Stay in Shape in the Comfort of Your Own Home

By Allen Brown

Physical activity has many benefits to overall health – not only does it helps us stay in shape, it supports our mental health as well. Going to a gym or a sports center is not always an option as it can be expensive, and you may not have a local facility that you can easily access. However, if you wish to start working out, you can do so from the comfort of your own home and this can be just as effective as going to a gym. In this article, we will discuss ways you can stay in shape from home.

Get into a Routine

Motivation, or lack thereof, can be the number one factor contributing to a sedentary lifestyle. This can be particularly challenging when working from home, where so many other distractions are present. You must make exercise a part of your daily routine as if this is embedded in your everyday life, and you are more likely to get it done.

Decide when the best time of the day is for you. Many people find that working out first thing in the morning helps them get the day started and they are more likely to stay on track and consume healthier foods throughout the day. Contrarily, others prefer to exercise in the evening before bedtime. This will depend on you and when you have more energy. Whichever you prefer, ensure you put in an hour aside every day to exercise and follow this strictly so it becomes a habit.

Get a Workout Partner

Some days working out is put at the bottom of our priorities as we may have so much more going on. A great way to combat this is to get a workout partner who can give you that little push you require to stick to your routine. A fitness partner can be a friend or a family member, who is as determined to enhance their fitness levels as much as you are. Not only is this a great bonding experience as you embark on this journey together, but you can also motivate each other to keep going.

Getting a partner, however, does not have to mean you have to be physically together to work out. Technology provides a great way to keep in touch with others, even from different countries, and you can put this to use in your fitness routine. You can either video call each other at the time of the workout or exercise at different times, whenever it suits you best, and send each other proof that you have accomplished the training.

Focus on a Healthy Diet

We all know that the main factors for a healthy body, and mind, is a nutritious and balanced diet. There is little point to having a great workout routine if you do not eat healthy, as you will very unlikely see the results you wish.

Ensure you consume mainly lean protein, which is essential for building muscle. It is also a good idea to eat fruit and vegetables - five portions a day, being the common suggestion. Avoid foods that are heavily processed or high in sugars and unhealthy fat.

Everybody is different and therefore, so is everyone’s fitness goal. You may be wishing to lose weight or to gain muscle mass – this is important to note, as you may require a specialized diet that is suitable to your body and fitness aims. If you can, you should consult with your health provider or nutritionist, so that they can advise you of an appropriate diet for your body that will support you to get results faster.

Invest in Gym Equipment

You do not always need to have gym equipment, as there are many body weight exercises you can do at home, without the support of any additional tools. However, as discussed above, this will depend on your fitness goals as well as your fitness levels.

After a while, when you feel that body weight routines no longer work for you, you can add equipment such as dumbbells, medicine balls, or even a stationary bike, of which there are two popular choices that you can decide on, again, depending on what your fitness goals are. Adding equipment to your workout will support you to start toning out your body as well as building muscle.

House Chores as Exercise

If you do not feel motivated enough to follow a set of exercises, and if you just have too much to do around the house, you can unexpectedly combine the two to stay active. It may sound surprising, but doing house chores, such as cleaning and gardening can indeed be used as a form of exercise. Studies suggest that washing your car, for example, can burn around 300 calories in just one hour.

Additionally, every time you have to go down low to clean something, do so in a squat to ensure you work your glutes and legs. This way is a great method for those busy individuals, and you can stay in shape while making your place immaculate.

Staying in shape in the comfort of your own home does not have to be difficult at all – you can easily get into fitness without having to physically go to a gym and still see the results you desire. Just follow some of the tips discussed above and you will surely, successfully accomplish this.