Medifast Multi-tasking: Tighten Your Muscles While Waiting for Your Replacement Meals to Microwave

When I was on the Medifast 5&1 Plan, I remember spending a lot of time waiting for my Medifast replacement meals to cook in the microwave.

Stop staring at the microwave

Okay, so maybe two-five minutes isn't a lot of time relative to the whole day, but it's an awkward amount of time because it's not long enough to do something else but enough time to make you feel foolish just standing there next to the microwave watching the seconds count down. 

That's how I got the idea to do micro-exercises whenever my food was microwaving. I've taken enough enough fitness classes -- from Yoga to Pilates to Jazzercise -- to have a nice repertoire of muscle toning, balancing and stretching routines.

One very simple exercise, for instance, is the flamingo. Just stand on one leg as long as you can with your other leg bent so your foot is resting on your inside calf or pushed straight out to the side. Engage your core muscles as you do this and see how long you can balance without putting your foot down. You can also get fancy by doing side leg lifts instead of holding your leg in one position.

Another easy exercise is knee lifts. While standing straight with your hands behind your head and your legs even with your shoulders, raise your left knee while lowering your right shoulder so your elbow meets your knee. Repeat on the other side and keep alternating until you hear your microwave beep.

The possibilities are endless. Keep a set of dumbbells in the kitchen (or use tomato sauce cans) and do some bicep curls. Run in place, lifting your knees as high as you can. Do a set of jumping jacks or squats.

The point is, there is a lot of wasted time in the day in which you can either stand around and do nothing or make your body meaner and leaner.

And don't just stop at the kitchen. I have been known to stand on one leg while waiting for my car to fuel and do side leg lifts while brushing my teeth.

There are many great articles and videos on the web if you want more ideas or need pictures or videos. One of my favorites is The Standing Crunch-less Ab Workout video by Sarah Dussault a.k.a. Sarah Fit. Her routines are a snap to follow, and you can actually see her ab muscles contract as she does each exercise.

You can purchase Medifast replacement meals directly from Medifast Centers, the Medifast website or -- for no extra cost -- through the co-branded website of a Medifast TSFL health coach. Medifast does not recommend purchasing its products from third party vendors, but if you choose to do so, you can find them on both Amazon and eBay.

Medifast replacement meals on Amazon

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