Workout at Home

Working out at home is one of the cheapest, easiest, and fun ways to get back into shape. So many people are out of shape in America today, and the obesity rate is climbing, especially in our children. Far too often I hear excuses and reasons why people simply cannot workout at home. I am here to remedy that outlook, but I can only show you the way. You must take it upon yourself to follow through if your goal is to lose weight, burn fat, and make fitness a part of your daily life.

Last December, I looked at myself in the mirror and was disgusted. I was 20 lbs heavier than I was 2 years ago. Once upon a time, I was very fit, with very little fat on my body. But two years of video games and bumming around the house, a la married life, had me on the fringe of overweight for someone my age and height. No more!

Where I live, the nearest gym is at least 20 minutes away, and it would not be my first choice of gyms. Who wants to do a 40-minute round trip drive to the gym? Plus, gym memberships are getting outrageously expensive. So what was my solution? I did some pretty extensive research on how I could combine everything I needed into my home, so working out meant never having to leave my house!

Motivation

Finding motivation is crucial to successfully working out at home. The most common excuse I hear from people is that the only way they are motivated is when they go to a gym to workout. The logic behind this is understandable, but the bottom line is if you are serious about getting a better body, you will do it however is necessary.

The second excuse I hear most often is that it is impossible to workout at home because of all the things people feel they have to do around the house, or errands they have to run. Again, it is a valid reason, but there are always alternatives. Try getting up in the morning before work, or before the kids get up. You can also workout at night, which is what I do, right as my little one is off to sleep. If the kids happen to be at school, make time during the day while there is free time to exercise. I also try to sneak a workout in right as my daughter is going down for a nap. As soon as I put her in her crib, I'm off to the next room to exercise hard.

If you truly find yourself crunched for time during the day, remember your motivation. Burning fat, losing weight, gaining confidence, building muscle, toning up...whatever your focus is, make that your priority for one hour a day. I tend to workout most often at night because that is when I have the most free time after my daughter is in bed.

It is all a matter of willpower and placing your fitness and health at the top of your priority list. Once you have your motivation, and set your mind to it, you start forming daily routines. If these routines become consistent, then the routines become habits. And exercising is a great habit to form.

How to Workout at Home

Now we get to what is available for complete workouts at home.

Bodyweight Training

Bodyweight training is exercises done with no machines or weights. It is just the body itself lifting its own weight. This is great for people just starting out, as it will condition your body for harder workouts in the future. Here is a list of bodyweight exercises you can do:

1. Push-ups - If these cannot be done on your toes, try starting them from your knees.
2. Squats
3. Lunges
4. Plank
5. Burpees
6. Jumping Jacks
7. Chair Dips
8. Superman
9. Crunches
10. Box jumps - Can use a chair or bench (I actually use my stairs in my home)

Currently, I do not have any video demonstrations of these simple exercises, but I plan to in the near future. For now, you can Google them and see many demonstrations.

Weight Training and Resistance Training

After bodyweight training, the next step up is to add weights, or resistance. Here is where you have to invest a small amount of money in a few items. I did it, and it was well worth the money. I am not endorsing any specific products here, just telling you what can be used if you lack any heavy machines are weight sets.

1. Fitness Ball - We all know what these are, they run around $10 for a decent one.
2. Resistance Bands - These are GREAT for burning fat and toning your body. This is what I am currently using the most to lose weight. They run anywhere from $8 individual to $60 for sets. There are many products out there, so invest in a good set, they will last you a long time.
3. Free Weights - Also known as dumbbells, there are sets with adjustable weights for as low as $25. I have a set of these, but actually use the individual plates for some core training.

So what can you do with this equipment? Well, I researched for several months before finding a site through YouTube. This site is free, and provides a great deal of information, including video demonstrations. There is also good information on dieting and why it is crucial to losing weight and burning fat.

I simply point you in this direction because it has helped me. The site is IWantSixPackAbs by Arnel Ricafranca. I know the site name is a bit cheesy, but go ahead and give it a read. I do not follow his program exactly, because there are certain things that are too difficult, and certain things that are too easy for me. I incorporate some of my own exercises and routines to round it all out.

