After a long, cold winter, your pants are tight, your arms jiggle and your thighs are chafed from the chub rub. While gym memberships are wonderful, they may be a luxury you can't afford. Not to mention, the prospect of conquering your rolls and jiggles in front of a gym full of toned athletes may be less than appealing. Fortunately, it is entirely possible to sweat and grunt your way to total body fitness from the comfort of your own home.
Getting Started
Consider what your are willing to spend to equip your at-home gym. Are you interested in buying larger equipment such as a treadmill or elliptical, or is your budget more limited? Browse your local sporting goods store for a price check on free weights, kettlebells, resistance bands, mats and other small equipment. While it is possible to work out at home without spending a cent, some people find it easier to stay motivated with some shiny new fat-blasting gear.
Have a Plan
To get a full body workout at home, you will need to incorporate both aerobic exercise and strength training into your regimen. Aerobic exercise can be as simple as climbing stairs, jumping rope or running in place. If you want to spend no money for your workouts, strength train by using your own body weight. Perform exercises such as situps, pushups and squats, which require no additional weight. If you are having difficulty developing a plan of your own, consider purchasing an exercise DVD that will guide your initial efforts.
Guidelines
To improve your fitness, you need to perform aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes, six days of the week. You should strength train for at least 15 minutes on alternating days of the week. You don't need to do your entire workout at once. If you have a busy schedule, try to fit in 10 minutes of exercise in the morning, at noon and after dinner in the evening.
Diversity
One of the perks of at-home exercise is the freedom to diversify your workouts. You can come up with something new for each day of the week — yoga on Mondays, jump rope on Tuesdays, and so on. Switch on the television or blast your favorite music to stave off boredom. Better yet, get your kids involved in your workout. There is nothing like giggling through situps with your toddler to make the exercise experience more enjoyable.
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