If pop culture has taught us anything, it's that the housewives of the '50s and '60s were cigarette-smoking, discontent Betty Drapers or husband-obeying, picture-perfect Stepford robots (or a warped combo of both.)

Regardless, they're usually shown sporting lipstick, pearls ... and a killer bod. How did real housewives maintain their figures sans a pricey gym membership? According to a batch of vintage photos, they got creative while watering the plants and cleaning out the cobwebs.

Yep, in addition to playing the role of chief child-rearer, maid, and cook, housewives found the time to turn their household chores into fat-blasting sessions.

Click through these multitasking exercises and you'll no longer have a valid excuse for pushing your workout to the bottom of the to-do list. Instead of wasting valuable time deliberating between pilates, spin, and barre tonight, just consider dusting your carpets and cleaning your doors already.