Fitness & Wellness

Ways To Improve Your Mood Naturally

Ways To Improve Your Mood Naturally

You can improve your mood naturally, especially when you live in Raleigh NC. One of my favorite ways is to take a break and get back to Nature. I love taking a walk in one of the parks in Raleigh. My favorite is Neuse River Trail. I like to go early in the morning after my workout to wind down and take in all the beauty of nature. Studies show that getting outdoors can lift your spirits, plus the sun boosts levels of serotonin. If there’s an opportunity, I like to walk barefoot for a short time in the grassy areas to get the benefits of grounding.

Get moving to lift your spirits.

Exercise is the greatest mood changer available. When you exercise, you not only burn off the hormones created by stress that can cause a bad mood, you also boost the happy hormones that give you a feeling of peacefulness and contentment. Exercise also stimulates circulation taking important nutrients and oxygen to every cell in your body. You feel good when you’re done and have a sense of accomplishment, too.

Play a bit.

Playing, whether with the kids, spouse or a pet brings out the child in you. You’ll be creating bonds with both human and furry friends when you do it and that can be spirit lifting. If you have a dog or cat, studies show that even if you just pet the animal for 15 minutes, hormones like serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin are released, while cortisol, the stress hormone that causes visceral fat—that fat around your belly—is lowered. You’ll make your pet happy, you’ll be happy and you’ll whittle down your waistline in the process.

Eat happy foods.

What you eat does affect your health. Studies show that an imbalance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 actually promotes aggression. While the balance should be 4 to 1, the average American diet has as 25 to 1 balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3. Fatty fish and flaxseed can add extra Omega-3 to your diet. Foods like avocado and grapes also boost your spirits, just as raw nuts, shitake mushrooms, sesame seeds and strawberries. Get organic strawberries for the healthiest punch, since they’re number one on the dirty dozen list. (The dirty dozen list identifies fruits and vegetables that contain the highest pesticides in non-organic foods.)

  • Act as though you’re happy. Laugh, smile and get into the act. Smiling activates centers in the brain for happiness.
  • Change your mind. Whatever put you in a bad mood shouldn’t have control over you. You can decide whether to hold onto it or not. If it’s a person, you’re turning over your personal control by allowing them to put you in a bad mood.
  • Get adequate sleep. When you maintain a regular sleep/wake schedule, you’ll be ready to take on anything without it putting you in a tizzy.
  • Eat a square of dark chocolate. That doesn’t mean eat the whole bar or box of chocolate, one will do. It contains tryptophan that boosts the production of serotonin, a happy hormone.

Do You Have A Healthy Balance Of Omega-3 Fatty Acids To Omega-6?

Do You Have A Healthy Balance Of Omega-3 Fatty Acids To Omega-6?

There’s no doubt about, as a nation, our diet is aweful. Not only is sugar, including natural sugars, overwhelming, but the vast majority of foods are so processed, they’re almost nutrient free—while being high in calories. The balance of Omega-3 fatty acids to Omega-6 fatty acids is completely out of whack, too. Even worse, people are indiscriminately cutting out fats, when often sugar is the blame for the health problem. The good news is that no matter how horrible your diet is now, you can change it to one that will keep you healthier, add years to your life and even improve your mood.

Sugar is one of the culprits that assault your system.

The amount of sugar we eat is outrageous and worse yet, climbing. Today, the average American consumes 152 POUNDS of sugar each year, that’s almost 30 pounds more than they did in 1970. Not all that sugar comes from food. A lot comes from soft drinks. In fact, if you drank two and a half Cokes a day, you’d get the daily average of sugar consumption. Sugar plays havoc on the body, with some forms of sugar worse than others. It’s highly addictive and instantly gives you the “feel good” hormone dopamine, but that sugar high won’t last and you’ll come crashing down hours later. It has a negative effect on your teeth, joints, skin, heart, liver, pancreas and kidneys, while increasing weight and aiding to the development of diabetes.

