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5 Ways to Stay Fit at Home
There are plenty of ways to stay fit at home, but here I am going to dig a little deeper to the how of it!
You might be asking yourself, can I really be successful at staying fit when I’m working out at home?
The answer is, yes. Let me show you. It is indeed possible. I did it for 6 years, alone, as a mom of 5, and without more than a couple sets of dumbbells, a yoga mat and portable pull-up bar. Annnnd bands. Gotta have bands.
If there were ever a time when home workouts were abundant, now is the time. They are literally everywhere!
The Coronavirus gave plenty of people a great opportunity to give in to desired excuses. For some, it provided motivation to start making up all sorts of weird and interesting workouts. For others, it was a convenient excuse to quit working out altogether.
What is it that makes a home workout work vs. not though? Is it the actual workout or is it something deeper?
I have already talked about working out from home in my article, Working out at Home. I point out a very specific thing that you must have if you are going to work out at home. (For suggested home DVD workouts, please visit that article).
One must be self-motivated and have a strong drive to be self-committed if you are going to succeed at staying fit at home.
Working out at home is easier now than ever. Resources are at our fingertips. You don’t even need equipment. What you do need is motivation. Commitment. People, and it never hurt anyone to have a little extra frill to accompany that home workout. A little extra energy, perhaps? Maybe a new pair of shoes or outfit?
So let’s dive right in.
STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 1
People.
When we are working out at home, it helps to have people to look up to. I am going to name three of my favorites here.
One is vegan IFBB Pro League competitor, Nimai Delgado. I will let you explore more about him on your own, but he inspires and motivates me nutritionally and physically. On his Instagram page, he has several short at home workouts and great vegan meal suggestions.
Another is Jim Gurtner, a vegan bodybuilder/powerlifter. I will be including an interview I had with him soon, so please keep a look out for that in the near future! He also has a book that covers everything from plant based recipes, muscle building techniques that I promise you, you’ve never heard of before, and so much more.
The last I will mention here is a female that I follow on Instagram. Alexia Clark has a lot of great at-home workouts that she came up with during the COVID pandemic that are simple, they work, and you don’t need any equipment. Plus, she’s just positive, cute and fun.
All of these people are great people to have in your pocket when you’re looking for people to inspire you while stuck at home.
STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 2
Motivation.
At times, motivation can be a tough one. How do you get motivated, where can you go for motivation? This isn’t always an easy fix.
Sometimes motivation just isn’t there and you have to go straight to the core and dig up that raw inner strength. We all have it. It just likes to hide deep, deep down.
The number one thing that I find that motivates me is how I feel. And when I don’t feel good, I get cranky. The more I work out, the better I feel, the happier I am, the stronger I feel, and the more motivated I become. You have to get on a regular schedule and get past those first 3 weeks before you start to really feel that natural motivation. Until then, you’ve got to dig deep and harness your inner will power and just do the do!
Another motivating thing for me (and this is going to sound weird) is a treat. I sound like a puppy now, but I love my energy drink and protein shake, and want it all the time, but I only allow myself to have it when I work out. So I pre-mix it, stick it in the fridge, and have it there in the morning to grab and go. It’s like my own personal dangling carrot in the a.m.!
Everybody finds motivation in his or her own way. It can be weird or common or simple or complicated, it is your choice and you have to decide what motivates you. If it is a picture, a song, a role model, a pair of shoes, a pet, a child, a family member’s health issue, (or your own perhaps,) or your own inner will power that drives you, use it, focus, and push yourself to keep your eye on the goal. Daily.
For help with how to set lasting goals, check out Six Steps to Setting Goals that Last, here!
This woman is total motivation for me. If at 70 years old she can accomplish this, then I can at 40 and so can you.
STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 3
Regularity.
It is easier to work out at home when you are on a regular set schedule and also when you have great sleep. Your energy level is going to be best in the morning, and will be much higher on a regular schedule.
It takes a few weeks to get on a routine schedule, but our bodies thrive on regularity. Once you settle on a schedule, your body will begin to do a lot of the pushing for you. For example, I wake up at 5:30 every morning on my own without an alarm. (I always set one anyway, in case!) My body knows it’s time to get up and move. I also find that when I skip a workout or two, my legs become crampy and whiney and I can’t be still. So I have to go workout in order to appease my body’s demands. I will admit though, this does not usually happen when I am not on a set, daily program.
STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 4
Energy.
I don’t know about you, but when I can’t go to the gym, I find that I tend to be less energetic. There’s just something about the lights, the sounds, and the energy in the building that hypes my personal energy level to the next level.
Energy is necessary when you’re about to hit the weights (or weight-less routine), whether it is in a gym or at home.
Working out produces energy naturally. The more you do it, the more energy you will have. That being said, sometimes a little boost is just what we need. As I mentioned earlier, I love my energy drink, and the reason I like it, is because it is formulated to give energy to your mind, not just your body. And since I am a 5:30am girl, I appreciate that brain wake up in the a.m.!
The best part about this particular drink is that it is not a caffeinated, high-energy, pre-workout type of drink. It just basically clears away the brain fog and gives just enough of a boost that you feel awake, not jittery. It’s plant based. Gluten free. All natural. No sugar . . . And I love it! If you want to try it out, go here! If you’re visual, here’s a cool vid all about how it works, what it’s made out of, and all the fun facts! (FYI – my favorite flavor is grape).
STAY FIT AT HOME TIP 5
Ask questions.
If you do not know where to begin, what to wear, how to hold your body, what to eat, what to drink, how long to work out, how far to push your body, when to work out, etc., etc., ask questions. The more you ask, the more googling you do, and the more “networking” you do, the better you become at the task at hand.
Learn. Practice. Set goals, and believe. Working out at home is just as doable and possible, and can be just as rewarding, as working out in a gym.
It is not the gym that makes you successful in your fitness journey, it is your mindset.
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Definitely hit me up or email me and let’s chat!