How To Make Your Home Workout A Habit

So How Do You Make A Habit Of Exercise?

The best home gym equipment is not enough to get you fit. In faact, it would be more than just an ideal situation if you didn't need to workout and still got a sculpted body. Well, I’m sorry to break the bad news but it’s just not possible to gain that well-sculpted body without putting in the hours working out. You will have to train on a regular basis for a long time and once you have the body you want you then need to keep training to maintain it.

Habits start with your own decision to make a change, this decision cannot be made for you. You may have attempted training before and for some reason it hasn't worked. This doesn't mean you should give up, but try to eliminate some of the barriers that make you fail.

There are many barriers to exercise which include:

Time

The most common complaint of most clients, working out doesn't have to be time consuming, short and intense workouts can yield just as many benefits if not more than hours of running or cycling. If the President of the United States has time to workout, you have time to workout.

Knowledge

Some people lack the knowledge of how to train, but with so many resources available online this is no longer a worthy excuse. Online training programs offered by qualified professionals are abundant and affordable, even home fitness equipment comes with workout advice and support features.

Stress

If you work a 9-5 job, have kids you need to get ready for school and to cook and clean for after work, it's easy to disregard exercise. Teach yourself not to think of exercise as an added stress, find a type of exercise you enjoy and use it as a source of fun and release.

Once you've identified the source of your barriers it's time to take action, habits are long term so we need a plan to create your new lifestyle. I like to use this formula from a book called ‘The Power of Less’ by Leo Babauta, who focuses on just one thing at a time in the following way:

1. Select one habit per month, one that you think will make working out at home a habit
2. Write down the plan, state exactly what your goal is, when you will do it and how you will hold yourself accountable
3. Post your goal publicly and tell as many people as possible about your new habit make it really difficult for yourself to fail. Email, text, call and post on social media pages
4. Post your goal daily, Facebook posts and Tweets are the best option here

Working out at home provides us with even less barriers to exercises, as long as your workout area is free of distractions. Going to the gym allows for excuses such as; traffic, that guy you hate at the gym, parking, finances and personal insecurities. If you want some help creating your own home gym check out our article ‘How To Build A Home Gym For Less Than $3000’.

The Benefits of a Working Out at Home

Save Time

A workout at home needs just twenty minutes from your busy schedule. It helps you cut down on the regular commuting that you have to do to the gym. You Decide When -- For the busy bugs, it is also helpful as it is you who decides when you can exercise. In addition to that, you don’t have to worry about getting stuck in traffic or being late for dinner.

Comfortable Workout Outfit

You do not have to worry about changing into the latest fashion trend of gym gear. Anything comfortable and which lets your body breathe would do good, wearing whatever you feel comfortable is a huge bonus for some people. Especially those with insecurities about certain areas of their bodies.

Work Out Anywhere

For the traveler, a workout at home is good, as you do not miss going to the gym. The exercise routine can be followed in the hotel room too and you won’t miss the fancy equipment you get at a gym.

Save Money

I.e. Inexpensive Equipment. It does not require much equipment. Even some basic equipment like dumbbells and a bench can also help you exercise. A routine that does not require equipment can also be chartered out, there are many gadgets and guidance tools to help you with bodyweight workouts.

Work Up The Ladder

For beginners, it serves as an adaptation period for the body. In case you decide to join the gym, a pre-routine helps you to lose stiffness of the body and create a foundation base of strength.

What is required for a workout at home is diligence and commitment. It is important to cut yourself from all things that seem more important than working out and exercise.

Finding time, even 5 minutes per day and committing yourself to a home workout routine using simple, effective and inexpensive tools will help you live healthily as a result.

Starting with a very short fast workout primes your body to start learning the habit of exercise, over time you can increase the duration of the workout.

No matter how much you spend on such equipment, it all boils down to your self-discipline, determination, patience, and of course, motivation.

Making A Habit Out Of Exercise [video]

Motivation For Habit-forming Exercise

Motivationally speaking, here are more practical ways for you to make the most out of your fitness training sessions.

1. Set realistic and time-bounded personal goals - Setting your goal will benefit you in your training. These will give you the right perspective of your workout. If your aim is to gain muscle strength, establish a time frame and create a schedule for your training. You may also seek a professional trainer to help you construct an individualized program.
2. Look for the best home gym capable of meeting your needs - It would be great if you have the tools at home that can make you work out regularly. This means no hindrance to your personal goals, but oftentimes your home is too tempting. Sometimes, you have to go out of your comfort zones to do things properly. If you have the resources to spend money, find a home gym that you think would be suitable for your investment. There are many home gyms out there, but choosing the right one can be very important. If you have the right kit in the right place, like one of the best treadmills, you will be more enthusiastic to workout. Finding other people with more or less the same goals will also make you feel more motivated and help you get more benefits from investing in a home gym.
3. Have someone guide you - If you have limited knowledge about gaining muscle or strength, it would be wonderful if there is someone who can help you with your workout, someone who is more familiar with physical fitness. You can probably discuss your training with a physical fitness instructor. This person can provide you the necessary program for your workout. He can determine the proper exercise for your training, teach you how to avoid certain injuries and can motivate you properly. A qualified and professional expert is always the best person to consult.
4. Set your expectations and what you want to accomplish - By the end of month one, you will be able to do 3 sets of 15 repetitions with all the exercises. By the end of month two, you will be able to run 2 miles and by the end of the third month, you will be able to join a running competition. This is an example of what you should expect from yourself, including what you want to accomplish within the month. Setting your expectations and what you want to achieve encourages you to train more, remember focus on just ONE THING a month.
5. Join fitness clubs - Working out alone can sometimes be boring. Oftentimes, an enthusiastic and outgoing support system is all it takes for you to stay motivated. When you lose the appetite to jog, lift weights or bike by yourself, having someone else to tag along might just give you the mental energy to continue. There are many fitness enthusiasts who group themselves together for the same purpose you have: to be physical fit. You can participate if you have some fitness clubs in your area. Having friends and people around you can actually be fun and enjoyable.

