How to Work Out While You're Binge-Watching Netflix

Cross it off your guilty pleasure list for good.

Woman sitting up in bed pointing a TV remote
(Image credit: Getty Images)

We've spent the better part of 2015 marathoning through seasons 1-7 of Gilmore Girls, and while watching Lorelei and Rory shoot the breeze (puns, pop culture references, et al) is kind of like brain exercise, our bodies have been in full-on hibernation mode. Now that all that "summer bodies are made in winter" talk is rearing its ugly head, we know we need to start getting in shape—but please don't let it interfere with our jam-packed TV-watching schedules?

It may sound too good (slash lazy) to be true, but thanks to three fitness experts, we now have six quick and easy exercises that cater to our poor Netflix-addicted souls. Just in time for the Friends revival.

  1. Try some Criss-Cross Jumping Jacks during commercial breaks. "Start standing with your feet together and arms by your side. Jump with your legs open and out to the side and cross arms overhead. Next, scissor legs, crossing left leg in front of the right, as left arm crosses over right at chest level. Repeat alternating sides, 25 times each." —Brooke Marrone, president and founder of Brooke Marrone training studio
  2. Sculpt your stems while lying in bed with Side Lying Leg Lifts. "While lying on your side, stack your legs and bring them out to a 45 degree angle in front of your body. Flex your feet and lift your top leg slightly higher than you hip and almost all the way back down. Aim for a total of 100 on each side." —Brooke Marrone
  3. Tone all over (legs, butt, shoulders, and back) with Chair Poses. "Begin standing with your feet together and big toes touching. Inhale, then lift your arms up until they are perpendicular to the floor with your pinkies rotating in. Exhale, then sit your hips back and bring your thighs as close to parallel with the floor as you can. Lean your torso slightly forward, shift your weight in your heels, and engage your core by drawing your belly button into your spine. Pull your shoulders down your back. Hold for 8 to 10 breaths." —Dempsey Marks, fitness trainer, yoga instructor, and founder of DempseyFit.com
  4. Do Bra Lifts and Squeezes with a pillow or stuffed animal to target your pectoral muscle, AKA the "natural bra." "Sit on a sofa with your back straight and tummy tucked in. Place the squeezable object between your palms. Do a series of 25 quick squeezes, then right away, a series of 10 slow squeezes. Rest 30 seconds, then repeat the routine four times." —Valerie Orsoni, founder of LeBootCamp.com and author of LeBootCamp Diet (out April 7, 2015)
  5. Also while on the sofa: Improve your posture, ease tension, and tone muscle with Upper Back Stretches. "Sit on a sofa with your back straight, tummy tucked in, and feet flat on the floor. Bring your shoulder blades together, then grab your left wrist with your right hand. Bring your shoulder blades even closer and pull your left wrist to the right until you feel a nice stretch. Keep the stretch for 30 seconds." —Valerie Orsoni
  6. Once your binge session is over, end it with Downward Dogs to boost circulation, as well as strengthen your arms and legs. "Start with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders with the weight shifted back into your heels and your feet shoulder width apart. Tuck your toes and pop your hips to the sky into your forward fold. Make sure to keep your shoulders down, hips high, and weight shifted into your heels. Breathe, holding for five seconds, and drop your knees down for a brief rest. Repeat six times." —Brooke Marrone

You should also check out:

How to Work Out While You're Getting Ready for Work

The Year of the Butt: How to Get What They've Got

Lauren Valenti
Beauty Editor

Lauren is the former beauty editor at Marie Claire. She love to while away the hours at coffee shops, hunt for vintage clothes, and bask in the rough-and-tumble beauty of NYC. She firmly believes that solitude can be a luxury if you’ve got the right soundtrack—that being the Rolling Stones, of course.