Struggling to get active while at home? Read on for some tips and tricks by Student Ambassador Magdalena Szymanska and find out how you can take care of your physical health without needing the gym.
It’s been a year since we went into lock down. We had to get used to the new reality, where we are mostly in a sitting position in front of a computer, being at work, studies or at school, and it hasn’t been beneficial both to our eyes and bodies. That’s why, especially nowadays, we should take greater care of our physical and mental health. One way to do that is to work out, and yes – you can manage it at home! Now, let me show you around.
I began my journey with exercising 10 years ago and I’ve got the results I intended to achieve. I made it at home. Obviously, I had some short experience with the gym, but soon returned to exercising at home. Why you may ask. Well, first of all it’s cheaper. I don’t have to pay for any membership card. Secondly, I can exercise whenever I want; when I’ve got time, motivation and resources. Thirdly, I can do the exercise I want, and I can plan my own workout in the way that is the most fun and the best for my needs or current mood. Frankly saying, Guys, it’s sometimes really challenging to get motivated. However, there are so many benefits of working out that you get up from the couch and do it anyway. Not only will you feel proud of yourself and get closer to your goal, but also your body will produce lots of endorphins that will set you in a good mood all day long! It’s all about self-discipline, indeed. So although it might not be for everyone (but hey, you will not know until you try, right?), maybe during the global pandemic more people will feel encouraged to try this. If you want to take up your journey with exercising at home, here are some tips:
LET MAKE FUN OF IT
Find an activity which makes you happy; which you really enjoy to the point that you nearly can’t wait to do the workout. Otherwise, there is no way you will keep doing it for a longer period of time without some external motivation.
ENGAGE YOUR PARTNER, FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND TO WORKOUT WITH YOU
In this way you can motivate each other not only before, but also during the workout – it adds a little bit of rivalry to the activity, which, in turn, makes you more involved in it. It becomes also much funnier when you do it with the person you really like spending your time with.
THINK ABOUT IT AS TIME FOR YOURSELF
It’s healthy to keep balance in your life and to take care of yourself. If you are feeling tired and neglect your needs, you will not be able to help anyone else, or to keep your productivity at work, university, school etc. So remember to take care of yourself.
FIND MUSIC APPROPRIATE TO THE WORKOUT
Let it motivate you!
TAKE PHOTOS OF YOUR BODY BEFORE AND AFTER (LIKE IN A MONTH OR MORE)
Nothing makes you as motivated as seeing the results of your hard work!
SET YOUR GOAL AND A DEADLINE – MAKE IT SMART
SMART is an abbreviation for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely. It’s a way of setting up goals applied in management, but also it can be a great way to achieve your personal aims. What exactly does it mean? Specific – it should be clear for you what is your goal, not leaving you any space for interpretation. Measurable – which means that once you have set up your goal, you should be able to measure the success of your aim. Achievable – the goal should be reachable for you, taking your resources, time and motivation into consideration. Don’t set the bar too high, know your limits. Relevant – it should matter something to you. Timely – the goal should have the deadline (but watch yourself not to allot too much time for an easy challenge or not enough of it for the hard one).
DON’T GIVE UP
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Failures are part of the growth, so just keep learning from your mistakes and keep on going. If you are just starting your adventure with working out at home, I recommend to search videos with exercising on YouTube (at the end of the blog I will add some recommendations). Also, remember that you don’t need to have fancy sport equipment – all you need is yourself and motivation.
What’s more, please, remember that I am not a personal trainer – those are tips and things I have learned during these 10 years of working out at home. All I want to say is to listen to your body and mind, and if you feel something is not working for you – don’t do it 😉 It’s totally okay! Everyone of us is different, so it’s important to find your own way in everything you do.
I hope you will find these few tips useful and you will give yourself at least a chance to try. Good luck, Guys!
P. S.
Here are some recommendations on profiles on YouTube where you can find videos with exercises: MadFit, Pamela Reif, Robin Holzken (Especially I recommend “SLIMMING INNER TIGHT MODEL WORKOUT”), Deep Breath, Mel B (her workouts are perfect for beginners!).
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