No cable television flickers in our home, but that'll change soon as our oldest, a kindergartener, is seriously protesting the lack of Disney and Nickelodeon. When we do splurge on cable, I will definitely enjoy more home workouts thanks to a wide variety of available fitness programming.

If your gym membership card gathered dust over the holidays, how about giving cable TV fitness programs a chance to jumpstart your return to regular exercise? Record the shows and fast forward commercial breaks. If that's not an option, use the commercials to down some water, make a pot of coffee or jog in place for an even bigger calorie burn. You might want to try:

• Denise Austin on Lifetime and ESPN Classic. She combines aerobics, weights and yoga in two 30-minute episodes. You'll need hand weights and a mat, and you might enjoy her Trainer's Tip at the end of the Lifetime show.
• Total Body Sculpt With Gilad on FitTV features 30 minutes of strength training with trainer Gilad Janklowicz.
• Inhale on Oxygen will have yoga lovers rolling out of bed and stretching for an hour with Steve Ross.
• In Shape With Sharon Mann on FitTV is a 30-minute cardio bonanza working in pilates, kickboxing, tai chi and other trendy moves. You will need some equipment -- a stability ball, mat, hand weights, body bar, tubing and aerobics step. If you're short pieces, adaptations are offered.

Picture from www.bodiesinmotionwithgilad.com

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Cable tv fitness queen Denise Austin is in incredible shape. But it doesn't take her hours a day to pull it off. You mean there's actually hope for the average gal to look like Austin and not spend hours each day in the gym?

Austin recently shared she works out only 30 minutes most days, occasionally tacking on a bit more time. She does not slack off during workouts, consistently investing maximum effort. But in about the time it takes me to shower, dress, put on makeup and blowdry my hair (I'm no fancy girl), Austin's fitness time is finished. No doubt she must eat healthy, too.

She also recommends continual movement all day long, whether you're walking around the kitchen talking on the phone, doing leg lifts while stirring the risotto or balancing on one leg as you brush your teeth. Austin also recommended investing in a good pair of athletic shoes, not necessarily a $100 plus pair, but a shoe with good absorption and solid support.

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Right now, I'm in the midst of a gym craze, which means I am going quite a bit (around 4 times a week.) Which is great, but I have to admit, there are times when I am definitely in a gym funk -- I just can't get motivated to make the trip. But I still need to work out so during those times, so I usually try a fitness DVD. They're especially good in the winter, when heading out into the freezing cold and scraping ice off your car is so not appealing. They're also great if you like you workout in the morning but don't like to get up early to battle the crowds at the gym. Yeah, DVDs can get repetitive after a while, but with Netflix offering them now so there's no need to do the same one over and over again.

This week, I decided to put together a list of awesome Fitness DVDs that will get your muscles toned and help you burn calories. Feel free to add your won favourites in the comments section. In no particular order:

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Jeans: one of the most popular clothing items (if not the most popular) in our society today. So it only makes sense to tailor a workout to help you look your absolute best in them. And of course, what helps you look your best in your jeans will help you look your best in everything else too. Nice how that works!

This workout includes toning moves and stretches, along with some recommended cardio to burn off that jiggle. Plus my favorite things to do, which I need to get back into, are lunges. For me they're a really fast and effective way to tighten up that whole area. Other ideas?

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