Interval Training

Interval training is something that can easily be done at home. It is great for boosting metabolism in far superior ways than normal cardio workouts. The concept is to do high intensity exercises for short periods of time, followed by a brief period of rest, then rinse and repeat. For more information, go here Interval Training. The idea is to do activities that use as many muscle groups as possible. Here are just a few:

1. Running (sprinting)
2. Jump Rope
3. Biking

My interval training of choice is sprinting. I run in my neighborhood, warming up with a 3 minute jog after 5 minutes of stretching. I then do 30 seconds of sprinting as hard and fast as I can, followed by a 1 minute walk. I do this 4 times, then jog back home. All told, I probably spend 15 minutes doing this. And guess what? I burn more calories and fat than someone doing a 30 minute or 40 minute cardio workout. Because muscles are working to their max, your metabolism spikes, and stays at high levels for extended periods of time. Even while you sleep!

One thing to keep in mind about interval training is that my max intensity may be more than someone who hasn't been working out, just like someone in great shape will have a higher max intensity than I will. Be the judge of what you can do, and know your limits. Be careful, and don't hesitate to stop or slow down the pace if you need to.

Working out at home is easy!

My hope is that this little bit of reading can inspire you to take the next step towards getting in shape, burning fat, and getting the body you've always wanted. Not only that, fitness equals health, and I know I want to be around for along time to see my daughter grow to become a mature, beautiful woman. I want to meet my grandkids, and let nothing hold me back from being a part of their lives for a long, long time.

Saying you want to workout is one thing, but actually following through is another. No more excuses. You can do it. You'll find it is amazing being able to do everything you thought you could only do in a gym right in your own home. And it's fun! Once you start seeing results, it will be all the more encouraging for you to push harder.

From me to you, for a better quality life, and to the betterment of our health, I hope we can set good examples to our kids by working out, staying active, and promoting strong fitness values.

10 Bodyweight Exercises

This here is my list of my 10 favorite bodyweight exercises. These are the most basic forms, and can be done anywhere. I like bodyweight exercises because I am a huge advocate of working out at home. I do not believe you need a gym to lose weight, burn fat, and get in shape.

Bodyweight exercises do not require any additional workout equipment. The only weight you are lifting is your own body weight. Shocking, right?

As I have mentioned in several of my posts already, including Working Out at Home and Burning Fat and Losing Weight-Stay at Home Parent Style, I have been working out at home for the past two and a half months, losing a total of 16 pounds (about 9% of my original bodyweight) and 2 inches off my waist. I also have gone from 19.7% body fat to 10.1% body fat.

These results have come from dedication, hard work, interval training, and eating right. The first step though, was for me to get back into shape. After three years of doing no exercising at all, I needed to start from ground zero.

That is where bodyweight training came into play. These exercises, which I did for a total of two weeks, helped me transition in to a good physical condition that allowed me to take the first steps towards my goal of becoming a more fit, healthy person.

1. Jumping Jacks

The most basic, and easiest of the 10. Jumping jacks work out a large number of muscles in the entire body, and can help build endurance and work on cardio conditioning.

I used these as warmups, and did a full 60 seconds of these before each workoout session. The first day, I was breathing heavily just after these alone. By the end of the first week, I was completing the full minute with minimum effort. Such a huge change in a short period of time!

2. Push-ups

Push-ups are probably my favorite exercise to do because of how effective they are for your arms, chest, core, shoulders, and back. The trick is to make sure and do them in the correct form, else you risk injuring your back.

At first, my goal was to do three sets of 20 push-ups. I was so out of shape that I did 20, 15, and finally 13. The second day I was at 20, 20, and 15. The third day I pushed myself to 20, 20, and 22!

I know 20 push-ups sounds easy, but after a long period of time with no intense physical activity, they are much more to take on than you anticipate.

Now, after two and a half months, I can do 20 normal push-ups easily, with me advancing to do three sets of 35. I even timed myself to see how many I could complete in 60 seconds, and I managed to get 50 push-ups in that time frame! My goal is 60 in 60 seconds by the end of the month.

3. Lunges

Most people think of walking lunges, but I tend to do stationary lunges. With limited room to walk back and forth, this is a much easier way to complete the exercise.

I never really had any trouble doing these until I progressed to jumping lunges, but that is a whole separate topic I will post about at a later date (a la Advanced Bodyweight Exercises).

