One of the biggest reasons that people fail at their weight loss or exercise goals with new year’s resolutions is the cost or time sink of going to the gym. We seem to consider the gym to be the only suitable place to work out in today’s world, and it’s very possible that’s because gyms have trained us to think this way. That’s actually to their detriment, because we now view going to the gym with all the joy of going to the dentist for a root canal.
While we realize that a great number of people have their own home gyms, we’re here to tell you that you don’t need one to work out! Let’s see how.
Weight Lifting
The fastest and easiest way to lift weights is to do one of two things: go to a livestock feed store, or go to your local department store and buy a small set of weights.
So what on earth do livestock feed and weights have in common? The sizes are standardized and the weights must be true to the advertised label. That means that you’re guaranteed to get at least 50 pounds of feed in the bag that you purchase, if purchasing a 50 pound bag. If you’re looking for hand weights of 10 pounds or less, you’ll do better to go get some polyvinyl dumbbells at your local Wal-Mart. If you’re after serious weight, your feed store is a good bet. 50 pounds of corn is only a few dollars in most places and hurling or turning it as you would a 50 pound weight disc is just as good.
Cardio
Your best free cardio is to find a place with sidewalks and high curbs, map it out with Google Maps and take off on a run in the fresh air. City parks are also a wonderful place to go to take a run, and most areas have running trails that are well maintained to keep from tripping you up. Local malls may also substitute if they are not busy.
However, we’re aware that not everyone can find that in their city. Perhaps it’s too hot during certain months or you’re leery of becoming a road pancake due to poor drivers in your area. Perhaps the mall, like so many others, has closed down.
That’s fine. Take a jog around your house or your apartment building, indoor or outdoor depending on the weather and the season. Count the steps and multiply until you get to about 2,500. There’s about 2,500 steps per mile. Multiply by how many miles you’d like to run and you’re set!
Flexing
Flexing can be hard at home, but your best bet is to find a jumping rope or a pair of car battery jumping cables. These can be used as resistance straps comfortably in almost any situation. We do not recommend using the same car battery jumping cables to actually jump your car after using them as a resistance band, though. Find an old, retired pair for your exercise needs.