Make A Habit Of Fitness [video]

When is the best time to workout at home?

Morning seems the best option for most its one of the only times of the day you can control yourself, evenings you can get easily distracted by visitors or by your favorite TV show. A regular exercise program helps you to maintain a healthy weight and healthy heart. When you exercise to reduce weight in the morning rather than the evening or the middle of the day, you create a positive health routine that delivers more benefits than just the physical exercise itself. Research has shown that those who exercise in the morning rather than at the end of the day tend to be more dedicated and consistent. And it's easy to see why when you think about it. At the end of a long and busy day, it is very easy to make excuses about missing your workout session. Whereas in the morning, you are fresh and can get your exercise done before you start your day.

You have fewer problems scheduling your workout sessions in the morning than at any other time of the day. Throughout a typical day, you are working at home or at the office and you may also have the kids to sort out. But when you schedule your exercise in the morning, you can avoid any such scheduling conflicts.The benefits of early morning exercise stays with you throughout your day. Your body continues to burn calories for hours after exercise. That means that during the day, while you are eating healthy meals, your metabolism is boosted. This increases your calorie burn, and decreases your fat and weight retention.

Productivity is increased when you are alert. There is nothing like a good morning exercise program to get you going at the start of your day. And there are significant studies which show that once your endorphin's get moving, your mental clarity can increase for anywhere from 4 to 10 hours after your exercise is over.

Even though it sounds strange, when you exercise in the morning, in contrast to the evening, it actually helps you to sleep better. Studies show that people who exercise in the morning have healthier sleep patterns than those who exercise at the end of the day.

This is most likely because exercise is a stimulant. It is harder for your body to relax and for you to fall asleep if you have just finished an evening exercise session. There are many benefits when you choose to exercise in the morning. You will achieve better long-term results, fewer scheduling conflicts and improved productivity in your day.

What Does a Short Beginners Habit-building Home Workout Look Like?

There are endless resources available online on websites, blogs and social media pages that can keep you entertained with different workouts.

The style of training you choose will be dependent on what you enjoy, some people enjoy heavy lifting, whilst others enjoy more aerobic activities. i would recommend giving all types of training a try, this will help you decide on a method that keeps you interested long term.

A mixture of weight training and cardiovascular training is the most efficient option, the optimal home training facility would include a home gym for strength training and a cardio machine such as an elliptical machine or treadmill.

Body Weight Workout

• Air Squat 20secs
• Rest 10secs
• Press Up 20secs
• Rest 10secs Squat
• Thrust 20secs
• Rest 10secs
• Plank 20secs
• Rest 10secs
• Repeat 8 times

Treadmill Workout

• 5 minute warm up
• Walk 60secs
• Jog 60secs
• Repeat 8 times
• 5 minute cool down

Home Gym Workout

• Leg Extension 2 x 15
• Leg Curl 2 x15
• Pec Dec Fly 2 x 15
• Lat Pulldown 2 x 15
• Cable Bicep Curl 2 x 15
• Cable Tricep extension 2 x1

How Can You Use Habits To Help Your Nutrition?

Trying to change your whole diet in one go doesn't work, there are too many factors to consider. If you Google search the term ‘diet’ you will get millions of hits which lead you to fast fix diets, fads and miracle supplements.

The truth is hardly any diet works long term

The only way to long term results is to change your habits, not just your eating and training but your whole lifestyle. The way you think has an effect on your success, as does your social network. You will need to find which carries that are stopping you, just like i explained earlier in this article. Then set upon small simple habits to get through these, your new body won't happen overnight, but if your goals are simple enough for you to succeed these will start to become second nature and you won't even have to think about them.

Imagine a diet plan where you can still eat all your favorite foods, not have to change your whole life straight away and one that doesn't demonize food groups such as carbs. That's the one you want to start! Some examples of dietary habits you could have are; eat a breakfast every day, eat vegetables with every meal, eat protein with every meal.

This wouldn't happen overnight but if you focus on just one per month this is long enough to make them a habit that will last a lifetime. Even if you get this right 80% of the time you’re in a far better position than when you started.

Forming Exercise Habits Conclusion

The best exercise to lose weight will only do the job if you have a plan on how you are going to do it. Get a plan, know what you have to do, keep to it, and see it through. You don't want to waste time trying to decide when to start or what to do. And if you are not making a note of your exercises to lose weight and regulate your eating habits, then you are not going to lose as much fat as you probably can.

When is the right time to start?

There will never be the perfect time to start, there are always distractions, social events and holidays. Realistic there a very few excuses for not starting right now, that doesn't mean you have to go for a 20 minute workout right now, but you can start to write down your perceived barriers and set some goals.

You may even want to start by going for a 20 minute walk after dinner tonight, then next week make it twice a week. You don't even need to set up a home gym to start, so you can save a bunch of time by not reading our best home gym equipment reviews!

The point is, don't wait, just make it as easy as possible to take a baby step right now. it’s an investment in yourself that will pay off hugely in the future.

How To Make Exercise A Habit [Video]