Have you ever felt a sense of ‘gymtimidation’? Even if you’re not familiar with the word itself, the answer could easily be yes if you have ever stepped foot in a gym where many people with better physiques than you were hogging the equipment.
In a 2019 survey highlighted by Shape, half of respondents admitted to having felt intimidated while exercising near other people in a gym setting. The good news, however, is that you could effectively take up a fitness regimen in the comfort of your home — if you know what you are doing.
Start slowly
In 2020, David Chesworth — then the Fitness Director at the South California wellness retreat Hilton Head Health — indicated that, when starting a fitness routine, it is often an intelligent strategy to “do less than you think you need.”
“Do whatever you can do to get started,” Chesworth advised as quoted by Verywell Fit, adding: “Just a few minutes of activity each day helps to build the right mindset.” Confidence to be developed from regularly working out for even just five minutes at a time can serve as a springboard for further commitment.
Get comfortable with these three everyday movements
Those movements are: getting in and out of a chair, walking up and down the stairs, and getting up and down from the floor. Collectively, these movements can help you to burn energy and improve your balance, flexibility and muscular strength.
Hence, when you are ready, it would be a good idea for you to combine all three movements into one home circuit workout where you engage in one activity up to five times before doing likewise with the next one.
Find ways to exercise while completing home chores
“Sweeping my porch is a great way to exercise the muscles in my midsection,” Elizabeth Huggins, a registered dietitian at Hilton Head Health, explained to Verywell Fit. “I can sweep away leaves and tone my core at the same time.”
Similarly, through standing on your toes to dust a high shelf, you can help yourself to strengthen your calves, while lunge movements during a vacuuming routine would work the hips and thighs.
Buy some home fitness equipment to mix up your workouts
You could be pleasantly surprised by how simply investing in new fitness gear can prove a game changer for your training. Resistance bands are both inexpensive and beginner-friendly, while dumbbells are also good options.
If you like walking and running but the weather often imperils your efforts to do it outside, you could peruse the cut-price range of treadmills and running machines available online.
See exercise as a permanent change to your lifestyle
In words quoted by WebMD, workout guru Tony Swain — whose career has included a stint as fitness director at the East Bank Club in Chicago — has insisted that exercise “doesn’t end. Get out of the mind frame that exercise is something you’re only going to do for a period of time.” This could incentivize you to try prioritizing workouts you particularly enjoy.
Give yourself room to grow
When we debate getting fit at home, one of the crucial components is staying motivated. Lack of motivation to exercise eliminated the bigger picture of your “dream persona.” Furthermore, the location of your humble abode or parental expectations can also significantly influence home exercise. Other factors include feeling tired, depressed, or stressed after work.
Due to the perfect expectations, it is imprudent to stay realistic. Do not set the goal of exercising five times a week. Instead, analytically think about your next exercise. Set practical goals and analyze them at the week’s end. If your floor plan is spacious, you can exercise outside.
Create a Plan
You may want to get fit, but your insane schedule is not letting you take the correct steps. Individuals working two jobs, going to school and working, or having little ones to care for is a more genuine concern than getting fit. However, it is about priorities.
We suggest beginning with an action plan that delivers where and when you wish to exercise. Later on, it motivates to you stick to the schedule with coping planning. The latter stage involves foreseeing challenges and solving them with available resources. Exercising at home is about taking the lead to self-motivation while prioritizing.
Switch it up
You will feel guilty if you can’t do your favorite exercise activity, gym or running. Similarly, getting at home combines emotion with motivation. However, if the current exercising regime is not working, you may begin to feel like a failure. These conclusions are simply not valid.
If an exercise is not complementing your aesthetic, simply try something else. Alternate between different exercises to discover what works for you. You are better for it! As a result, you will not self-blame. In addition, you will build the confidence to try on different exercise routines.
Create a classroom chart but for exercise!
We realize the suggestion may seem childish, but it works. A beginner’s exercise chart is an excellent idea to mention your fitness goals. You can create a criterion to judge your own performance. If you think you stayed true to the daily plan, give yourself a gold star. Otherwise, highlight the shortcomings in red.
Visual indicators are truth serums which will not sugarcoat your unfit reality. Lastly, you can also use the chart to schedule different exercise routines such as doing cardio, cross-fit, or running.
Be mindful of the physical state
According to a reputable fitness trainer, you can exercise if you have mild flu or a headache. However, you know yourself better, so do not push yourself more than is necessary. Lay down the fitness plan according to your physical health.
One of the indicators you must stop exercising while being sick is experiencing trouble breathing. You should immediately rest and avoid all physically strenuous exercise routines. When it comes to illnesses, trust your intuition. However, if you are genuinely dedicated to the cause, exercise the exact amount of times but in shorter sessions.
Incorporate age in the at-home fitness plan
Bodily mass begins to decay when we reach 30. Therefore, you may incorporate resistance training with body weights to maintain the fat. Furthermore, add aerobic exercise to keep your motor balance as that too goes away with age.
Reward yourself!
It is typical to feel exhausted or frustrated if your ideal physical state is not where you want it to be. Since being hard on yourself is not a solution, we suggest celebrating the small milestones. After each exercise session at home, give yourself a long bath with scented candles. You can also make your favorite smoothie bowl or share the advancements with friends and family.
Good luck on your journey to leading a healthy and happy life!