4 Must-Haves for Your Home Gym

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I’ll be 100 % Honest, the only MUST HAVE for a Home Gym is…You. All you TRULY need is your body and the motivation to work out.

However, these bits and pieces help out as well:

1. Cardio Equipment – I’m almost hesitant to put this on the list since as long as you have two functioning legs you can go for a walk, jog or run outside with no equipment necessary, BUT, for those in cold climates or who prefer to workout in doors. Cardio equipment is necessary. I use a bike indoors and jog outdoors. You can purchase a treadmill, elliptical trainer, stepper or stationary bike.
   
2. Exercise Mat – You will need this for doing floor exercises and most ab work. You can substitute two towels for a mat, but a proprietary workout mat, or nonstick yoga mat for hardwood or tile floors is a good and inexpensive investment.
   
3. Dumbells – You can determine the weight you’ll need by your fitness level. But I’d suggest 3lb., 5lb., and 10lb. to start. Most strength training moves will require dumbbells, however, to start, using just your body weight is absolutely fine.
   
4. Stability Ball – I am still unsure why they don’t call this an instability ball, but you’ll be able to use this for lots of core work, variations of various strength training moves and to do ab work on as well.

These items are the essentials of a functional home gym. What other items do you have in your home gym?

Want to Make Progress? Step Out of Your Comfort Zone!

"If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten." - Anthony Robbins

For years I did the same basic routine at the gym. Cardio & Weights, Cardio & Weights. From the weight room I could see all the step classes being taught, but wasn’t confident in my ability to catch on to it, so I wouldn’t take a class.

A coworker finally urged me to go with her, and I’m glad I did. Did I catch on right away? No. But I got a great new workout. I still bumble and stumble around in step classes, and still have no idea what the names of any of the moves are, but it’s a change of pace, and fun to do every once in a while.

What’s the point of being stagnant? Why march in place when you can run? Why do your same aerobics class when there’s kickboxing, pilates, bootcamps? Staying in your comfort zone equals staying right where you are and making no progress.

We’re human. We’re creatures of habit. We desire comfort and familiarity, and we fear change.

However, in order to progress in your weight loss, your level of fitness, and in your life, you must step out of your comfort zone.

Getting out of your comfort zone benefits you in a few ways:

1. allows you to make progress

2. increases your self esteem

3. encourages you to continue to step out of your comfort zone in the future

I urge you to try a new fitness class, try a new fruit or vegetable, pick up a new piece of workout equipment or make a new recipe today. Add something new to your routine. At first it will feel unfamiliar and you may want to go back to what’s comfortable for you, but you should at least try it.

Maybe aerobics is your thing, and bootcamps just don’t do it for you. You’ll never know until you try!

What small way can you step out of your comfort zone in order to make progress?