New Year, New You: Exercising at Home Made Easy
Exercising at home is a hot trend, and you don't need a lot of equipment to be successful
Although many of us dream of houses with luxurious home gyms or gorgeous lap pools, getting fit in your own home with a few pieces of equipment is easier than ever. Just clear some room, follow these tips and get started.
Invest in the basics…
You don’t need to spend a fortune on exercise equipment to see results, says Wood. Find a nook such as the one shown here, or simply set up your equipment in your living room.
“When you have a good program that shows you just how many exercises you can do with little to no equipment, you would be amazed at the results you can achieve,” says Wood. “A mat, some small dumbbells, some sliders and some bands will allow you to do hundreds of exercises for well under US$100.”
Browse more home gyms and workout zones
You don’t need to spend a fortune on exercise equipment to see results, says Wood. Find a nook such as the one shown here, or simply set up your equipment in your living room.
“When you have a good program that shows you just how many exercises you can do with little to no equipment, you would be amazed at the results you can achieve,” says Wood. “A mat, some small dumbbells, some sliders and some bands will allow you to do hundreds of exercises for well under US$100.”
Browse more home gyms and workout zones
…Or get creative
If you don’t have the budget to go shopping for specialised equipment, don’t worry, just get creative and reach into your pantry or bookshelves. Using cans of baked beans for resistance or weights, substituting core-slider discs with magazines that can slide smoothly on a rug, and modifying strength exercises using a sofa or kitchen bench are just a few of the creative solutions Wood has seen.
If you don’t have the budget to go shopping for specialised equipment, don’t worry, just get creative and reach into your pantry or bookshelves. Using cans of baked beans for resistance or weights, substituting core-slider discs with magazines that can slide smoothly on a rug, and modifying strength exercises using a sofa or kitchen bench are just a few of the creative solutions Wood has seen.
Get organised
One effective tip to ensure your success is getting your exercise equipment and workout gear out before going to bed. Setting intentions makes a world of difference…
One effective tip to ensure your success is getting your exercise equipment and workout gear out before going to bed. Setting intentions makes a world of difference…
…but if you miss your workout, there’s no need to get stressed. The convenience of exercising in your own home also means that if you miss a workout you can make up for it later in the day, making excuses less likely.
Tip: Invest in low shelving or a room divider to organise your exercise equipment, as seen in this multipurpose space.
Tip: Invest in low shelving or a room divider to organise your exercise equipment, as seen in this multipurpose space.
A change is as good as a rest
If you’d like to try something different, take your workout outside. You don’t need an outdoor gym as sophisticated as this one to reap the rewards of the great outdoors.
Tip: One of the greatest markers of success is creating new habits. If you make exercising at the same time each day an incontrovertible part of your routine, you’re less likely to miss a workout.
If you’d like to try something different, take your workout outside. You don’t need an outdoor gym as sophisticated as this one to reap the rewards of the great outdoors.
Tip: One of the greatest markers of success is creating new habits. If you make exercising at the same time each day an incontrovertible part of your routine, you’re less likely to miss a workout.
Don’t forget your diet
While being consistent with workouts is a great step to success, exercise is only one part of the equation. “Nutrition is equally as important as workouts,” says Wood.
Investing in a few key kitchen appliances can help keep you on track. “Equipment that helps keep [food preparation] fast and simple is always a good option,” says Wood. “A perfect example would be having a Ninja or NutriBullet for quick smoothies so you can have a healthy breakfast on the go.”
Set up Your Home for Diabetes Management
While being consistent with workouts is a great step to success, exercise is only one part of the equation. “Nutrition is equally as important as workouts,” says Wood.
Investing in a few key kitchen appliances can help keep you on track. “Equipment that helps keep [food preparation] fast and simple is always a good option,” says Wood. “A perfect example would be having a Ninja or NutriBullet for quick smoothies so you can have a healthy breakfast on the go.”
Set up Your Home for Diabetes Management
Ensure your mind is healthy, too
It’s important not to simply focus on your body but to consider your overall wellbeing. This year try to eat well, exercise well and learn how to meditate. A space such as the one seen here is perfect for stretching and relaxing post-workout. Take me there!
It’s important not to simply focus on your body but to consider your overall wellbeing. This year try to eat well, exercise well and learn how to meditate. A space such as the one seen here is perfect for stretching and relaxing post-workout. Take me there!
Tell us
Have you found success with exercising at home? Share your secrets in the Comments below, like this story and join the conversation.
Have you found success with exercising at home? Share your secrets in the Comments below, like this story and join the conversation.
Exercising in your own home has many benefits: you don’t need to find time for the gym, you can wear whatever you like and modern technology makes it easy, bringing the workouts directly to your smartphone or laptop, via apps and online programs.
Sam Wood, a personal trainer (and former star on Network Ten’s TV series The Bachelor in the US) founded the popular 28 by Sam Wood exercise program. He tells Houzz that convenience is key. “When we make things easier, we are always more consistent,” says Wood.
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