There’s no hidden devil in Omega-6, as long as it’s balanced with Omega-3.

You need omega-6 fatty acids to survive and they’re not produced by the body. It helps manage inflammation, improve arthritis, reduce nerve pain, support bone health, lower the risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure. However, you can get too much of a good thing. It needs to be balanced with Omega-3 fatty acid in a ratio of 4 Omega-6 to 1 Omega-3. According to anthropologists, the diet of our hunter gatherer ancestors was 1 to 1. Unfortunately, in the average American Diet, the ratio is as high as 25 to 1, which can cause an increase in inflammation. It also may have an effect on mood. One study changed the diet of prisoners in a facility that was known for violence. The diet was higher in Omega-3 fatty acids. It lowered the levels of violence by almost a third.

Consider healthy fat as part of your diet.

Fat isn’t really bad, at least not all fats are bad. Sure, transfats are—except CLA that comes from grass fed beef and dairy product, but too often healthy fats are villified right along with transfats. Where did that start? It started back in the 1960s when the sugar industry paid Harvard professors to find research that took the blame for heart disease away from sugar (and in this case placed it on fat in the diet.) Healthy fat actually helps you lose weight. Coconut, avocado, nuts, whole eggs, salmon and flax seed all contain healthy fats that actually can help you lose weight.

  • Grass-fed beef and dairy is higher in the healthy fat conjugated linoleic acid—CLA—than those fed grain. It’s also higher in Omega-3 fatty acid and stearic acid–a fatty acid that reduces bad cholesterol levels.
  • Using coconut oil to cook may actually help reduce abdominal fat, according to one study. Use mashed avocado for a spread or to put on potatoes. It can make you feel fuller so you’ll eat less.
  • If you want to boost your Omega-3s, consider adding flaxseed, Chia seed, walnuts, oysters, sardines and salmon to your diet. Great-grandma knew what she was doing when she gave a spoon of cod liver oil for whatever ails you. It not only is high in Omega-3, it has vitamin A & D.
  • Boost your Omega-3 intake by including avocado in your diet daily, sprinkling ground flaxseed on your cereal—they must be ground and the fresher the better—use a coffee grinder, or adding kale, spinach or purslane to your salad.

Summer Calls For Tackling Bat Wings, Back Fat And Thunder Thighs

Summer Calls For Tackling Bat Wings, Back Fat And Thunder Thighs

Before you can conquer bat wings, back fat and thunder thighs, you have to know what causes them. First, bat wings, those flabby underarms that seem to flap in the wind when you’re wearing short sleeves, are the product of lack of muscle tone, aging skin and accumulation of fat. Back fat and thunder thighs, also come from excess weight and lack of toned muscles. You can help bat wings, back fat and heavy thighs by exercising those muscles groups, but ultimately, you can’t eliminate the fat that may be covering the muscle tissue unless you lose weight all over your body. Spot exercises will help tone the underlying muscles and burn calories, but it won’t destroy specific fat cells.

Start with the easiest to remedy, bat wings.

Sometimes, excess fat can also be part of the bat wing syndrome, but normally, it’s just a flabby underworked tricep muscle that’s the cause. Older people or those who have damaged skin with little elasticity often suffer from batwings, but they can still benefit from exercising their triceps and other muscle groups in the area and a healthy diet to lose weight and improve skin elasticity. A triangle pushup, is a regular push up, but your hands are on the ground in front of you with the index fingers and thumbs touching, which creates a triangle. You can even work on triceps in your office cubicle by performing a few chair dips. It will definitely get your blood pumping and be a welcomed break for the body.

Getting rid of back fat isn’t impossible, but it isn’t easy either.