4. Prison Squats

Prison squats are squats done with your hands placed behind your head. Next to the jumping jacks, this was probably one ofthe easier exercises for me to comlpete. My goal was to do three sets of 20 squats, but instantly realized that was way too easy, so I pushed it up to three sets of 30.

5. Crunches

There are so many variations of crunches, and I have done quite a few of them, but the one I started out with was the basic crunch. It is not as challenging as the other forms, but it is a good starting point for core training.

My first day I did three sets of 40 crunches, which was right on target for what I needed.

6. Planks

Planks were new to me, and I was really surprised at how tough they were. I really felt the burn after each workout from these. They focus almost ocmpletely on the core, but I also felt them working out my calves and shoulders.

My starting day I opened up with three sets of 45 seconds. I barely made it to 45 the first set. The second set I collapsed at 35 seconds. I got back up and completed the last 10. The last set I made 30 seconds and could not finish.

By the end of the week, I was able to complete all three sets for the full 45 seconds, but was definitely struggling with the last set.

7. Pull-ups

Pull-ups are still the only exercise that I cannot complete my sets. I orignally began with a goal of three sets of 15 pull-ups, and managed to do three, two, and two. That is just sad, but this is the exercise that most people have difficulty doing. I had to substitute a dumbell overhead press to finish my sets of 15, because they closely resemble pull-ups and the muscle groups used are almost the same.

Now, I can do sets of eight, seven, and seven. That is not nearly the progress I had hoped for, but each week I am trying to add one more pull-up to each set.

Pull-ups are phenomenal for the biceps, shoulders, core and back muscles. The trick to doing more reps is to just keep doing them, pushing yourself to get one more completed each time.

8. Chair dips

Here, I actually am to use a prop. Chair dips are easily done with, you guessed it, a chair. I have a small workout bench, so I used that instead so I did not have to leave the room I was working out in.

These were relatively easy, but I really felt the burn in my triceps. Starting out, I completed three sets of 15, and by the next week I was doing three sets of 25.

9. Calf Raises

Another exercise that requires a 'prop'. You can use anything from a step stool to stairs to an extra 2x4 lying in the garage. I opt for the stairs because it is just a little bit more challenging and my heels never hit the ground below me.

First day I was able to complete three sets of 20 easily, but definitely felt it in my calves later on.

10. Burpees

I always finished my workouts with burpees, as they took the most out of me. This is a full body workout, and although I completed each set, the quickness at which I completed each rep got slower and slower.

On the first day, I started with three sets of 20 burpees. Being out of shape, it was tough to complete these, especially after doing all the other bodyweight exercises first. But at the end of the week, I was already in better shape, and was able to complete all the sets with much less difficulty.

Make Bodyweight Exercises Tougher

After the first two weeks of doing bodyweight exercises, I got used to the amount of work for each workout. The exercises were becoming less difficult, so I altered a few of them to make them more challenging. I added jump squats, jump lunges, and explosive push-ups. Even those became obsolete, so now I wear a weighted backpack (about 20 pounds) with all my bodyweight exercises. Definitely adds some 'oomph' to my workouts!

In closing this post, I still do normal bodyweight exercises from time to time, especially if I am away from home and still need a way to workout. They are easy to do, and are a great way to kick off your journey on getting back into shape!

(It is my intention to add a video demonstration soon, just have to find the time to make it.)

Burn Fat and Lose Weight

How many of you moms and dads out there are trying to get back in shape? Any of you trying to shed pounds and burn fat? For the last month and a half, I have been trying to do all these things. Slowly, I have been losing pound by pound, and today I finally hit my goal!

I was aiming for a weight loss of 15 lbs from January 1st to May 1st. One month and three weeks into my regimen, I have already hit my goal weight. I was shocked when I read the scale this morning. I had been floating between 13 and 14 lbs for the last week and a half, and today I finally dropped that last stubborn pound!

My routine this year has been quite simple, and although I haven't been absolutely perfect, I have stayed pretty true to the course I set for myself. I believe that there are three key areas in regards to losing weight, all of which must be combined in order to achieve the results desired.

1. Diet

Diet is absolutely the most important factor when trying to shed pounds. My decision to completely change my diet was a very hard one, but I was honestly afraid of gaining more weight. When I took a look at all the fast food, soft drinks, and high calorie foods I was consuming on a day to day basis, I was appalled.

