How to Make the Most of At-Home Workouts

Step 1

The first and most important step is to gauge your surroundings and your commitment level. Are you creating a home gym to replace an existing gym membership? Or are you just trying to find a workout you can take on the road when you travel? Also be real with yourself about the kind of routine you are looking for. Do you enjoy mat work like yoga and Pilates, or are you a cardio/ weights person. Lastly, are you a conventional (old school) gym rat or are you open to anything that will get you the health and body of your dreams?

Step 2

Secondly, evaluate your equipment. You do not need a whole gym to get fit. Your money can be best spent on simple easy to travel with accessories such as a jump rope, a medium set of weights, and a good pair of shoes. Getting the most out of your workout usually means more calorie expenditure for the amount of time invested. This means incorporating circuit and interval training. This entails getting your heart rate up taking a small recovery and then repeating the workout 3 or more times.

Step 3

Use tricks to speed up your calorie burn during your workout. Things like exercising in a warmer room and taking shorter breaks will help you create a larger caloric burn. Also by using an at home workout DVD such as P90X or Insanity you can push yourself further than you normally would on your own. Inviting a friend over to share in the pain is another great trick for finding another gear for your at home workout.