Get Fit For Free With Our Expert-Created Workouts

We used to be big on exercise, and then, you know, life got in the way. One day off led to two days off (and a drunken foot injury did little to help the situation), until eventually we realized a year had gone by since we'd incorporated workouts into our daily routine.  Resolutions generally make us roll our eyes, but we had to make one this year because we've actually missed the gym, and because we can no longer look at Julie Bowen's arms without starting to cry.  To help us out in our 2012 health endeavors, we asked Charles Platkin, Ph.D., M.P.H., best-selling author and assistant professor at the CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College, to give us some cheap (but not easy) at-home fitness tips as well as some healthy eating guidelines so we don't end up adding chunk to our gunshow.  His advice is as follows:

BGG: For those who can't afford a gym, how do you recommend staying in shape?

CP: I actually think that working out at home is the best and most consistent way to stay in shape. I have a workout that I designed for this very purpose -- see here and here for the details.  If you're short on time, try to at least do the planks, side planks, push-ups, squats, pull-ups, and forward lunges from the series.

BGG: It seems like a lot of people who work out end up sabotaging all of their hard work at the gym because they don't eat well. In regards to nutrition, what are some basic tenets to follow?

CP: It really makes sense that eating as many vegetables as possible is probably the healthiest way to live your life. Learn wonderful vegetable recipes that you can cook with ease and then have fruits be an integral part of your daily diet. Especially when people are trying to be healthy, they tend to sabotage their diets with so-called "health foods." Yogurts with all kinds of added sugars are a good example of this.

Also, using a lot of fake foods and diet foods can create an unhealthy food balance in your life. Make sure you have enough lean protein in your diet, which has been shown in research to fend off hunger. And I highly recommend, in order to stay on a healthy living track, to write down everything you eat and drink for one week at least six times per year. You'll be shocked to see the difference between what you think you eat and what you actually do eat. 

BGG: Say you have a big event -- what's a quick way to look good?

CP: Here are a few tips for a wedding, reunion, etc.:

1. Toss out any and all junk food from your house. No exceptions.
2. Eat egg-white and vegetable omelets every morning.
3. Eat lots of non-starchy vegetables. And I mean lots.
4. Eat clean and lean protein with your vegetables for lunch and dinner.
5. No sugar or white foods.
6. Exercise -- cardio and strength train daily.
7. Cut out salt / sodium -- it retains water and can make you look heavy. 

BGG: What is always on your grocery list or in your kitchen?

CP: Broccoli would be number one. Broccoli is my favorite food in the world. Other favorites are peppers and onions. I always buy egg whites (All Whites) and fruits such as bananas, tangerines, and apples. I always have lots of spices and garlic (I LOVE GARLIC). Lastly, I always have cooking spray or an oil pump.

BGG: What are the biggest mistakes you see people making in regards to their fitness programs, and what do you suggest as ways to improve?

CP: They create unrealistic goals for themselves. For instance, saying things like they're going to start running in the mornings or take a spin class at 5a.m. when the last time they saw 5a.m. was stumbling in from a late night of partying. Another fitness mistake is not creating a manageable, usable, workable routine. Being fit is more about consistency on a daily basis than about a tough workout once every week or every two weeks. Also, you have to realize that there's nothing like the "right here, right now" approach. You don't need fancy workout clothes, you don't need a fancy gym, and you don't need a lot of time. It's all about creating convenience and creating an automatic routine. Just like you brush your teeth every morning and every evening (hopefully), you should create a fitness routine that you simply do automatically, at the same time every day, if possible, so you don't even need to think about -- you just do it. 

BGG: What is the right balance of cardio and strength training? As I'm sure you know, a lot of girls avoid strength training out of fear that it will make them bulky.

CP: Believe it or not, there is actually more than just cardio and strength training. There are three unique components of fitness: strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular capacity, and it takes all three to be truly fit. Physical fitness isn't just about how much you can lift or how far you can run, and a person who excels in one area could be floundering in another without even knowing it. The best approach is to balance all three. In terms of women worried about getting bulky -- they shouldn't worry. Simply try doing my exercise routine in a gym or at home and you will slim down without bulking up. You do not need heavy weights.