Home Workout and Fitness Tips: Exercising without the Gym
There are many benefits to exercising at home: It can save money on gym memberships, equipment costs and gas. It can also be more convenient in terms of time and location. But working out at home doesn’t come without its challenges, especially if you’re used to the camaraderie of a gym community or the accountability of classes with an instructor.
But don’t let these obstacles stop you from sticking to your health and wellness goals. You can stay active by following simple home workout and fitness tips, such as dedicating a space in your house to exercise, dressing for the weather, scheduling your workouts and setting out the right equipment. These small nuances can make a huge difference in your success and motivation.
Creating a workout station at home is a great way to keep your home workout equipment and supplies organized. It also helps motivate you to work out by making it feel like a special place that you can go to for your workouts. A dedicated area can be as simple as a corner in your living room, or if you have extra space you can create a separate workout space with a yoga mat, dumbbells and elastic bands. You can even put together a home workout routine that incorporates both cardio and strength training, just be sure to include at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity cardio each week, along with two or more days of strength training.
When you’re working out at home, it can be easy to get distracted by the TV, your meal prep or other chores around the house. To help you stay motivated to stick with your routine, it’s helpful to set up your workout space and workout clothes the night before. You can also try scheduling your workouts and writing it down on your calendar so you are more likely to keep that commitment.
It’s also a good idea to plan out your workout ahead of time, even if it is just 30 minutes or less, so you don’t have any excuses to skip it. If you’re a morning person, maybe schedule a 30 minute workout in the morning so you can get your day started off on a healthy note. And if you’re an evening person, make your workouts a priority so you can enjoy the end of your day with a satisfying exercise session.
If you don’t have the equipment to do a full HIIT routine, you can still get your heart rate up by simply jumping rope or taking a short jog around the block or the neighborhood. If you’re looking for more of a challenge, you can also add squat jumps and lunges to your routine. Just be sure to modify the exercises to fit your body’s needs — for example, if you have knee pain, switch out lunges for split squats or single-leg glute bridges. You can even try using a stability ball to perform these movements, as well.
Milena Estêvão is a YouTuber passionate about sharing her experiences (challenges, successes and motivations) in the fitness activities she is involved in.
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