It’s been a new year for more than a month now. If you haven’t given up your New Year’s resolution yet (or if you haven’t started one), don’t. If your goal was to drink less alcohol, go ahead. If you wanted to temper your grilled cheese addiction with a few leafy salads thrown in sparingly, we’re all for it. If you want to get in shape, you can do that too.
Sure, COVID still raging through the country makes going to the gym unlikely for many people. But, this doesn’t mean that you can’t work out at home. Just take some advice from Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff. They find inventive, clever ways to work out that work around their busy schedules. Emhoff recently spoke to Delish about the various ways he and his wife stay fit and healthy. The best part? Some of them cost little to no money. Check them all out below and keep that New Year’s resolution alive for at least one more week.
Photo: Rob Carr (Getty Images)
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Kamala Harris Workout
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Use a retro stationary bike.
Emhoff says he and Harris work out using a retro, old-school stationary bike. Not one of the flashy Peloton bikes. A classic, cheap bike you can get on Amazon for a fairly low sum. Point it toward your TV and stream Netflix and you’ll be happy you didn’t spend $1,000.
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Lift water bottles.
Emhoff says that Harris lifts weights when she does cardio. But, when the duo moved to DC, they didn’t have any weights. Instead of ordering some, they decided to fill two water bottles. Depending on how much water you add, you can change the weight to fit your liking.
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Run stairs.
If you live in an apartment building (or near a parking garage), running the stairs is one of the easiest, simplest, cheapest (free) workouts. Start slowly with only a few flights at a time. Do that at your own pace and gradually add more flights while increasing your speed. It’s as simple as that.
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Join a sports league.
While it might not be as easy in this COVID world, Emhoff suggests joining a sports league to stay in shape. Slowpitch softball, soccer, or even kickball. Just get out there and get that blood flowing. The best part? Many of these leagues let you drink beer while you play. Obviously, that’s not the healthiest activity, but we’ll make an exception.
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Cross training is key.
Emhoff is an athlete. Among other sports, he used to be a competitive tennis player. So, to stay healthy, he cross-trains. For those unaware, cross-training is the act of engaging in multiple different sports and activities such as running stairs, jogging, and riding an exercise bike.
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Try yoga.
Since your local yoga center might not be open because of COVID, this doesn’t mean that you can’t give it a try. Even if you live in a small apartment, literally all you need is a yoga mat, a TV, internet, and a desire to give it a try. There are tons of free YouTube videos and reasonably priced streaming classes to choose from.
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Work out (almost) every day.
Obviously, your body needs a break from time to time. But it doesn’t need three days off. Work out almost every day. The more you do it, the more it changes from an annoyance to something you actually look forward to. The more progress you make, the more you’ll want to do it.
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Work out with a partner.
Emhoff and Harris work out together. If we give you one bit of workout advice, it’s to work out with a partner. For many of us, being held accountable by another person is important. When you want to quit, they’ll tell you to push through. Plus, when you want to sleep in, they’ll tell you to get your ass out of bed and work out.