If you hate the look of swimsuits and lightweight summer clothing because of the bulges and rolls around your back, you’re not alone. Back fat affects both men and women and isn’t remedied by exercise alone. The back muscles are part of the core muscle group, so exercising the core muscles is a start. Bad posture increases the potential for back fat, improving your posture can help. Weights, kettlebells and HIIT workouts that focus on core muscles help, but no matter how buff you get your back muscles, if they’re hidden by a thick layer of fat cells, you’ll still have rolls of back fat. Eating a healthy diet and shedding pounds is an important part of eliminating back fat. Exercise helps by not only toning muscles but burning more calories.

If you have large thighs, with excess cellulite, you have thunder thighs.

I know it’s not the most flattering name, but all my clients refer to their large thighs as thunder thighs and I latched onto that name. Large thighs are frustrating. Women are actually afraid of exercise for fear they’ll get even larger. What they don’t realize is that the problem isn’t the muscle, but the layer of fat tissue that hides the muscle. The solution for this problem is weight loss and exercise. Squats, lunges and even just walking or running can help build the muscle tone in your legs, but eating healthy, lowering caloric intake and shedding weight is also mandatory.

  • Foods that can help eliminate cellulite include green tea, hot chili peppers, foods rich in Omega3 fatty acid—such as salmon, sunflower seeds and cilantro. Drinking plenty of water also helps.
  • Just avoiding fried food, sugar, highly processed foods and alcohol can help you shed weight and eliminate any cellulite cottage cheese look on your back, thighs and arms.
  • If you’re having trouble with cravings and overeating, improve your sleep pattern. Lack of sleep or a poor sleep pattern can lower leptin levels, the hormone that tells you when you’re full.
  • Get plenty of fiber in your diet, healthy fat and lean protein. All three will help fill you up without adding excess calories. Consider avocado, nuts or cheese, it only takes a little to produce satiety.

What Is Qigong?

What Is Qigong?

I am always interested in any form of exercise or movement that helps the body perform better. It’s one reason that I chose to investigate the ancient practice of Qigong. It is an ancient technique used to balance the body’s energy and improve health. It’s similar to Tai Chi. The energy force is called Qi or Chi, based on the technique used. Qigong uses the term Qi, while Tai Chi uses Chi. Both are done slowly, both focus on relaxation, but the form, energy manipulation and posture of Qigong is different. There are three categories of Qigong; medical, meditation and martial Qigong.

Medical Qigong is often practiced in Chinese hospitals and is one of the four branches of traditional Chinese Medicine.

There are two types of medical Qigong. One type is done personally to keep the Qi forces flowing, while another type uses a practitioner that has studied the use of qigong and the body’s electromagnetic energy. He or she uses his or her own energy to unblock the bio-energy and correct any imbalances, then prescribes specific movements for the patient. The other form of medical Qigong is done by the patient. It may be a preventive or rejuvenating practice or to help eliminate the problems caused by poor diet, lack of exercise, injury, aging, surgery or pent up emotions. It uses breathing techniques, movement and mental intention to correct physical problems.

Qigong can be used to calm the mind and as a form of meditation.

Just like yoga, qigong can be a healthy form of exercise, or used for spiritual enlightenment and meditation. It is just as effective as a relaxation technique as yoga and does use many of the features of yoga, such as breathing techniques. It uses visualization, also, to focus the Qi energy to a specific location. Some of the meditation is used for the martial arts, but some of it allows the person to focus healing energy to the palms of the hands for others and for self healing.

Take up the challenge of using Qigong martial arts.

This strenuous activity is a supplement to the martial arts. It uses the forces of Qi energy to boost the power of the practicianer. While there are a few benefits for healing, Martial Qigong is mostly used to improve fighting abilities and strengthen the body. It’s not meant for those out of shape and is extremely strenuous. For instance, one posture has the practitioner standing on one leg for as long as ten minutes or more. That’s tough to do no matter how fit you are.

