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Follow these tips to help you get started on your fitness journey right at home!
For stay-at-home moms, it can be challenging to get a workout in at home. With kids running around, it’s often enough work just keeping up with them. As stay-at-home moms want to start working out, starting at home is normally the best place to start.
The gym can be intimidating for people just starting on their fitness journey. Working out at home also lets you work out on your own terms. You can set up your space in a way that’s comfortable for you and choose when it’s best for you to do your workout.
Especially for those new at working out, it can be hard to figure out where to start. Let’s talk about some of the top tips to get started working out at home.
1. Designate a space for your workouts
Clear out a space in your home so that you always have a spot to do your at-home workouts
As you start working out at home—no matter how small you start—it’s best to clear out a space in your home that you can devote to working out. Find a space in your home that will give you enough room to move around without bumping into walls or furniture. Keep it as clear as possible so that you don’t have to clear it out every time you want to work out.
Of course, this is not always possible in small spaces. If this is the case for you, still try to designate a spot and come up with a system to help you easily and quickly clear this space out for you to use. You can also try to optimize your space as much as possible, like using the stairs for workouts or the furniture for different workout positions. Get imaginative. And don’t forget about your outdoor spaces, too!
Try to make your space as open and inviting as possible. You want it to be a spot in your house you actually enjoy going to. Try posting your workout schedule or hanging up inspiring messages to motivate you.
2. Find workout clothes that make you feel comfortable
Look good and feel your best with comfortable workout clothes
Workout clothes can help a lot with motivation. When you feel good, you’re more likely to carry that positive mindset with you into your workout! Beyond just some confidence, workout clothes also ensure that you are working out safely.
You will want to find workout clothes that are loose, comfortable, and stretchy. Make sure they aren’t too big to get in the way of your workout. Find workout clothes with breathable fabric to make sure your body doesn’t overheat when you’re working out. Cotton workout clothes work especially well for comfort.
3. Set some goals for yourself
Goals help you stay on track during your fitness journey
Goals are a great way to get yourself motivated and keep yourself accountable. When you set goals for yourself, make sure you set goals that are attainable and intentional.
Your goals also don’t have to be all about losing weight in a certain amount of time. Whereas a goal of losing 10 pounds in 3 months might be an attainable goal for someone, someone might find that a goal to get active for 45 minutes 3 times a week is a better goal for them. It’s all up to you and what you want to achieve.
In general, though, it’s best to set a large, overarching goal and then break that down into smaller goals. It’s easy to get lost in lofty goals, but smaller goals are easier to achieve, giving you a boost of motivation when you finally accomplish them.
4. Figure out what types of workouts you want to do
There are plenty of different types of workouts you can do at home—with or without equipment
After you have some goals set for yourself, it’s time to decide what type of workouts you want to do. Of course, you don’t have to focus on just one type, but one may lend itself better to your goals than others.
Here are some common types of workouts that can be done at home:
Stretching - This helps you increase your flexibility and avoid injuries in the future. You may want to try something like yoga for this type of workout.
Cardio - This is any aerobic exercise, like walking, jogging, or dancing, that aims to keep your heart healthy.
Strength training - This type of exercise is weight training intended to help keep your muscles strong, healthy while preventing muscle and bone loss.
As you learn what types of workouts you want to start doing at home, you can start to find at-home routines that work for you!
5. Utilize technology
Apps and videos make it easier than ever to work out at home
The nice thing about working out at home nowadays is that there are so many free videos and apps that can help you along your fitness journey. Videos are one of the best ways to get in a great workout at home.
It’s incredibly easy to find videos online that don’t require equipment. When looking for a video to use for your workout, make sure that you look into videos that suit your fitness level and your goals. This way, you aren’t tempted to overdo it and hurt yourself, and you know that what you’re doing plays nicely into your goals, too.
There are lots of resources other than videos, too. Apps are another great resource. Some are free, and some require a subscription. You can find any type of app you need—from apps that help you meal prep healthy meals to apps that can create a workout routine for you. The possibilities with technology and how you can utilize them are endless!
6. Invest in some equipment
Start outfitting your workout space with equipment to enhance your workouts
Whether or not you get equipment for your at-home workouts is entirely up to you. Always keep in mind that you can still get a good workout in even without equipment. Keep in mind that equipment can help you enhance your workout, though. So, you may want to start without equipment and eventually invest when you’re ready to take your workouts to the next level.
When choosing workout equipment, you’ll want to consider a few different factors:
Your space - If you only have a limited space to work with, you may need to look for equipment that can fold up and store easily or more compact equipment, like small weights or resistance bands.
Your budget - If you have a limited budget, then you may need to start smaller with your equipment.
Your fitness goals - What you want to accomplish can really help you determine what type of equipment you need.
Continuing on your fitness goals, the more you understand your goals and start doing workouts to help you accomplish those goals, you will have a better idea of what equipment you can get to help you achieve those goals.
If you tend to do cardio, you may want to invest in equipment like a seated elliptical or something more simple like jump ropes. A compact seated elliptical is a really great option because of how small this equipment tends to be, making it incredibly easy to fit into tight spaces. Because the equipment is seated, you can use it both in your at-home workouts and when you have a chance to sit down.
If you tend to do strength training, dumbbells or resistance bands can be helpful here. You may find that you buy your free weights one by one as you need them, or you may want to buy them all in a set so that you have them all at once. This way, when you feel ready to increase your weight, you have your dumbbells on hand.
If you tend to do more stretching exercises, you may want to invest in more technical yoga mats to help you better ground your practice. You may find that blocks and straps are a good investment to help modify your practice too.
7. Vary your exercises
Don’t let yourself get bored with your routine—switch up your workouts
Doing the same routine over and over again can get boring after a while. Sometimes you need to switch up your workouts to get motivated to keep going! Here are some ways you can vary your exercises:
Try cross-training - Try different types of exercises that you aren’t used to doing to switch things up.
Increase the intensity - If you’re feeling a bit bored with your current routine, try to work up to doing your workouts for longer periods and doing harder workouts when you feel you’re ready.
Change locations - Take your workouts outside if you are used to doing things inside. Switch up spots in your house to give yourself a new spot to work out in.
No matter how you choose to switch up your workouts, varying your routine can help keep you motivated.
8. Stay accountable
Keep yourself accountable by tracking your progress or finding an accountability partner
Accountability is extremely important when working out. Without any accountability, it’s easy to just forget about working out and abandon your goals. Keeping yourself accountable can come as a challenge all on its own, but here are some ways you can keep yourself accountable:
Talk about your goals with your family - Including your family in your fitness journey is a great way to help yourself stay accountable. Not only will you set a great example for your kids, but you can start to get them involved too!
Find an accountability partner - Find someone in your life who is also working on their fitness goals. You can find ways that the two of you can hold each other accountable, like checking in after a workout or even working out together!
Join an online community - If you don’t have anyone to work with to help you stay accountable, there are plenty of online communities that you can join to help you stay motivated.
Track your progress - Looking back on what you’ve accomplished is a great way to keep you on track. While you may not see a ton of results when you first start, as you keep up with it, you will be able to see how much progress you’ve made.
With more accountability the more likely you are to keep working towards your goals.
If you are new to working out or if it’s been a while since you have worked out, it can be hard to know where to get started. Hopefully, these tips can help you get started with your at-home workouts as you work towards your fitness goals. Always remember that you don’t have to overcomplicate things. Just getting up and getting active can be enough!
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