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Some of us go to great lengths to build a home gym, but when faced
with the real work of using it consistently, we often lose our
motivation. Here's how you can stay inspired - and be successful
- while working out at home.
Perhaps, at some point in your life, in a moment
of passing inspiration and brief optimism, you took an empty room
in your house or an unoccupied corner of your basement and turned
it into a home gym. Yes, a home gym, you decided, was the only
thing keeping you from losing that spare tire and getting in shape.
Maybe you saw Tony Little on tv, saw the myriad of buff bodies
doing various low-impact gliding moves on the Gazelle, and thought,
"I could do that for just 30 minutes out of every day and
success will be mine. I could even do it while watching Oprah
or Dr. Phil so I exercise my body AND my mind!" And when
the delivery arrived and you set up the Gazelle in just the right
spot, you couldn't have been more excited or proud of your first
steps to fitness.
Now, time to fess up. It's one year later, you're
still not in shape and there's a very expensive hat rack in the
corner collecting dust.
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5
Tips For (Actually) Using Your Home Gym
1. Make it the alternative to going outside,
not your only choice of exercise.
2. Variety - do something different every
time.
3. Put it on your daily list and make sure
it gets crossed off.
4. Make it quick so the time doesn't deter
you.
5. Focus on the task at hand so you're more
efficient and successful. |
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Does this look familiar??
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Making a change
like this is like going on a cabbage soup diet for short term
gains. Once the initial impetus and inspiration have subsided,
you're left with having to do 30 minutes on that damn machine
every day or facing another boring bowl of cabbage soup. And
trust me, no one is going to want to face 30 minutes of a
repetitive exercise like the Gazelle OR a bowl of cabbage
soup every day. You'll resent both, never want to touch either
again, and Tony Little and cabbages get a bad rap whether
they deserve it or not.
When home gyms don't work, it's because: 1.
You figured purchasing the equipment was half the battle without
honestly pledging to use it; 2. You're not entirely sure how
to use what you've bought, and; 3. After the first few weeks,
you realize it's boring. I couldn't count how many people
I've met who own a step, free weights, treadmill, fitness
DVDs or a stability ball and never use them. The fact is,
these items are purchased with the best of intentions - so
how do you maintain your enthusiasm you
had when you pulled out your credit card? |
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1. Join
a gym. Yes, I know, you set up your home gym so you don't
have to join a real one. But the key to making your home gym work
is to make it the alternative. You'll get real bored real fast if
you have to head to the basement every single day for the same workout.
But, if you make the indoor bike your alternative to, say, heading
out to the gym on a snowy day, you're more likely to use it. Also,
you're less likely to skip your workout altogether because you've
given yourself the choice between 2 workouts as opposed to gym or
no gym.
2. Have variety. You're
not a hamster, so don't resign yourself to sitting on a hamster
wheel, er, stationary bike every day (though I'm sure the hamster
would also like a little variety now and then). Your body will adapt
to the same stimulus over time and you won't see results if you're
doing the same thing day after day. If you're lacking ideas, check
out the online fitness videos, especially the No Weights Workout
section.
3. Schedule it in your day.
You know that list you make every morning of things you want to
accomplish for the day? (Yeah, that one, the list you never make
and figure you'll cross it off in your head.) We should all write
down our goals for the day because people who write goals commit
to and complete them. Even though it's a home workout, it should
be on the list right before getting groceries or doing the laundry
or finishing a report for work.
4. Make it quick.
The best part about working out at home is the fact that you don't
waste time getting ready to go the gym, travelling, getting changed,
then working out, getting changed, travelling home, etc. But, you
also don't want to face an hour locked in your basement either.
Commit to a half hour intense workout as opposed to an hour on the
treadmill. Forget about that 'fat-burning zone' that gives you the
excuse to not work out as hard. Upping the intensity by increasing
the weights or the speed of your workout will help you burn more
calories and make you feel better about committing to a shorter
session. Or, spread it out. If you're pressed for time, do 20 minutes
in the morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon or evening.
5. Don't watch tv.
Or surf the net. Or make dinner. When you're working out, focus
only on that. Another big reason the gazelle sits in the corner
getting rusty is because you've only used it when watching tv. Therefore,
you're not going to get results. If you think you're working out
when your mind is focused on something else, you're fooling yourself.
Turn off the tv and focus on working out hard as if I was there
pushing you to your edge. You'll use your time more effectively,
spend less time exercising and actually do what your home gym was
meant for. |
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