Being a sports fan requires you to spend several hours a weekend in front of your TV, and three-hour commitments every Saturday and Sunday to cheer on your favorite college and NFL teams can make it tougher to squeeze in weekend workouts. No matter how much the pathetic teams to which you’re devoted make your blood boil, you’re still not burning many calories when you’re watching TV.

The key to integrating physical activity with football-watching is to turn its numerous clock stoppages into mini-workouts. If you squeeze in sets of push-ups, crunches or jumping jacks during commercial breaks, you’ll end the game having exerted nearly as much physical activity as the players. Exercising during breaks in the action is an excellent way to work through frustrations and alleviate anxiety brought on by the game.

You can apply the same technique to any televised event with commercials, provided you can restrain yourself from fast-forwarding through recorded shows. Exercising amid TV-watching helps you use your time more productively and eliminates the guilt of not hitting the gym.

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