I realize many people think that exercising and working out as hard as they can will give them quick, visible results. But without a good, quality diet plan, all that hard work can end in frustration when people do not see changes.

There are many diets out there, but I stick to three principles. First, eat five small meals throughout the day, as opposed to three larger meals. This helps keep metabolism high and fights off hunger. Second, there is a saying that if a food wasn't here a thousand years ago, stay away. So I do. Third, I eat high quality proteins with each of my meals, complimented by a full serving of fruits or vegetables. I eat high amounts of chicken, fish, shrimp, and turkey each week (white meats tend to have higher protein and have less fat content than red meats). I can also get protein via nuts, yogurt, whey protein drinks, brown rice, and beans.

Now, when I say diet, I do not mean I am cutting back on calories. I am eating the amount of calories recommended for someone my height and weight. Right now, I'm at roughly 2000 calories a day. I am not starving myself by any means. By eating five smaller meals a day, I never really feel hungry to the point that I go rush to look for a snack, or have to stop by McDonald's for a dollar cheeseburger or two.

The one struggle I have with eating this way is how bland it can be at times. To combat this, I stock up on fresh herbs, such as cilantro and flat leaf parsley, and spices such as coriander, cumin, cayenne pepper, amongst many others. I can create a variety of meals that never leave me bored. I tend to drift towards the spicy side when I cook, and fresh jalapenos or crushed red pepper always add some heat. You can see one of my bland food remedies in my Pico de Gallo Recipe post.

Protein is key in burning fat and boosting metabolism. To make an intricate process simple, I'll just say that when working out, muscle is broken down. Muscles then rebuild themselves via the protein we eat. Eating high amounts of protein also keeps our blood sugar levels stable, so when we work out, greater amounts of fat can be used as energy.

Remember how I said I eat a full serving of fruits or vegetables with each meal? This is how I combat hunger. Both are very high in fiber, and fiber is absolutely vital to overall health and trying to lose weight. These fresh sources of fiber keep you from feeling hungry for longer periods of time, not to mention keeping your digestive tract clean and healthy.

Water, water, and more water. I am always drinking water, as it is vital to my ultimate goal of getting back into shape. I have just about given up all other beverages with the exception of the occasional Crystal Light or Fuze drinks. Water functions on so many levels in the human body, that I cannot cover them all here, but I will tell you the important ones specific to burning fat and losing weight. First, water ultimately provides the means for nutrient transportation to everything in my body. Second, water transports oxygen to the cells of my body. My workouts are intense, and oxygen management is key to the ability to complete my routines. Finally, many times people often confuse thirst for hunger. The body basically tricks the mind into thinking it is hungry, when actually it needs hydration. I keep several bottles of water in the refrigerator that I grab throughout the day. Remember, hydrate all day long, not just during meals and when working out.

2. Interval Training

Interval training is the second most important aspect of burning fat and losing weight. There are many different types of interval training, but I follow a custom routine that focuses on my individual skills and abilities. As I get better during these workouts, I gradually increase the intensity and duration.

By definition, interval training is a repetition of short bursts of medium to high intensity activities, followed by brief periods of rest. For example, I use an advanced form of interval training called high intensity interval training, or HIIT. My exercise of choice is sprinting. Biking, rowing, and jump roping are other types of workouts that comply. The idea is to find a high intensity activity that uses as many muscle groups as possible. Sprinting is widely recommended as the best option, but for those that have limitations disabling them from running, the other forms mentioned above are decent alternatives.

I would love to cover the benefits of interval training in regards to weight loss, but intervaltraining.net does a MUCH better job. Check them out, it is very informative reading!

When I first began my interval training, I aimed for three days a week. I started out by stretching for five minutes, followed by 30 jumping jacks. Then I ran a light jog for about three minutes to warm up. I did three sets of 30 second sprints as hard and as fast as I could, followed by three minutes of rest (walking). Let me tell you, I about passed out after my first time. The second day was still tough, but the third was much easier. I followed this routine for 3 weeks. Then I moved up to four days a week, with stretching, warming up, and doing four sets of 45 second sprints followed by two and a half minute rests. This is currently the level of intensity I am still at. I hope to push myself to five days a week, with five sets of 45 to 60 second full-out sprints, followed by two and a half minute rests.

