No matter what any pill-marketing advertisements may tell you, the heart of weight loss is getting regular exercise. While some people don't like to go to the gym, either due to embarrassment or the effort involved in driving elsewhere just to exercise, there are plenty of exercises that you can do in your own house to help you keep fit and in shape. With that in mind, here are some exercises that you can perform in the comforts of your own home.

Jumping rope - while most of us forgot about jumping rope the second that we got out of grade school, it is truly a great workout. Studies have shown that a mere five minutes of jumping rope is equivalent, calorie-burning-wise, to jogging for a full mile! What's more is that you can jump rope in your house and it costs very little to get your own rope. Just be sure that when you are jumping rope that you keep it high-intensity, spinning the rope quick enough to generate some real movement of the body.

Climbing stairs - do you have a stairway in your house, or do you live in an apartment building? If so, congratulations - you've got your own stairmaster! Few people realize the merits of simply walking up and down a flight of stairs when it comes to fitness. While plenty go on stairclimbers with reckless abandon, roughly the same workout can be attained by just walking up and down flights of stairs. Once you feel that the benefits of stair climbing aren't enough for your workout, try carrying weights, or even soup cans, as you climb the stairs. This added weight, although small, helps your body to get more in shape.

Sit-ups and push-ups - these two exercises help you to tone the muscles in your chest and abs while burning calories. They don't require any equipment, and you can even do them while you're watching TV! If you're watching television and a commercial break happens, take the opportunity to do a set of push-ups and a set of sit-ups. In no time, you'll notice a lot more tone to the muscles in your body.

Cleaning - cleaning around the house is actually quite the aerobic activity. In addition to burning calories, you're also performing some house work that can really pay off. Be sure to keep a steady pace while cleaning, ensuring that the exercise that you get from the process is intense enough to make a difference.