  • One benefit of Qigong over Tai Chi is that it’s far easier to learn. The forms are not as precise and patterned more after the practitioner’s normal body movement.
  • Even though it’s used for medicine and meditation, the Qigong movements are also extremely good exercise for loosening the muscles and building muscle power. The slow movements make it good for people of all fitness levels.
  • Qigong can be practiced by people who are bedridden. The movements lend themselves to be done in any position. This is often used in Chinese hospitals as a last resort for cancer patients.
  • Qigong is a low impact exercise that can be used to build healing power while the body is recuperating from injury.

Head Sweating Is A Symptom Of This Vitamin Deficiency

Head Sweating Is A Symptom Of This Vitamin Deficiency

You wouldn’t think that something as simple to get as a dose of vitamin D, could ever be deficient in people, but it is. In fact, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 32 percent of the population suffers from it. Vitamin D is created by converting the the ultraviolet B rays via the exposure to the skin. Some scientists and researchers suggest the deficiency is even worse and that 95 percent of US seniors also suffer from it.

People at risk for vitamin D deficiency have some characteristics.

If you have darker skin, it takes more exposure to the sun to get the effects of the rays. People who use sunblock or sunscreens with high SPF levels all the time are also putting themselves at risk. Seniors are also at risk. Not only do they spend more time indoors, their skin doesn’t make as much vitamin D and their kidneys aren’t as efficient at converting the amount made into the vitamin D the body can use. People with stomach problems who have difficulty absorbing fat may not have the absorption levels, since vitamin D is fat soluble. Obese individuals also need more vitamin D than thinner people, so they require more exposure to the sun.

Symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency are varied.

You might find you’re always tired, no matter how much rest you get or get sick quicker. Vitamin D not only boosts your immune system, it also helps your energy level. Too little vitamin D can cause lower back pain and achy bones. It’s mandatory for good bone health and absorbing calcium. Too little vitamin D can attribute to osteoporosis. Depression and anxiety are also symptoms, just as slower healing is. Hair loss and muscle pain are also part of the symptoms of a vitamin D shortage. Stomach issues can also crop up with a shortage of vitamin D. The symptom that doctors look for in infants and is also a tale-tell sign of a shortage is profuse sweating, particularly out of the top of the head.

The best way to tackle a vitamin D shortage is nature’s way.

Mother Nature provided an avenue and that avenue is simple exposure to the sun. The amount of time spent in the sun varies by your climate, skin color and other factors. If you know you’ll burn with just a half hour exposure, 15 minutes a day is what you should get. The idea is to expose yourself to half the amount of time it takes to get a mild sunburn. That amount of time will increase as you tan. The time of day will also make a difference. The closer to noon the exposure, the more vitamin D your skin makes.

  • People who live in frigid climates may need to supplement their sun exposure during colder months with vitamin D tablets, just as older people may.
  • Vitamin D reduces high blood pressure and the risk of atherosclerotic heart disease, stroke and heart attack. A deficiency increases the risk of a heart attack by 50 percent.
  • Vitamin D modulates the immune system, boosting it when necessary or aiding in preventing auto-immune disease.
  • Talk to your health care provider if you think you have vitamin D deficiency. He or she can arrange for a blood serum level check. One quick way to avoid it is to enjoy the rays of the sun daily.

Quick Exercises You Can Do At Your Desk

Quick Exercises You Can Do At Your Desk

Lack of exercise and constant sitting are problems faced by all people who work in offices across our country. Not only does lack of exercise lead to weight gain and becoming out of shape, it also can lead to back aches and other problems. You need to break up your daily routine by getting some exercise every hour, even if it’s just a few minutes. It will improve circulation and make weight loss even easier. Here are some exercises you can do at your desk that only take a minute or two and most people won’t even know you’re doing them.

Do some leg extensions for core muscles.

If you sit in the middle of the room without a cubicle surrounding you, you may want to be as covert as possible. Leg extensions are one exercise you can do that few people, if any will notice. Scoot your chair back a bit and sit on the edge with your arms on the chair by your side. Put one leg out straight, flexing the foot so the heel is on the floor. The other leg should be in normal sitting position with the foot flat on the floor. Lift the extended leg as high as you can and hold it for a count of ten. Repeat three times, then do the other side.

