It seems like it is getting harder and harder to make time to go to the gym. Between work, kids, and everything life seems to throw at us, dedicating an hour or more to the gym feels nearly impossible.
The problem is that we seem to associate a healthier way of living with regular trips to the gym, but you can still get in shape without a gym membership. Do gyms offer a lot of equipment that makes it easier and more convenient to implement different exercises? Sure, but you can still get in an effective workout at home.
You need to remember that if you want to get in shape without going to the gym, there still needs to be dedicated time to work out. If there is no intention, there won’t be progress. So let’s go over how to see progress without stepping foot in a gym.
Invest in Some Equipment
I will argue that you can get into shape with just body weight movements, but having some equipment does offer some versatility.
Unfortunately, a lot of body weight programming is also limited to HIIT-style training. I personally don’t have a big issue with HIIT, but it’s not for everyone.
HIIT requires you to execute movements at a fast pace, which makes someone who isn’t properly trained more susceptible to injury. And if you do HIIT too often, it is super easy to overdo it and just create more stress than necessary on the body.
This is where having equipment can come in handy. Having resistance bands or adjustable dumbbells gives you the opportunity to do more strength-based exercises to help you gain muscle.
Schedule Your Workouts
People assume it is easier to get in workouts at home (which it can be!), but you still need to treat your workout time with care. It can be very convenient to delay at-home workouts, but you should be just as diligent with your workout time as you would if you were going to a gym.
And once you start your workout, that’s all you should be doing. Being at home can introduce a lot of distractions, so try to limit them as much as possible. We can’t control kids or emergencies that can come up, but you shouldn’t be doing laundry or cooking dinner in between sets.
Declare A Workout Space
Some people may be limited here, but being able to make a certain area of the house your workout space can make the act of exercising more official, sort of like symbolizing that even though you’re at home, this space is meant for you to get work done!
We all don’t have the room or financial means to have one room dedicated to exercising, so this could be a shared area, like a garage, guest room, or section of the living room. It doesn’t need to be fancy, but make it easy to keep your equipment close by so that setting up and breaking down for your workout doesn’t take up a lot of time. One of the reasons you may be working out at home is because you don’t have a lot of time, so make it work for you and your needs.
Follow A Plan
It’s really difficult to get in an effective workout without a clear plan in mind.
If you want to get into shape, you don’t need to go to a gym. But, you do need to do some sort of physical activity at home. I suggest following a program that can literally be done anywhere, like MAPS Fitness Anywhere. The workouts are really easy to follow, and since they can be done at home, there are no excuses.
