Home Weight Loss Exercise Programs

There are many reasons individuals choose to exercise at home. Getting started is easy. A simple plan of goal setting, exercise variation, and meal planning are the keys to success.

Set Goals

To achieve realistic results, set relaistic goals. Losing one to two pounds per week is safe and heart healthy. Charting success is motivating and depicts accurately where weight loss (and inch loss) is being achieved. Document your weight and measurements, and monitor them weekly.

Plan an Exercise Program

Consider four categories in designing an exercise program: cardiovascular training, muscle resistance training, flexibility training, and rest. Plan to do cardio training three to five days per week. To avoid boredom, mix it up! One day take a brisk walk or jog; another day dance to your favorite CD or play chase with the kids. Elevate your heart rate until you feel challenged and somewhat uncomfortable. Be sure to warm up and cool down for at least five minutes each.
Muscle resistance training includes any exercise that requires demand from your muscles. Divide your body into sections; right to left, front to back, and top to bottom. Make sure muscle training equally approaches these sections. Keep muscles confused by varying exercises each session. Use household items such as a chair to perform push ups. Increase difficulty by placing feet on the seat and hand on the floor. Fill gallon milk containers with sand for bicep curls or tricep extensions. Elastic tubing and resistance balls found at any sporting good store can be used to train most body areas, and generally come with a poster or video for exercise options. Like cardio, resistance training should be performed three to five days per week and may be coupled together. Cardio and resistance training can be performed separately or combined in short intervals.
Include flexibility training daily. Stretch each muscle group post workout. Gentle yoga videos are excellent for muscle elongation and mind/body reconnection.
Last, to allow muscle recovery as well as injury prevention, rest is essential. Recovery time of 48 to 72 hours is suggested for muscle repair. Alternate upper body and lower body exercises from day to day. Journals keep track of muscles used as well as progressive strength changes.

Plan Meals

Exercise is a key component of weight loss, but meal planning is just as important. To determine your caloric needs, visit the calorie goals section of My Plate on livestrong.com.
Adequate diets combine foods derived from The Food Guide Pyramid. Include foods from all categories, and monitor your calorie intake. Fat content should not exceed 25 percent of total calories consumed. Protein and carbohydrates should be equally balanced to preserve muscle and provide energy. Avoid processed (or premade) foods whenever possible. Juices can render unsuspecting calories, and soda offers no nutritional value. Plan meals every two and a half to three hours. Journaling food (including snacks and beverages) is an excellent method of accountability. Utilizing My Daily Plate on livestrong.com identifies calorie composition and simplifies decision making!