If you have privacy or don’t care that people see you exercising, do chair dips.

This simple exercise works the triceps and shoulders and can work some of the kinks out that come with constant sitting. Move toward the edge of the chair, keeping your palms at the side and holding the edge. Move your body weight forward and slowly lower yourself down, holding your body suspended for a count of 5 or 6. Lift yourself back onto the chair and repeat. Do as many repetitions as you can, building up to about three sets a day of ten repetitions each.

Loosen the upper back with arm circles.

Any type of stretching you do throughout the day is good. It boosts circulation. Whether you roll your shoulders, turn your head from side to side attempting to touch your shoulders with your ear or do these arm circles, you’ll immediately feel relief. Arm circles are simple and can improve your posture while working the shoulder area. Remain seated and put your arms straight out at your side with your palms down and your thumb aimed forward. Your body should look like a giant T. Push your shoulder blades as close together as you can get them. Make small circles with your arms, then put your palms up with the thumb facing toward you and do circles in the opposite direction.

  • Sit on the edge of your chair, hands holding tight and lift your legs off the floor. Do bicycling motions with your feet outstretched. You’ll get a good core workout with this one.
  • If you have rollers on your chair, you can push your way around the office forward and backward for a leg workout.
  • There’s no need to move with this one. You can even do it during a meeting. It’s an isometric exercise that’s easy. Just squeeze your glutes together tight as hard as you can, hold, release and repeat.
  • No matter what type of exercise you choose, moving frequently is important. The extra movement throughout the day will not only tone your muscles, but help you shed pounds and keep them from returning.

Kale Is More Than Just Decorative

Kale Is More Than Just Decorative

Whether it’s used as decoration for the salad bar or the brilliant magenta kale that adds color to the landscape, doesn’t detract from the nutritional value of this superfood. Kale has been underrated for years and often underused at the dinner table. It’s loaded with nutrients and low in calories, making it a perfect addition for a healthy diet and one that could aid you in weight loss. Even the ornamental kale that adds to the appearance of your landscape has nutritional value, but since it’s bred for appearance, rather than taste, needs to be boiled first before use or it’s too bitter.

Kale contains loads of nutrients.

No matter how you cook it, the queen of greens can provide a host of nutrition. It’s high in vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, copper and manganese. It also contains vitamim B1, B2, B3, B6 and vitamin E. If you’re looking for a source of folate, calcium, copper, potassium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and Omega3 fatty acids, kale should be in your salad, soup or as a side dish. It’s one of the most nutrient dense plants available.

Give your immune system a boost and include kale.

Kale has some potent antioxidants from the vitamin A in the form of beta carotene and vitamin C to the flavonoids and polyphenols, you’ll be protecting your cells and giving your immune system a boost. Not only do they give your immune system a boost, they also protect cells from oxidative damage, which can cause serious diseases and even aging. Flavonoids in kale, quercetin and kaempferol, have anti-inflammatory, anti-depressant, anti-viral and anti-cancer benefits. They help lower blood pressure

and protect the heart.

Kale can help with weight loss.

Kale is filling, while being low in calories. That’s a good start for weight loss. It also has a protein and fiber that can prove beneficial for weight loss as well. The fiber is one reason kale is filling. You can add it to a salad to boost the nutrition, throw it in a smoothie or cook it as a side dish or extra ingredient for soup. It adds to the flavor no matter how you cook it, while helping you shed those extra pounds.

