How to Maintain Fitness at Home

The quest for total body fitness doesn't necessarily mandate ridiculously overpriced equipment or exorbitant gym memberships. If you plan well, you can devise a complete program at home to get yourself into shape even on a modest budget. Professional fitness trainers help their clients to succeed by creating a routine that challenges the body in several areas to bring results faster. These usually include core conditioning movements, strength training, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness training. If you plan activities that encompass each of these areas, you can give yourself the same benefits.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fitness DVDs of your choice Workout clothing Fitness equipment of your choice

1. 
    

   Make your own workout schedule and place it in a prominent spot. Plan certain activities for certain days, or do specific combinations of activities on pre-determined days. For instance, after a brief warm-up, you may perform a pilates routine for core conditioning, followed by free weights for strength, and jogging for cardio fitness. On alternate days, you might do a yoga routine for flexibility following your warm-up, and a stationary bicycle, dance routine, or aerobics for cardio. On weekends, you might go for a swim to incorporate several fitness benefits into one activity.

2. 
    

   Choose only the essentials. An effective workout can be obtained from only a few items. Select one or more of the following: Swiss ball, dumbbells or kettle bells, resistance bands, step bench, and yoga mat. Most of these will cost less than fifty dollars, and can give you a workout equal to or better than you could get at a health club.

3. 
    

   Look for ways to improvise. Filled water bottles or canned goods can double as free weights. The last two stairs on your staircase can be used as a step bench, and worn out pantyhose can be fashioned into a resistance band. There is no need for excuses.

4. 
    

   Purchase several fitness DVDs or borrow them from your local library. As soon as you press "play," you have a personal trainer who will work on your schedule---day or night---without the standard fees. Having more than one will prevent boredom.

5. 
    

   Take your workout outside. Learn to enjoy skiing, cycling, rollerskating/blading, and walking or running. Outdoor activities are less expensive than gym dues, even after the initial cost of equipment and clothing.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember to warm-up before stretching your muscles. A "cold" muscle is more likely to be strained.
• Give yourself at least one day off each week to rest from your workout program. To avoid doing so may risk "overtraining" your body. Overtraining is a term used by fitness experts to describe the point reached when the body no longer receives any benefit from exercise and progress is no longer made. It can also lead to injury.

Resources

• Search for home fitness equipment here.

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