Kitty Litter Workout (seriously)

This last 10 pounds of baby weight is clogging my fat cells and clinging to me like old chewing gum on the sidewalk. I’ve made some adjustments to my diet by cranking up my intake of water, fruits and veggies, and it’s working. I’m staying fuller throughout the day and able to satisfy my greedy stomach on smaller meal portions. But fine tuning the daily diet will only take my weight loss journey so far if I’m bored with my current exercise routine….and bored I am.

I’ve been dying to get some sandbags for a fun outdoor challenge. You buy special bags, fill with 10 or 20 plus pounds of sand, and then get crackin’ on weighted work that makes your heart pump, such as lunges, squats, and push/pull exercises. But whoa. Those sandbags can get pricey. They range from $25 to well over $200 and I ain’t buying anytime soon. My cash is reserved for things like feeding the four greedy kids mass quantities of groceries to the tune of $250 a week. So what should I do?

a) trade in the kids for the expensive $200 sandbags
b) enlist the kids into child labor and make them buy me sandbags
c) don’t feed the kids for a week; spend the grocery money on sandbags
d) do nothing and keep my fat cells in their 10 pound bloated state

If I was absolutely forced to choose I’d have to go with Option B Option D, but that just won’t do.

Kitty Litter Workout

Living on a budget begets ingenuity! I got a standbag-ish workout without the sandbags for only $5.88.

• $4.38 – Two 10 pound bags of kitty litter ($2.19 each)
• $1.50 – One 1 roll duct tape

In the picture I hadn’t yet duct taped the bags, but you’ll want to do this to keep the bags from ripping open over time. This is a killer cardio workout that targets your booty and thighs while also developing your arms and shoulders.  It me took all of 15 minutes before I was toast.

Kitty Litter Intervals

1. Set each bag in an open outdoor space (Point A and Point B) at the distance of your choosing.
2. To begin, squat at Point A to pick up bag.
3. Holding bag a chest level, run to Point B, then squat to switch bags.
4. Run back to Point A, squat to set bag down, then run back to Point B at an increased speed.
5. Pick up bag a Point B and repeat sequence for 1-2 minutes.
6. Bring your heart rate down for a 30-45 second rest period by performing bicep curls with the bag.
7. Repeat entire sequence.

Cat Walk Lunges & Squat Jumps

1. Hold kitty litter bag at chest level or slightly overhead for increased difficulty (be sure to engage your core).
2. Perform walking lunges from Point A to Point B.
3. At point B, set down bag and perform 10-15 squat jumps.
4. Pick up bag and perform walking lunges back to Point A.
5. Perform 10-15 squat jumps again, then repeat entire sequence.

Tough Cat Squat Press

1. Prepare to squat with feet forward or turned outward to target inner thighs. Kitty litter bag at chest level.
2. Squat to set down bag then return to original standing position.
3. Squat again to pick up bag, then press bag overhead as you return to standing.
4. Squat to set down bag then repeat entire sequence 10 times.

I added to this workout by using my deck stairs as a stepper with the kitty litter bag in hand. Then I cooled down and stretched.
Ahhh….that was great.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible for Smokey the Cat’s decision to show the world his butt in the picture.