  • Kale may help you stay more alert by slowing mental decline as you age. It reduces the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s. Cook some up and sprinkle with turmeric for a perfect blend.
  • If you’re on blood thinners or suffer from hypothyroidism, check with your health care professional before adding kale to your diet. It contains vitamin K that helps blood clot and high amounts of goitrogen.
  • Unlike spinach, kale is low in oxalate—oxalic acid. Oxalate can reduce the amount of nutrients absorbed by the body. For instance, even though spinach is high in calcium, the oxalate prevents the body from absorbing it, so it’s not bioavailable. Foods high in oxalate can also cause kidney stones.
  • Kale contains cholesterol lowering bile acid sequestrants. This can lower cholesterol.

Is The HCG Diet Healthy?

Is The HCG Diet Healthy?

Is the HCG Diet Healthy?

Before you decide whether you’re going to try the latest diet that’s supposed to help you shed pounds fast, you need to find out exactly what it it. The latest diet phenomena is the HCG diet. HCG is the acronym for human chorionic gonadotropin. That’s the hormone women make when they’re pregnant. The diet initially recommended a super low calorie menu of 500 calories a day, combined with injections of HCG. Initially, the diet followed the Simeons Protocol. It had some quirky rules, such as no use of body lotions, oils or hygiene products. It limited vegetable consumption to one per meal, did not allow exercise and had specific timing for HCG injections.

What did the HCG do?

While the low calorie diet did take off weight, some doctors claim its the HCG that actually helps you shed fat, so they raised the caloric intake to 1500 calories and increased the injections of HCG. According to these people, the diet does take off the weight, but the HCG changes how it comes off the body. It helps prevent loss of muscle tissue, reduces hunger pangs (think morning sickness) and boosts the hormone production in the body. According to those who are pro HCG, hormone deficiency can cause weight gain and HCG reverses it.

While some say HCG boosts metabolism and causes other changes to shed pounds, studies don’t agree.

There have been several studies that disagree with the benefit of HCG for weight loss. Blind studies compared two groups. One received placebo injections and the other received HCG. Both followed the severe calorie restricted diet. Both groups lost the identical amount of weight and both reported no reduction in hunger. It seems the diet, not the HCG was responsible for any pounds lost.

Even if it worked, there’s no lasting effects.

Just like any crash diet, you’ll lose weight. Much of the weight loss comes from water weight initially. Super low calorie diets throw your body into starvation mode, which means it slows the metabolism. When you go back to normal eating habits, not only does the weight return, people often gain even more weight. A better way to lose weight and keep it off is to make lifestyle changes and learn to eat healthier. Eating healthy means never having to diet again.

  • In order to get the benefits of HCG, it has to be injected according to proponents. Inhaling, swallowing or rubbing it on the skin won’t get it into the bloodstream.
  • Even though proponents report that the weight loss is from fat, not lean muscle mass, there’s no study that shows whether it’s true or not. A better way to shed pounds from fat and maintain muscle tissue is to combine weight lifting with a healthy diet.
  • HCG products on the market often contain very little HCG and unless created to be injected, are virtually useless for boosting blood levels of HCG.
  • The FDA has questioned the safety of the HCG diet. It has side effects that include headaches, depression and fatigue. One woman died from blood clots attributed to the diet.

Don't Let Time Or Money Stop You From Getting Fit

Don’t Let Time Or Money Stop You From Getting Fit

When I meet people for the first time and they find that I’m a personal trainer, the first thing they do is give me their excuse for not getting into shape or they yourself paying a far higher price with your health. They tell me about their workout regimen. I enjoy listening to the various ways people find time to workout or learning about their experiences in the gym, but it infuriates me when I hear the excuses, I would workout but I don’t have the money to get a gym membership or my schedule is so tight, I don’t have the time. Don’t let time or money stop you from getting fit or you’ll find

 

 

If you’re sincere, you’ll find the time to fit exercising into your schedule.

Think about it, if a doctor told someone you loved that in order to stay alive they had to eat healthier and have a program of regular exercise, you’d do your best to help

them stick with the program. Why wouldn’t you do that for yourself? You deserve to feel and be healthy. If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for your loved ones that need you and want to see you happy and fit. If the traditional gym hours aren’t working with your schedule, why not go less traditional.

