You want to workout but you don’t want to go to the gym. Maybe you enjoy the comfort of exercising in your own home. Or possibly you have contemplated the drive back and forth to the gym and have decided that time is a factor. Or you would like to build your confidence before joining a gym. There are any number of reasons for wanting to exercise at home. The good news is that you CAN have a GREAT workout without even leaving the house!!

Of course, you will need to put in some effort and planning to be successful. So here is how I suggest you get started:

1. Set an exercise goal WITH a timeline for achieving that goal. Be specific about what you would like to achieve from exercise. Know where you are now and where you would like to be. Ie. Take measurements or test your current fitness level. Determine what actions you are ready to take right now to achieve that goal. Ie. How many days a week you will exercise and for how long. Set a timeline for achieving your goal. And finally, ensure that you are being realistic about the goal, the actions you are willing to take, and the timeline you specify for reaching your goal. Assess and adjust as necessary.
2. Create a schedule. When you schedule a specific day and time for exercise, you are more committed to the workout and less likely to make excuses for not doing it. Subconsciously, you are preparing yourself for what is to come. If you have children, make arrangements for someone to watch them while you exercise, or do it while they are sleeping. Treat this scheduled time as an appointment with your doctor or an important meeting with your boss. BE THERE! OK…let’s be real….things come up and schedules change. Have a backup plan! Reschedule this VERY IMPORTANT MEETING with yourself. Do what you have to do to make it happen. ALWAYS SHOW UP!
3. Create a workout plan with the help of a qualified personal trainer/coach. Be sure that the exercises you are doing and the time and effort put into your workouts will have you reaching your goals. A personal trainer/coach will ensure safe and effective workouts AND inspire you to push yourself to that next level of fitness. REMEMBER: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail!!
4. Designate an area in your home as your workout space. Determine what equipment you will need and/or would like to have. Keep this equipment in the designated space so that it is always ready for use at your scheduled workout time.
5. Wear comfortable, breathable clothing and good quality sneakers. This is essential for physical comfort as well as mental preparedness. Exercise clothing and proper footwear seem to have this magical ability to change your mindset and pump up your energy levels for maximum physical output.
6. Create a super, awesome music playlist. Determine what music/songs light you up. What makes you want to move? Put it all on one playlist that is specifically for your workout. TURN IT UP!! I am talking HIGH VOLUME! Wear headphones if you need to (lower volume, of course)! I am not sure if this works for everyone, for me, headphones really help to tune out what is happening around me so that I focus only on what I am doing in that moment…which is my workout.
7. Create a strong, positive support system. You want people in your corner. There are going to be times when you want to say “Nope. Not today.”. On these days, you need people who will stand by you and remind you of your goals and your reasons for wanting to achieve those goals. These people must support and encourage you to keep going when you want to give up or quit. They lift you up! They believe in you! They must also live the lifestyle that you are working for. If you want to be more healthy and fit, then your support system must also be healthy and fit. They know how it feels to be where you are right now but they also know how it feels to be where you want to be. They will help you get there!!

And now….since I am a bit of a cheeseball….here is where I add the cheese. BUT let me tell you….

THIS! IS! TRUTH!!

Believe in yourself!! I can’t express this enough. You MUST believe that you WILL achieve your specific goals. Not that you CAN…but that you WILL. As per the words of the late Wayne Dyer: “You will see it when you believe it”. You can have all of the love, support and encouragement in the world, but if you don’t believe in yourself…if you don’t believe that you WILL achieve your goals, then you never will. You MUST believe in yourself. You MUST Love and SUPPORT YOURSELF through the process of change. BE YOUR OWN BIGGEST FAN!!

As a final note, it is important to like what you are doing and where you are doing it. While parts of the workout may be challenging or less enjoyable than other parts, you must still be happy overall. If you are doing some activity because it worked for someone else, but you are experiencing pain or you are just not enjoying it, PLEASE do not do that activity. There are so many options out there. Find what works for you, both physically and mentally, so that you will stick with it. And always remember that not all workouts will feel great but doing your best with what you’ve got in you on that day will always move you forward.

Happy training!