I used to go to the gym and walk on the treadmill or get on the elliptical machine because I thought that was the only way to do exercise. I really didn’t enjoy it but it was getting me results. Eventually I got to the point I didn’t want to exercise anymore, it was a chore. At that time in my life, I actually wanted to work out in my home. But I always tho
ught you had to go to a gym to exercise. I decided to do something different. I found workouts on YouTube and started buying some equipment to use at home. I started doing step aerobics, HIIT workouts (High Intense Interval Training) and kickboxing to name a few. It was fun to me but others might think it’s a chore to do those exercises. I found my exercise personality. My exercise personality is I like doing work outs where I am constantly moving or jumping around. I don’t care if it’s inside or outside I just want to be moving. How do you find your exercise personality? Here are some questions to ask yourself to find out.
Question: Do you like exercising outdoors or indoors?
If you like the outdoors, walking, running, hiking or cycling would be some exercises you could do. If it’s winter, you can still do an indoor walking or cycling programs. You could also jog in place, pretend jump rope, walk in place. Just get moving.
If you like to stay indoors, why not try an exercise class? Walking or running on treadmills or using elliptical machines are machines you can have in your home to exercise on. It’s right there and you could use it anytime. If cost is a factor for purchasing this equipment, you may be able to find deals online for them.
Question: Do you like to exercise with a group or by yourself?
Exercising with a group of people is a great way to stay motived and to be held accountable. If you know someone is waiting for you to show up at a class or at an appointed place, you’ll be more likely to show up.
Exercising by yourself may seem like it would be lonely. You could use that time to think through challenges you have in your life. Take this alone exercise time to listen to motivational music or speeches to keep you going.
Question: Do you like shorter workouts or longer ones?
You don’t have to do marathon exercise sessions to feel good. I like to do anywhere from 30, 45, or 60 minute workouts. Your schedule may not allow you to exercise longer. Why not take a 15-minute walk twice in the day? Then you’ve gotten in 30 minutes of some physical activity for the day. Maybe take 20 minutes to do a cardio workout or some weight training. And that takes us to the next question.
Question: Do you like lifting weights or using your own body weight to tone and strengthen your muscles?
Weight training is a good way tone your muscles while you are losing weight. Toning can also help with losing inches. You can buy dumbbells or weights and a weight bar at sporting goods stores or even look online to purchase them. Many gyms have weights and weight machines available for you to use. You can find workout programs online or on YouTube. Do searches online for exercises like weight training workouts or working out with weights if you want to try this at home. If you go to the gym, some gyms give a free session with a personal trainer to help you understand the weight machines. You can even hire a personal trainer who will help plan workouts to help you get the results you want.
Doing body weight exercises can be an economical way of toning muscles if you can’t afford to buy weights or join a gym. You could also do body weight exercises as a way of challenging yourself or adding variety to your workouts. Some examples of body weight exercises are squats, lunges, planks, jumping jacks and ab crunches. These are just a few exercises you could do. If you are not sure how to properly do these moves, you can find videos on YouTube or online. Just type in the search box of the website you are on the name of the exercise. Many of them have pictures or even videos that will walk you through proper form of these exercises.
Other exercises you could try are Yoga or Pilates. The possibilities are endless. The goal is to try different exercises according to your physical ability to find what works best for you. My motto is, “if you don’t like the exercise, do something else that you like to do.”
Always consult with your doctor or medical professional before beginning any type of exercise program.