Consider online training with a personal trainer.

There are all types of online programs, but very few of them provide accountability. Only those run by personal trainers that require you to check in with the trainer do. Some busy people use a combination of online training and live training to achieve their goals and save time. Online training is also a way to save money, if that’s a problem. You get the benefits of having a trainer, but set your own hours and pay far less money than it costs at a gym.

There are free programs available.

If your money is really tight, but you’re sincere about getting fit, there are numerous free options that can help you achieve that goal. I personally have a free community boot camp where I help everyone, regardless of their finances. I not only believe fitness is that important, I also want to give back to the community and give everyone help to become fitter. There are so many free options both in your community and online, finances should never be a roadblock.

  • If you don’t know where to start, consider going to a boot camp to help you get started. Sure, boot camps take time, but only for a few weeks and you can jumpstart your program. Once you’ve developed the habit, you can create your own schedule for working out.
  • People often make the time for things they enjoy. If you aren’t looking forward to working out at the gym, find a program you do like. One of the reasons Olo Onuma Fitness is so popular is that it’s fun.
  • Spend a day looking for wasted time. I’m not saying you should give up relaxing or watching your favorite TV show, but have you considered doing a few exercise sets during commercials?
  • Carve out a week of exercise at a time, don’t even think about more than that. Just like any habit, exercising is formed one day at a time. Take it one day or one week at a time.

Turn Any Space Into A Home Gym

Turn Any Space Into A Home Gym

Whether you want an alternative to the gym for those days you have to stay home because of a sick child—or even waiting for the cable guy—you may want a home gym. You can do turn any space into a home gym with a little creativity. You don’t even need all the fancy equipment. There are simple, easy to store options and workouts that require no equipment at all. You just need a space large enough to move around easily and one that’s easy to get ready, or already ready, for exercise.

Reorganize a storage area.

If you have a “junk” or storage room where you stow those items until you need them or decide what to do with them, it’s time to reorganize. Get rid of what you don’t need or want. You’ll be amazed at how much there is, particularly if you have bins of clothes. Put shelving on the wall for bins to hold all the items to remain. You should have an open area remaining that’s perfect for an exercise mat, weights and enough room to move for body weight exercises or calisthenics. It doesn’t have to look like a gym to get a good workout.

Spruce up spooky areas in your home.

Do you have a basement where nobody goes, fearing what might really be down there? Is there an attic area with easy access and a floor large enough to workout? These are potential workout areas, but they definitely do need work. Not enough time to get it ready? Use exercise time to clean them and get them ready. Nobody says pushups are the only way to exercise. Hard work is just that, hard on your body and great exercise. You’ll get a workout cleaning and painting and when you’re done, have more than a great body to show for it. You’ll also have a room you’ll enjoy using for your workouts.

Not everyone has basements, storage rooms or attics.

If you’re really cramped for space, get a storage bin for your workout items. Stow it in the closet and to take out when you’re ready. You can push back the chairs and coffee table to make room in the morning or afternoon workout. I have one client who works out of her home. On super busy days, she pushes back the chairs a few inches and moves the coffee table to create a 6’X8′ area where she does her “at home” routine. She did give one warning. Be aware of low hanging ceiling fans, especially if you’re tall and doing stretches.

  • Ask your personal trainer to create a program you can do at home that requires very little equipment, if any and one that fits the space you have available.
  • If you have an area large enough that can be devoted to strictly a home gym, choose your exercise equipment wisely. Don’t purchase it all at once and select the most versatile items first. Start small with weights or a kettlebell and exercise mat.
  • Consider the garage as an option. Sure the car has to remain in the driveway, but you’ll have a fabulous body because of it.
  • If you have an in-law—granny—house on your property or a guest room, it might be a great place for your home gym. If company comes for the weekend, scoot back the gym equipment and it’s ready for visitors.