A gym membership can be a great asset to keeping fit. But what do you do if you don’t want to or can’t afford one this year? Do you give up and hope for the best? Absolutely not! You can make simple changes around your home to help you stay active and fit throughout the year. Here are some tips and tricks to stick with your fitness goals without shelling out for a gym subscription.
Find Your Motivation and Set Realistic Goals
Motivation is important when starting an exercise routine, and setting realistic goals is key. Make sure your goals are attainable; otherwise, you risk being discouraged if you don’t see results immediately. For example, you could commit to doing twenty minutes of cardio exercises three times a week. Once that goal is met, create a new one and challenge yourself each time. You can add more time, more days, or try something new. When you have built your stamina, it’s time to try doing the following exercises:
Bodyweight Exercises-Bodyweight exercises are a great way to get fit and stay healthy without special equipment. Push-ups, planks, crunches, and squats are some of the most popular examples. These exercises require little time but offer high-impact results. You can also modify them according to your strength level and make them more challenging as you progress.
Yoga and Pilates-To build strength, flexibility, and balance, try incorporating some yoga or Pilates into your routine. Both are low-impact exercises that can be done anywhere in the comfort of your own home. The New York Times says, Yoga is great for building core strength, while Pilates focuses on breathing techniques and concentrates on core muscles.
Interval Training-Interval training is a great way to increase your heart rate and burn calories fast. You can do it with or without equipment. All you need is some open space, like a living room or backyard. Start by doing high-intensity exercises for 30 seconds, followed by low-intensity exercises for 30 seconds. Repeat this cycle for five minutes, then take a break and start again.
Create mini-goals along the way that will help keep you motivated and track your progress. This could mean taking body measurements monthly or tracking your running time weekly. Take note of even the smallest successes to celebrate them as part of your overall journey.
Get Creative With Your Space
Investing in home workout equipment such as weights, resistance bands, or exercise mats can give you more options when exercising at home. You can also do this in your garage. You can invest in residential garage door openers for small spaces to maximize your room and make it easier to access your workout equipment. Access to a more spacious area will also make it easier to do exercises requiring more room, such as running or jumping rope.
You can also get creative with your space by utilizing furniture or items around your house for exercise. For example, you can use a chair to do step-ups and dips or use books as weights. If you don’t have any equipment, you can still get creative with exercises like planks, push-ups, and burpees that require little to no equipment. If you have a pool, use it for water exercises like swimming or pool walking.
Find an Exercise Buddy
Having someone to exercise with can keep you motivated and accountable. Ask a friend or family member to join you in your fitness journey. Even if they don’t have the same goals as you, having somebody there to cheer you on and push you to do your best can make all the difference. You could also join a virtual exercise class or an online community with similar goals. You can also encourage your family to exercise with you and make it a fun activity for everyone. For example, you could make it a game to see who can do the most push-ups or has the best plank form.
Try Online Workouts
YouTube has thousands of free workouts available online (FitBit), from HIIT workouts, Yoga classes and everything in between! Hundreds of channels are dedicated to helping people stay fit from home, with tons of different types and levels of workouts available from beginners up to advanced athletes, so everyone should be able to find something suitable for their needs. Even better-these videos come at no cost!
Final Thoughts
Staying fit doesn’t have to be expensive or daunting; it just takes dedication and patience. With these tips in mind, take this opportunity to get creative with how you work out this year and find new ways to challenge yourself without breaking the bank! Who knows? You may discover that working out at home is more enjoyable than going to a gym!