How many times have you asked yourself this question - what exercises can I do to lose weight?  Most of us think of exercises in the traditional sense.  Exercising means walking or running, outside or on a treadmill.  It means aerobics classes, pilates, step classes, kickboxing classes, weightlifting or swimming.  It means buying expensive equipment that you'll use for a week then watch it collect dust.  Exercising means joining an expensive health club that you'll go to for 1 month then stop as you keep paying your monthly membership.  This is what most people think of when they hear the word exercise. 

There are alternatives to those things mentioned above.  Simple exercises to lose weight that you can do without taking any extra time out of your schedule.  You don't have to purchase any fancy equipment or join a health club.  No need to go outside (unless you want to).  You won't have to drive to the mall just to walk around inside of it either.  You can increase your heart rate, increase your metabolism and burn calories right in your own home simply by doing what you already do, only faster!

Here are some simple exercises that you can perform to lose weight:

1. Speed Vacuuming!  The basic act of vacuuming is a form of exercise.  Think about the components of this task - you are walking, pushing the vacuum against the resistance of the carpet, changing directions frequently and sometimes lifting the vacuum.  If you want to increase your heart rate then try to vacuum a more quickly than you normally would.  You'll be surprised at the effect this will have on your heart rate and your breathing.

2.  Speed dusting!  You have to dust anyway, right?  Do it faster!  The quicker you move your arms the greater the workload on your heart and muscles. 

3.  Doing laundry today?  Take a few extra trips up or down the stairs (depending on where your machines are).  Separate your loads in one place then walk each load to the basement one at a time.  This is an easy way to incorporate more stairclimbing into your day and will easily increase your heart rate and burn more calories.

4.  More on laundry!  Before emptying the clothes into the machine to this - squat down (keeping your back straight and bending your knees), grab the laundry basket then stand up straight.  Repeat this 5 times with each load of laundry.  Adjust the amount of clothes if it's too heavy.  You'll feel it in your legs and it will be well worth it.

5.  You have a great piece of exercise equipment in your home already - the stairs!  The next time you go up the stairs perform this little technique - step up on the first stair with both feet.  Then step down one foot at a time to the floor.  Next step up to step one, then step two.  Then step down to step one.  Then step up to step one, two and three.  Next, step down to step two.  Continue this pattern until you reach the top of the stairs!

What exercises can I do to lose weight?  What you must remember is that in order to lose weight and bodyfat you have to increase your body's metabolism.  You do this by increasing your body's workload; meaning you have to do something that increases the workload on your muscles so that your heart rate will increase.  This will, in turn, increase your body's metabolism and you will burn more calories.  Certainly traditional exercises (like those mentioned above) will do this.  But for those of us that aren't ready for that level of commitment these 5 activities are a great alternative.