FITNESS,  HEALTH,  LIFESTYLE

Getting Fit at Home

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Whether you want to lose weight, tone up, or simply be a fitter person, you might currently be deciding which workout would be best for you. There are a wide range of options, so sometimes it simply comes down to your lifestyle preferences. If you have a hard time getting away to work out, you might want to try creating a fitness routine at home.

Here we will look at the many ways to get fit right in the comfort of your own home.

Why You Should Consider Working Out at Home

For some people, the option to start a fitness routine at home feels like a dream come true. They don’t have the motivation (or the time) to make it to the gym every day and exercising outside is often not available. For others, they enjoy getting out of the house to workout. Either way, you can really benefit from incorporating home workouts into your regular fitness routine. Some reasons to consider working out at home include:

  • You can save money – First of all, you save money by not paying for a gym membership! That $50 that comes out of your bank account every month might seem small, but it adds up. Before too long, you have spent $600 in a year on a membership you might not use very often.
  • Convenience – Home workouts are extremely convenient. No more do you need to worry about finding the time to drive to the gym or try to get outside before it gets dark after you return home from work. You can work out in your pajamas or your favorite yoga pants, in inclement weather, or in the middle of the night if you really want to. The fact that your kids can stay home with you while you get in your daily exercise is another example of how convenient it can really be.
  • Make it a family activity – Also consider the fact that when you start working out at home, it can actually turn into an activity your entire family becomes involved in.

Basic Exercise Equipment and Accessories

When you decide to get fit at home, what you use, how much you spend, and where you work out is completely up to you. Here are some different options for workout accessories and equipment.

Exercise Equipment

First of all, if you have space and the budget for it, spending money on some exercise equipment is highly recommended. This allows you to have close to the gym experience without ever having to leave your house. Some exercise equipment that tends to be easy to fit into your home includes:

Workout Tools and Accessories

Next are the various tools and accessories used in your regular fitness routine. This will depend largely on the type of workouts you intend to incorporate into your new at-home fit lifestyle. If you intend to do yoga, this might include getting a yoga mat and possibly some DVDs or books if you are new to the practice. Other accessories to have on hand include:

  • Free weights
  • Resistance bands
  • Heart rate monitor
  • Jump ropes
  • Medicine balls

Also don’t forget about some additional exercise equipment you may want, such as a small trampoline or a ballet bar if you intend to do barre fitness workouts. It’s okay to start small and get just one or two items at a time, then gradually add more as your budget allows. Remember that large exercise equipment can be placed in your bedroom or living room; you don’t need an entire room dedicated to your home workouts.

Household Items for Fitness

One of the benefits to having a fitness routine at home is that you don’t need to purchase any additional items if you don’t want to. What you decide to get for your home workouts is entirely up to you! In fact, many workouts require absolutely no items whatsoever, while others use household items you already have. Look at all the ways you can use regular, everyday items to get in a good workout.

Dining Room Chairs

Just about everyone has a kitchen or dining room table, which means you have chairs to use for your home workouts. There are actually quite a few workouts you can do with chairs.

The first one you can do is work on your triceps. Put your back to where it faces the seat of the chair, reach behind you and put your palms down on the seat. Now start lowering your body down to the ground. You will feel the workout in your biceps and glutes! Some other workouts you can do with dining room chairs include standing side crunches and incline pushups.

Cans and Bottles

This is likely something you remember seeing your parents or grandparents doing when you were a kid. Soup cans are the perfect size to wrap your hands around and often a good weight to start with. A can of vegetables or soup is typically about a pound, so it’s good for beginners. You can use the can just like you would a free weight. With larger water jugs filled with sand or rock salt, they add a little extra weight to your workouts.

Bags of Fruit

To lift about 3-4 pounds of weight when you advance beyond the soup cans, you can lift bags of fruit. Standard bags of apples or oranges are usually between 3 and 4 pounds. You will need to use both hands to carry them, but you can simply carry the bags when walking around the house, up and down the stairs, or while doing your squats.

