Many people today are on a budget and that means some of the extra expenses, such as the gym, need to go. Those who are trying to lose weight and stay in shape might feel they would be lost without access to the gym, but the forecast doesn't have to be so gloomy. It's easy to find some great ways to get a vigorous and effective workout right at home.
What to Do at Home
Plenty of options are available for home workouts. Here are just a few ideas to help you start. Once people start looking around their own home, they will find plenty of things to do!
Traditional calisthenics are an option, albeit a boring one. Pushups, crunches and leg lifts are all great exercises, but you will want to add some variety to keep things interesting. Use some old electrical cord as a jump rope. You may want to buy some free weights to keep at the house too. Even a few dumbbells to use for bicep curls, shoulder raises and triceps extensions can add more to your home workouts.
Check online to see if you can find some quality DVD workouts. You can find dancing workouts, traditional aerobics, yoga, Pilates, and martial arts videos. Those who enjoy the interactivity of the DVDs might also want to consider some of the exercise videogames that are available now. As with the DVDs, you can find games that suit all tastes, and some even track your calories and progress for you.
Stepping Out for a Bit
It isn't necessary to get all exercise at home. If you have pets, children or a spouse, you can go on walks around the neighborhood or at the park. You don't even need those pets, kids and spouse to do those things! Visit the beach for a walk or find some hiking trails that are only a short drive away. Getting out and among other people is a great way to become more social too.
The Challenge of Home Workouts
The biggest challenge of working out at home is getting the motivation to do it. Many people thrive on the experience at the gym. They enjoy the lights, the equipment and the other people. They feel a certain responsibility to hit the gym that they just don't feel when they have to work out at home. By switching up the mindset and adding variety to the routines, working out at home can be just as rewarding.
Another challenge that you might find is the proximity of the refrigerator and the kitchen cabinets. Make sure that you remove all of the junk food from the house. After a tough workout, you need to refuel. It's important to make sure that fuel doesn't come in the form of potato chips and cookies!
Something that everyone has to remember is it isn't the location of the workout that is important; it is the quality of the workout. Wherever you might be sweating is the right place as long as it's a good workout!
