: some of these apps are free.

4. Do your chores.
Think about those fit lumberjacks and mountain men. How do they stay so buff without a gym membership? By splittin' logs, baby. What in your life can do double duty as a household project and a good workout? Move around some heavy boxes, or sand down and refinish table you've wanted to improve. Mr. Miyagi used the "wax on, wax off" training system. Find daily tasks around the house that require some elbow grease and apply it to your training program. Turn the pain into gain.

5. Take out the trash.
I'm not talking about recycling. Clean the crap holiday food out your fridge and pantry. You don't need that leftover can of cranberry sauce or the chocolate chips you didn't use up making Christmas cookies. For every food item that poses a threat to your health and fitness regimen, give it away, throw it away, flush it, toss it, burn it --�but get it out of the house.

Bonus tip.
Suck up and suffer. Get to the gym and stay on your diet no matter what. Make a change in your life and stick with it 352 days a year. It's worth it.