How to Get a Cheap Home Workout

You want to get more exercise, but you just don't have the time. Between working, sleeping, eating, socializing and those four hours of required television viewing, you just have too much to do during the day to actually worry about getting some exercise. And besides, you're not too keen on forking over a couple hundred bucks for a health-club membership.

The good news is that there are many ways to get a proper workout without having to spend major amounts of money or blow three hours of your day. As long as you have a carpet or mat-like floor surface and a few household items, you can construct a top-notch home exercise routine.

Some things to keep in mind:

1. This routine is easy on the wallet, but not necessarily easy on the heart rate. Just because you're doing it cheap and quick doesn't mean that you aren't going to sweat.

2. Before undertaking any new physical hobby, let your doctor know about your new exercise plan.

3. You may have to buy something, like a ball or a jump rope. But at least you won't have to pay multiple installments for an infomercial exercise product.

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Instructions

Assess Your Fitness Goals

1. Before you even lift a finger (much less a heavy object), figure out why you want to exercise. There are different goals (and combinations thereof), and yours will affect what your routine will look like. What's your primary reason for wanting to work out?
   
   1. You want to lose weight. This, along with reason No. 2, below, is the most common reason for wanting to get some exercise. If you want to lose weight, your exercise routine will consist mainly of cardiovascular exercises. Also consider that, for any cardiovascular exercise to be of any benefit to you, you must do it for at least 25 minutes.
   
   2. You want to tone or strengthen your entire body (or a specific part of your body). Are you sporting more of a one-pack than a six-pack? Whether you want to be sleeker and firmer or huge and muscled, there are many things you can do at home without spending any money.
   
   For toning and strengthening, you are going to concentrate on lifting heavy objects (for toning, you do more lifting with a lighter weight; for strengthening, you do less lifting with a heavier weight).
   
   3. You just want to feel better in an all-around kind of way. Beta-endorphins are your brain's "feel-good" drug, and any form of exercise gets those endorphins pumping through your body, making you feel better both physically and mentally. This is especially true if you exercise in the morning: Studies show that substantial exercise in the morning keeps your endorphin levels elevated throughout the day.
   
   4. You need an activity to help you relax and relieve stress--the "catharsis" argument. Some people feel that if they kick along with a Tae Bo tape, it helps them unleash frustration and anger, relieving stress in general.
   
   Ideally, a proper exercise routine will help you accomplish all of the above. Exercising on a regular basis is bound to help you lose weight (as long as you're not scarfing down cheeseburgers 24/7), tone up, feel better about yourself and relax.

Next: Assess Your Lifestyle

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