Laundry Baskets

Why not use a laundry basket to your advantage? Fill up a laundry basket with clothes or towels, then put a large container of detergent on top. You can now use the laundry basket to carry up and down stairs, walk in place, or use it for deadlifts.

Countertops

Your kitchen and bathroom countertops are probably a good height for doing some push-ups. Just make sure they are made of sturdy material so you don’t cause any damage to them (or you!). All you need to do is place both hands on the countertop and lean down at an angle, then push back up. Keep going for a few reps, take a break, and repeat.

Oh Baby! Let’s Exercise!

You can actually have some fun with your baby, have bonding time, and get in a good workout at the same time when you start a fitness routine at home. First of all, let’s make it simple: you can take advantage of tummy time by doing some quick high-intensity interval (HIIT) workouts. All you really need is about 5-10 minutes. Here are some other workouts you can do with your baby:

Dancing

Who doesn’t love to dance? This is something that requires no additional workout equipment, can be done at any time and in any room. Put your baby in either a front or back carrier, making sure he/she is secure. Turn on your favorite music, and just start dancing. More than likely, your baby will have a great time! Dancing is great for cardiovascular benefits and can be a slow or fast dance; anything to get you moving and your blood pumping.

Body Toning

There are a few different moves you can do that require holding your baby and can provide body toning at the same time. One move involves lying down on your back, tucking in your legs to your chest, and placing your baby safely on top of your legs. Gently lift your legs while holding your baby in place. This works out your leg muscles due to the extra weight, but also the extra control it takes to keep your baby in a safe position.

Keep in mind that you can bring your baby along with just about any at-home workout. If you want to run up and down the stairs a few times, put your baby in a carrier. You can place her in her high chair and do lunges against the chair while she drinks her bottle (safety first — make sure the chair is sturdy enough not to move when you do that!). You can also put her in front of you by your feet when you are doing sit-ups.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

In conclusion, let’s take a few minutes to discuss common mistakes people make with a fitness routine at home. These aren’t big mistakes but it’s good to be aware of them so you can have successful workouts without injuries.

Skipping Your Warm Up

Warming up is an important part of any workout routine, no matter what type of exercises or the location. If you’re walking around your block, swimming laps in your pool, or doing an aerobics DVD, you need to do warm-ups and stretches beforehand. This helps to get your muscles ready for the workout. If you fail to do this, you might develop some pretty bad soreness or injuries that keep you from ever wanting to workout again.

Assuming You Need Expensive Equipment

While it’s great to have a stationary bike or rowing machine at home, you don’t need them to burn calories. Don’t forego home workouts and remain sedentary just because you can’t afford fancy equipment. There’s no much you can do simply by walking up stairs, going out for jogs, or using household items!

Also, remember that you don’t need a lot of space to work out. Some people believe that without a room to dedicate to a home gym or a garage or basement to convert into a workout area, you can’t work out from home. This couldn’t be further from the truth. A very small area is really all you need.

Seriously, Take Workouts Seriously

Be just as serious with your home workouts as you would if you were going to the gym. By taking them seriously, you’ll exercise more intensively and have better readings on your heart rate monitor. You want to burn as many calories as you can and strengthen your muscles to lose weight, get toned, and become a physically healthy and fit person. Make sure you work hard every time you exercise, whether doing yoga or Pilates in your living room or lifting bags of apples.

A good way to start workouts at home is to consider what exercises you enjoy the most and what’s currently available to you. Then you can gradually add in new workout routines and buy equipment or workout accessories. Start slow and make sure you contact your doctor before starting any new fitness routine.

Need additional inspiration? Get your free report on the Hot Fitness Products for 2019 here.

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This article provides general information and discussion about health and related subjects. The information and other content provided in this article, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. Consult your own physician for any medical issues that you may be having.

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