8 Tips to Get Fit from Home: Stay Active Anywhere

If you're like so many others, your life revolves around your work.

You spend your days at the office and then come home to do more work - household chores, cooking dinner for yourself or your family, running errands. 

As a result of spending so much time sitting down, it can be difficult to find the motivation to exercise regularly. 

As we know, a lack of physical activity can lead to health problems such as obesity and diabetes which is why we have compiled a list of ways to get fit without leaving the comfort of your own home:

Start with a simple workout routine

When you first start working out, the biggest favour you can do for yourself is to start simple...

It would be incredibly easy to go nuts in the first couple of weeks, especially when you're not completely sure how much your body can handle.

You can find awesome routines online (YouTube is great for free content, if you don't mind the ads otherwise, there are plenty of other apps available that will cater to all budgets/abilities).

The problem is; these vids can make it look so easy to do and we all want to do our best (and get to our goals as fast as possible) - overnight you've put your back out/sprained something or given yourself the worst DOMS ever and you're thinking you'll never move normally again!

The best exercise routine is a consistent one - the one that you'll do, no matter what - and starting simple means you have something to build on. In fairness, if you already do a sedentary job, any movement is a bonus.

Make a reservation

If you're looking to start exercising at home, be warned: it's very easy to let yourself get distracted leading to you skipping your workout.

Set aside time on your calendar to ensure that you take that time out for you and your workout.

Before you know it, the time will come around and you'll be glad that you didn't give yourself an excuse to skip.

Get fit in your own living room/bedroom/office

You don't need an expensive gym membership to get in shape as there are plenty of exercises you can do at home...

Start with some basic cardio (jump on your trampoline, ride your bike or go for a run - it doesn't matter how far/fast as long as you're giving yourself an activity!)

Add weights when you feel ready. You'll probably find that once the weight starts going up, so does your ability! It's easy to slip into a pattern of just wanting bigger numbers instead of being able to actually lift more = progress not perfection.

Set goals and keep track of progress 

It's incredibly easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind of working out that you forget to take stock.

After a couple of weeks, sit down and reflect on how far you've come - it may not look like much but your body will be completely different!

You'll also find new challenges...if they're things you want to do for yourself (a pull up/a 20kg deadlift) or if they are simply motivating because someone told you can't do them (you *can*!)

Keep track of everything so when something doesn't feel right, or seems too hard; at least there is some evidence that shows why this might happen and what steps need to be taken next time around.

Find what works for you 

When you're working out on your own, it can be difficult to stay motivated - everything is rosy as long as the sun is shining, your life is running smoothly and you have no real stresses or strains to worry about.

Once one or two things begin to wobble, your workout routine is usually one of the first things to fall away.

This is why it is so important that your workout routine is something that you either enjoy or at least keeps your interest for long enough that you are still semi-motivated to either continue to get up to exercise before work/after a full day at the office.

Motivation is BS because you will never feel like it, which is why you need to derive some sort of pleasure from exercising - at least, until it becomes a habit.

Try different types of workout; HIIT, dancing, weight/strength training, walking, running, etc. There will be something out there that speaks to you - it's just a case of finding it...

Get the basics

Today, getting hold of basic exercise equipment doesn't have to cost a fortune; you should be able to find relatively inexpensive weights, resistance bands, yoga mats and the like online.

If this is not an option for you, have a look around your home - cans of beans or water bottles make great hand weight alternatives. Even your own body weight is a great tool to get started!

Make it your own

Another motivator could be to incorporate some of your favourite pastimes into your workout - download your best, most motivating playlist or put the latest episode of your show of choice (TV, streaming service or podcast) on in the background.

The fact that you can get a workout in and catch up on your programmes can surely only be a good thing.

Play around

If you are in the market to make a little "investment" and if you like gaming/tech, have a think about splashing some cash on one of the many game systems out there that can make exercising extra fun!

Make exercise enjoyable with motion sensors that track your movement as you move.

Get in shape while dancing, yoga, tai chi, white-water rafting, or battling zombies. Some fitness games even calculate the calories you burn after the games are over.

Wrapping up:

There are many ways to get fit. We all know that getting started is the hardest part, but once you start it gets easier and before long you’ll be feeling better than ever!

If fitness has been on your mind lately or if you want to make a change in your life, we hope this blog post was useful for starting out because there really can be no excuses when it comes to living healthy.

So, remember these tips as well as what works best for you - find what makes sense for your lifestyle and go with it - you'll feel so much better once you do ;)