26 Fresh Ways to Reuse an Old Yoga Mat

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If you’ve just eked your millionth sun salutation out of that thin, raggedy rectangle you call a mat, it might be time to spring for a new one. But what to do with the old? Certainly, you could recycle it or even donate it if it isn’t too far gone, or you could tap your inner Martha and try a little creative repurposing:

1. Hang it horizontally in your garage to keep car doors from scraping the walls.
2. Use it as a kitchen mat in front of the stove or sink.
3. Lay it under your sleeping bag on your next camping trip; it won’t provide much in the way of cushioning, but at least you won’t feel every rock and stick.
4. Scrub the heck out of it, then cut it up as liners for shelves and drawers.
5. Make it into floor covers for the backseat area so your kids’ muddy shoes and cleats won’t ruin your mats.
6. Carpet the tree house!
7. Cut it into small circles and use them under furniture legs to protect the floor.
8. Wrap it around that attic beam or basement pole you keep running into.
9. Put it under the litter box so the cat won’t track stuff all over the floor.
10. Cut it to fit under slippery rugs to keep them in place.
11. Put it under the stationary bike or treadmill to protect the floor from sweat and machine-induced scratches.
12. Line the floor of Fido’s crate to make your pooch more comfortable.
13. Lay it on the laundry room floor in front of the dryer so dropped clothes stay clean.
14. Cut it into circles and use them as jar openers.
15. Put a piece in the trunk of your car to keep groceries, boxes, and sports equipment from banging around.
16. Put a square under your pet’s food and water dishes to keep the bowls from skittering (and splashing) all over the floor.
17. Cut out shapes of fruits, veggies, and animals, and put them to work as hot pads under pots and pans.
18. Use it as a kneeling pad to keep your knees happy and clean when you’re working in the garden.
19. Lay it by the pool so your feet don’t get all grassy (or cement fried) when you step out.
20. Roll it out under your beach towel—that sand is always harder than it looks, isn’t it?
21. Cut it into circles to put under leaky planters and flowerpots to protect the furniture or floor.
22. Use it as a cushioned drop cloth for your next big painting or refurbishing project.
23. Trim out a large rectangle, fold it in half, stuff some newspaper or foam in between, and use Crazy Glue to seal the sides. Voilà: a stadium seat pad!
24. Wrap pieces of it around sharp chair legs, table corners, and fireplace hearths for instant baby proofing.
25. Let the kids use their safety scissors to cut out fun shapes and glue magnets to the backs.
26. Cut it up into new mouse pads for everyone in the house.

(Many thanks to Ed Adams, Susan Emack Alison, Leslie Barrie, Sandy Skinner Dangel, Amy Gorin, Mara Hamner, Annie Krueger, Tiffany Melanis, and RoseAnna Schick for their brilliant contributions to this list!)

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Exercise Isn’t Torture; Fitness Can Be Fun

By Tina Haupert

Growing up, it was easy for me to be active. I started ballet classes when I was 3 years old, and by the time I was 8, I was playing soccer. All through middle school and high school, I participated in team sports—soccer, tennis, basketball, and track and field. I loved being active, so fitting exercise into my life was easy. I never saw it as a way to burn calories or to maintain my weight; exercise was just plain fun!

Fast forward to my post-college days. I started working 40 hours a week, which meant sitting behind a desk, working late nights at the office, and spending too many overindulgent happy hours with co-workers (hello, beer and nachos!). In just a few months, I gained 20 pounds.

At first, I didn’t realize that I was putting on weight. But when I had to buy a whole new wardrobe (true story!), I knew that something needed to change. I cleaned up my diet and started going to the gym more regularly. Eventually though, that new get-in-shape motivation wore off, and spending hours at the gym each week began to feel like torture. It was nothing like playing soccer after school or taking a hip-hop dance class with my friends each week.

So instead of giving up on exercise altogether, I had to find ways to incorporate it into my life and even try to make it (gasp!) fun. Here’s what I did:

I make it a priority
I no longer “squeeze in” a workout. Exercise is one of the most important items on my to-do list. I try to make some sort of activity happen every single day, no matter what it is. If I have an especially busy day, I’ll incorporate fitness into my chores. For instance, walking my dog for 45 minutes or doing an hour or two of yard work kills two birds with one stone!

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I have a flexible definition of the word “exercise”
Taking a Body Pump class or going for a 5-mile run are a couple of my favorite ways to exercise, but not all of my workouts are this “traditional.” The word “exercise” is a loose term for me. It fits a lot of activities in my life, including hiking in the mountains, taking a bike ride, playing an impromptu game of tennis with my husband, walking to the grocery store and back, or even helping friends move into a new house!

I don’t focus on the number on the scale
When it comes to exercising, I don’t let the bathroom scale dictate my workouts. My goal isn’t to fit into size zero skinny jeans, but to maintain my weight and feel good about myself. To me, being in good shape means feeling healthy and being active. Plus, the extra activity lets me enjoy dessert without guilt every day!

I remind myself that exercise is fun
It’s not always easy to psyche myself up for a workout. Just like everyone else, I am not motivated on some days and don’t feel like doing anything except sit on the couch, catching up with my DVR. Even though I’ve committed myself to fitness, I still struggle with these feelings. But now I’ve found different ways to motivate myself to exercise. I remind myself of the simple pleasures I receive from fitness. A run on the treadmill might sound boring, but to me it’s a time to myself, a time to let my mind wander. Similarly, strength training with free weights may not sound like fun. However, the anticipation of listening to the great workout playlist that I made for lifting weights makes me look forward to my session. It all comes down to making exercise fun!

Read Tina’s daily food and fitness blog, Carrots ‘N’ Cake.

 

 

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