Just Get Moving!
We are two months into the year and it is surprising how many people I have met that are still dragging on their goals. People just cannot seem to get started on their health and fitness goals because it’s a hassle to get to the gym. Face it; you need to start somewhere.
So, if getting to the gym is a problem, let’s simply get started at home and around the neighborhood with no weights.
Following are some simple exercises you can do every day to get into the habit of being active and living a healthier lifestyle. Check with your doctor/physician before trying this or any workout!
This is a very simple workout program that requires no equipment and that I want you to do for 21 days, i.e., 3 weeks. Don’t worry, it’s not what I would give my athletes – the type of program that would make a Billy-goat puke. It’s a basic beginner program to help you get active and then, slowly increase your intensity.
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Before you begin this program, do 4 things:
1. Weigh yourself;
2. Watch your nutrition during the program – no sugar on Monday through Friday – eat healthy and minimally treat yourself on the weekend;
3. Estimate your needed calories (multiply your body weight x 10 and then, add 200). As an example, Sherry wants to weigh 120 pounds thus, 120 x 10 + 200 = 1,400 calories (this is her base caloric need without exercise – remember however that this is just a ball-park estimate; it is close but not exact); and
4. Cut 100 calories per day from above amount – every day.
Always Warmup (column 1) and Warmdown (column 5), before and after your workout. For the Warmup and Warmdown exercises, choose 2-3 exercises to do before and after each workout.
The three middle columns are for the upper body, midsection, and legs; simply choose one exercise for each day out of each of these 3 columns. On the next day, choose a different exercise than you did for the day before. Perform 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions for each exercise of these 3 groups, the more sets and reps the better. Do this for the first two weeks.
On the last (3rd) week of your program, days 15-21, do 3 sets of each exercise (from each of the 3 middle columns) for as many reps as you can for each set. It will be fun, simple, and a good way to develop a healthier habit to propel you to the gym.
| Warmup | Upper Body | Midsection | Legs | Warmdown |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In place squat | Pushups | Situps | Goblet squats | Stretch |
| Shoulder flexor | Bench dips | Good mornings | Lunges | Any core exercise (your choice) |
| Walk around block | Burpees | Russian twist | Split squats | 1/2 mile walk |
| Jumping jacks | Incline pushups | Crunches | Height jumps | Mountain climber (slow) |
| Jump rope | Isometric pushup | Leg raises (lay flat) | Walk/jog | Groiner (slow) |
| Dynamic kicks | Crab walk | Bear Crawl | Jog/run | Deep breathing |
| In place leg raise | No-arm pushup | Plank | Step ups | One legged stand |
| Isometric chest squeeze | Bird dog | Sumo squats |
Notes:
There are many other exercises you can add that require minimal equipment such as pullups, chin-ups, etc. However, these will get you started and they are beginner level exercises. Therefore, they will not kill you off.
At the end of this program, do one thing:
1. Weigh yourself.
If you did not splurge, you should have lost somewhere between 5-12 lbs depending on your initial body weight. However, if you were already in good shape, weight loss would be minimal.
If you believe you’re past the above, but don’t want to go to the gym, try our march “30-Day Express Program.” March is the burpee challenge and will give you’re a good workout and is what is called an HIIT type – high intensity interval training. All the Warmup and Warmdown exercises, and the entire 30-day program is all listed out for you.