Interval Training vs Cardio

One quick little subject I would like to cover is the fact that many people do various forms of cardiovascular workouts, with the goal of increasing the duration of performance and boosting metabolism. One little factoid that slips by many people is that cardio workouts only boost metabolism for the duration of the exercise. Interval training can boost metabolism for up to two days!

Also, I have seen people proud of the fact that they started jogging for 30 minutes, and burned x amount of calories. They assume that when they can start running for 45 minutes, then an hour, the calories burned will scale accordingly. Wrong. When performing a cardio workout like jogging, the body gets used to performing at a certain level and burns x amount of calories while doing so. However, as the body gets into better shape, it starts taking more of the same activity to burn the same amount of calories. To burn x amount of calories in 30 minutes, the body will eventually take 45 minutes to burn the number. Our bodies get very efficient at using energy, so, at a certain point, cardio workouts stop burning fat, and starts converting muscle to energy, thus creating muscle loss.

Interval training continues to burn calories long after the workout is done, due to the vigorous intensity of exercising. In doing so, you maintain lean muscle, and continue to burn fat.

3. Working Out / Exercising

I know many people will put this first in the priority list, because they assume that working out is what will mold them into the body they desire. While this is true to a degree, I place it third behind diet and interval training. I believe that no matter how hard someone exercises, they will never see the results they want unless they incorporate the other two aspects as well.

One of my entries this month, Working Out at Home, tells how I work out at home. For the stay at home parent, like I myself am, this is an absolutely wonderful way for me to physically get back into shape, and never have to leave the house. Plus, no gym membership fees.

Whether or not you work out at home or in the gym, concentrating on all muscle groups is key. Circuit training is ideal for weight loss. Many gyms have circuit training stations in place, allowing their members to move from machine to machine. At home, you may have to do some research, as I did. Again, read my article above to see how I discovered what I could do at home, giving me the same results as being at a gym!

One thing to remember is when you are trying to lose weight, you are not trying to bulk up in muscle. Yes, building lean muscle is important, but bulking up can slow down weight loss. What is the difference? Well, burning fat workouts will focus on repetition of exercises, and not pushing your limits in regards to weight lifting. Building muscle focuses on a shorter number of repetitions, with higher amounts of weight.

My ultimate goal is to lose weight, then build up a little muscle. I know I have to burn the fat first, and get into much better shape before I can move on to building muscle. Thus, I am doing repetitions of many different exercises, and increasing weight and resistance in small amounts each week.

Overall Success by Combination

In order to achieve the results you want, you must incorporate all three aspects: diet, interval training, and exercise. I rank diet above all the others, as it is the stepping stone and building block for making a permanent change. Eating right will boost your metabolism, and eliminate all the poor quality foods that continue to hinder a healthy lifestyle.

Interval training will help with your body's oxygen management, as well as keep metabolism at a high rate. I try to keep pushing myself to run harder and faster with each week that passes. Slowly, my body has been able to adapt, and I have the capacity to increase my workload, thus burning even more fat and getting into shape that much quicker.

Exercise I rank third, but it is still very, very important. You cannot have the other two factors without this one. I try to remember that the body adapts to the workout load you give it, therefore each week I must continue to add weight or resistance. As I push myself, my body gets stronger, and gives me the ability to accomplish more than I ever thought I could.

Stay Motivated

I end this post late Monday night. I am actually going to post this up tomorrow, but my thoughts were running wild on this topic, and I figured I had better get them into writing before I lost them. I finished my workout I was supposed to do today only two hours ago, and it was one of the toughest I have done to date. I don't think I have pushed myself as hard as I did tonight. There was definitely pain, but I fought through it. I am guessing I will be posting this tomorrow with the aches and soreness beginning to set in.

Stay motivated! There are days when I just simply do not want to work out. I think of all the hard work I have done up to this point, and force myself to go into our little workout room and complete my routine for the night. I have hit my goal weight, but that is not the stopping point. In fact, it is just the beginning.

I am going to get into the best shape of my life, and continue with my new-found healthy lifestyle. If you want to burn fat and lose weight, the power is in your hands. You have the control, and all you have to do is take that first step forward. Find your motivation, and hold on to it. Remember that as you push yourself through tough workouts, and envision the finish line: a brand new, healthy you!