Enjoyable Actions To Stay Fit

In an era where the nation seems to have fallen into a fitness frenzy, it's understandable that you want to get in better shape. You probably have many coworkers and friends who make the gym a regular stop after their work day. However, whether it's because of the blasting music, or the show-off muscle builders or the monthly fees, a gym might not be the place you want to be to get in shape. The good news is that there are many ways to stay in shape within the comfort of your own home.

Convenience is a wonderful thing sometimes, but if you do not move around very much in your home, your life may become too sedentary. If you have a home with more than one level, make it a practice to walk up and down the stairs several times each day. When you are outside, walk around the perimeter of your yard to check on your flowers or garden plants. If you live in an apartment building without much room to move around in, take a walk around the block several times each week. If you think about it, there are many ways to increase your level of activity while going about your daily routine.

Nearly everyone watches at least some television at some point during the day or evening, so use those aggravating commercial breaks to get a little exercise. You can do some deep knee bends or sit ups while the commercials air, or even continue while watching your favorite program. You could even look for a television channel that airs exercise programs so you can participate in your own living room.

A sports club team can give you the competition that you've been seeking for awhile. You can play all of the most popular sports with a club team when you find the right league. This usually costs a little money, but it is well worth it in the end because you are going to have a lot of fun playing with a club team with a sport that you love.

Another useful purchase if your goal is to tone and build strength is an exercise ball. Many of the balls come with a card or DVD showing exercises you can use the ball for. The ball is a great way to target your lower abs as well as your back muscles. In addition, if you spend a lot of time sitting at home, sitting on the ball will not only improv your posture, but it will tone your legs as you bounce while you sit.

If you are looking for an option with minimal equipment that will improve your flexibility and muscle tone, either Pilates or yoga might be the option for you. Both of these options only require a mat, but you may want to purchase straps or blocks for yoga if it turns out to be a good fit. While these forms of exercise are similar in that they mainly use the body itself as resistance for building strength, yoga has a much stronger mind-body approach than Pilates. Immediate results in flexibility and upper body strength will be greater in yoga, while Pilates will give you faster results in toning abs.

If are willing to make a small purchase for equipment, a resistance tube is an excellent buy. Instead of buying an entire dumbbell set, you can buy one inexpensive tube. You can adjust the amount of resistance you feel by stepping on one end, leaving either more or less length on the side you are working on. With an resistance tube, you can do bicep and tricep curls as well as most other exercises you would do with a dumbbell. Then, if you find you like those kinds of exercises and the resistance is no longer strong enough, you can make the purchase of the dumbbell set, knowing that you will put it to good use.

No matter what your fitness goals are, there is a way to meet those goals by working out at home. With a few small purchases and a little bit of time, you can be well on your way to fitness without ever stepping into a gym.

Do you wish to lose more weight now? Then make sure you find out more about realistic weight loss goals and learn more about calories for weight loss today.