Starting a Regular Home Workout
Home workouts are here to stay!
During the global pandemic, home exercise equipment purchases and home workout videos saw a huge increase. As gyms started closing – some for good, many people turned to home workouts. An Ameritrade survey stated that 59% of people did not plan to renew their gym memberships once gyms reopened. Some who didn’t workout before, began a home workout practice. And many say they’ll continue working out at home now that gyms have begun to reopen!
Gone are the days of waiting for a machine at the gym.
There are so many benefits to working out at home. No waiting in lines, no scheduling your commute around attending a fitness or yoga class, no more planning out childcare. In short – no excuses!
While some home workout equipment, such as Peloton bikes, may come with a high ticket price, there are so many budget friendly ways to workout from home. From free YouTube videos to subscription based apps that boast a huge library of classes at only $20 a month, anyone with an internet connection can access at-home workouts in their price range!
Benefits of Working Out
The benefits of exercise have been well documented. Here are some benefits to starting and maintaining a regular exercise routine:
- Reduced risk of certain chronic conditions
- Improved mental health
- Stress management
- Improved mood
- Better sleep & improved energy throughout the day
- Improved digestion & gut health
- Improved brain health
- Weight management
Equipment Tips
- Set realistic goals & track them! There are plenty of fitness trackers available like watches, apps, and more. Something as simple as keeping a journal where you write out your workouts and goals can be a great way to keep you focused!
- Create a fitness mantra. What motivated you to begin working out? You’re reading this blog for a reason! Set daily reminders on your phone or write your fitness mantra and place it somewhere that you’ll see it! Some examples of fitness mantras might be: I deserve to feel good. My health is my priority. Find any mantra that resonates with you & remind yourself of it daily!
- Know that there will be setbacks. Don’t get discouraged if you miss a morning. Either plan for a shorter workout later in the day, or accept that tomorrow is a new day and intend to workout tomorrow!
- Don’t push yourself to the point of fatigue right away. Start with shorter, less intense workouts and build up to more time or intensity slowly. Your body will take time to get stronger – and that’s okay!
Tips for Starting a Regular Exercise Routine for Beginners
While there are plenty of home workouts that require no equipment at all, some small purchases can take your fitness to the next level! For example, a resistance band is extremely versatile and adds so much to your workouts!
You don’t have to break the bank for your home workout equipment. There are plenty of impactful items that are budget friendly and don’t take up too much space.
Here are a few items you might want to invest in:
- A yoga mat
- A resistance band
- A set of weights
- Yoga blocks
- A Pilates ball
These are all items you can find online, many of them for under $20! Yoga mats range from about $15-$150. You don’t have to buy the most expensive one right away.
Once you’ve purchased a small piece of equipment, for example a resistance band, you can then search for workouts using that item. Look for workouts on YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, or sites that well-known trainers may offer.
Plan Your Week of Workouts
Start simple at first! Try out some different at-home workouts like Pilates, Yoga, Barre, HIIT, strength training, cardio, anything else you find! Once you find something you like, plan a routine for yourself. Your routine might look like three workout days, and four rest days at first. Over time you can slowly increase to more days. If you get bored of your workout, add variety by checking out different movement practices.
A weekly schedule might look like this:
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| 7am: 20 minute leg workout | Rest | 7am: 20 minute upper body workout | Rest | 7am: 20 minute full body workout | Rest | Rest |
Put these workouts in your calendar. It helps to know what workout you’ll be doing in advance. You can add the link to the video you’ll be following into your calendar so you don’t end up wasting time the morning of searching for something to do.
Give yourself grace! If you don’t feel up to working out that morning, take a short walk instead and listen to something uplifting like a podcast, audio book, or your favorite music.
Another tip that really helps me on the days I don’t feel like working out is to “parent” myself. Parents sometimes compromise with their kids – you don’t have to eat all of the vegetables on your plate but you do have to eat two bites. With workouts, that can mean you don’t have to do 20 minutes but you do have to do the first five minutes of the workout and then if you don’t feel like continuing, you can stop. Most days, getting started is the hardest part. Usually, once you start the workout, you’ll realize it’s not so bad and you’ll feel motivated to complete the workout or at least do another five minutes.
It’s much easier to stick to a routine than it is to start from scratch over and over again. Commit to your routine – and if you have to skip a workout, do your best to reschedule it later that day, the next day, or another day that week.
Set Yourself Up For Success
Your morning routine begins the night before. If working out first thing in the morning is easiest to commit to, make sure you’re winding down for bed at least an hour before bedtime.
Get everything you need ready the night before. Clear your workout space and have only the things you need for the workout ready to go. I go as far as cueing up the video I’m following on my laptop and making sure it’s charged. I also set workout clothes out. If I think I’ll need coffee or pre-workout, I’ll have that ready to go in the morning. The fewer steps I have to go through to get on my mat and workout, the better.
Remember, any time you’re starting something new it will be tough in the beginning. But you are capable! You’re doing this for you – and you’re worth it! You deserve to feel good in your body.
Adriana Lee
NeoraFit™ Ambassador Adriana Lee is a Las Vegas born yoga teacher and yoga teacher trainer. She is all about self-discovery and empowerment through yoga. She teaches her students how to breathe, how to feel and how to get reacquainted with their bodies. As a teacher, she breaks down big concepts and complicated poses into bite-sized pieces to make them more accessible. Her teaching is based in anatomy and biomechanics. Students leave the class feeling refreshed, connected to their bodies, and empowered — and now she brings her skill and experience exclusively to you.
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