Exercising without the gym

Just because you’re working out from home doesn’t mean you need to be exercising 24/7, sheesh! (Shutterstock)

Home workouts have always been a great alternative to working out at the gym.

Many people feel more energized and motivated when they’re around others at the gym but for some, the comfort of working out from home is what works for them.

Whichever side of the fence you sit on, over the past year or so, many people have had to settle on home workouts especially with all the changes that have been happening.

In fact, a number of us are actually beginning to prefer the experience of working out from home.

Those many months we were forced to stay home have been one of the best experiences for some, opening many possibilities of how different life can be in a positive way.

Whether you’re a beginner or a pro at working out from home, we have some important points to think about as you consider getting started or continuing with your home workout:

1.Safety first

One of the main reasons why people love working out from home is the fact that one can customize their workouts to suit their particular needs.

You can even use everyday household items such as water bottles to make your workouts more effective.

But a sobering reality of all this is the fact that you most likely have no professional supervision, so chances of getting injured are high.

You might be forcing your body to handle weights that it can’t or even twist your body in a way that can actually result in serious hurt.

That said, make sure you put your safely first if you choose to settle on home workouts.

If you’re older or have underlying conditions, it’s best to find workouts that are specifically tailored for you or even better, consult your doctor first on what exercises are safe.

2.It’s hard work

The good thing about home workouts is you’re free to create your own routine. Whether you want to download a workout app, watch videos online or have a mix of both it’s entirely up to you.

At the same time, you’re saving a few coins since you don’t need a membership which sounds like an awesome idea especially now as the purse strings continue to tighten.

We can admit that there are so many perks but that doesn’t eliminate the need for discipline and consistency. Without these two, your fitness goals will be pushed further and further way.

Customize their workouts to suit their particular needs (Shutterstock)

3.It’s not always exciting

If you have already started, by now you already know how hard exercising at home can get. There are days even a simple jog feels like such a chore you skip the workout altogether.

Although most of the time it’s actually a whole lot of fun that’s not always the case. You’ll have days where you’re so bored with your routine and it’s at that point you need to get creative.

You can choose to run to the park for a relaxing session or to a cafeteria for a healthy smoothie. If that doesn’t cut it, consider some dance cardio, swimming or any other activity that can help you connect with your weekly routine more.

Mix things up once in a while will stop you from abandoning your fitness goals.

4.Take breaks

Just because you’re working out from home doesn’t mean you need to be exercising 24/7, sheesh!

I get it, results usually come a bit slower as compared to a solid routine at the gym but you don’t need to overwork yourself.

You could actually be doing more damage to your body if you don’t plan weekly days off to allow your mind and body to recover from all those engaging workouts you’ve been doing.

Despite the outcome you want to achieve within a certain time frame, don’t go overboard with it.