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Summer has arrived and the quest for a beach body is in full swing. A few creative solutions can help you feel the burn from the comfort of home. Common household items may provide inexpensive calorie-busting, strength-inducing solutions. Kitchen chair Pull the chair away from your family dining table and use it like a ballet bar. Stand about one foot away from the chair, rest your hands on the back and bring your heels together, toes turned out. Keeping the abdominal muscles engaged and the spine straight, begin to bend at the knees for a simple plié to strengthen the calves, www and hamstrings. Towels Use a beach towel for a sweat- absorbing yoga mat. Smaller towels can help extend your reach when you stretch. For a hamstring stretch, sit on your mat with one leg extended out in front of you, slightly bent. Holding each end of a hand towel, loop the middle around your foot and extend your leg. Cinch up the towel as your stretch deepens. ✚ Bungee Cord Bungee cords you may have around the house are a cheap alternative to resistance bands for arm exercises. Simply sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Hook the ends of the bungee under your bent knees and hold the top of the loop, with your arms outstretched. Slowly lift your arms up to eye level, with the tops of your hands pointing toward the ceiling. Pause, and slowly lower the arms back down. Looking to build your biceps? Simply hold the bungee palms up and curl arms at the elbows. WORK OUT Anywhere TOP TOOLS FOR YOUR AT-HOME EXERCISE ROUTINES Hit the Trail Want to walk or run in the beautiful outdoors? Check out trails in Texarkana. TEXAS Sister Damian Murphy Trail ties into the CHRISTUS St. Michael trail system. Find It: Park at the CHRISTUS St. Michael Health & Fitness Center and walk north. The trail follows the south side of Galleria Oaks Dr. CHRISTUS St. Michael trails around the hospital campus. Find It: 2600 St. Michael Dr., Texarkana, TX, 75503. Spring Lake Park – The Philip McDougal Trail is a 1.75 mile circle around the park's perimeter. Find it: Spring Lake Park is located off Mall Drive (the eastbound I-30 service road), east of Summerhill Road. Bringle Lake Trail – Currently a 3.9 mile trail through woods, one way, construction will begin this summer on the second phase of the trail, bringing it around the lake and ultimately ending in front of Texas A&M University – Texarkana. Find it: The trailhead is located at Bringle Lake Park–East. 6600 University Ave., Texarkana, TX, 75503. ARKANSAS Bobby Ferguson Park – One mile trail around a small lake in front of the Four States Fairgrounds. Find it: 3400 U of A Way, Texarkana, AR, 71854. Nix Creek Trail – 4.5 mile point-to-point trail with something different each block. Find it: North trailhead and parking lot located one block west of Jefferson Road on the south side of Arkansas Blvd. across from Pinson Dr. South trailhead begins at the Gateway Farmers Market just east of Jefferson Ave. on East Broad St. Other trails include Trice School Trail, Grady T. Wallace Park and Texarkana College Walking Trail. For more information, visit the Partnership for the Pathway Facebook page or call Joe Saul-Sehy, Partnership for the Pathway board president, at (903) 733-3577. Talk with your doctor about your plans to exercise at home. If you don't have a physician, visit christusstmichael.org or call 1 (844) 274-DOCS (3627) to locate one right for you. 11 Summer 2017 | christusstmichael.org BE WELL 11