You’re kids have moved away to college, or now have their own place and family. Since this has happened, you’ve found yourself with a lot more free time on your hands. In fact, you’ve started to get bored because you have so much free time, even though you’ve picked up a part-time job. You’ve been thinking about picking up more hours, starting a craft or maybe even a hobby that will help improve your life and take up some of your time.
It may be the perfect time to start on that diet and exercise plan you’ve been talking about for a few years. You’ve got the additional space now in both the extra rooms in your home and outside in your garage.
You no longer need the extra room for the third car since your youngest has it at college so now you can use that space as a private gym. All you really need to do now is to get the equipment and update your garage security so that you don’t have to worry about anything happening to your newly updated home gym.
We’ll give you some tips for what to include in your at home gym and also what you can eat to keep your body in tip-top shape.
Equipment for your Garage Gym
You can pretty much include anything you want in your at home gym, but there are some things that are recommended more than others. You really want to put things in your home that you will actually use, as well as equipment that will actually help you tone your body.
- Choose something for Cardio: This is any machine that can get your heart rate up for at least 20 minutes at a time and keep a continuous movement and flow. These machines can include a treadmill, stationary bike, rowing or ski machine or cheaper options, such as a jump rope, step machine and aerobic videos.
- Find strength training gear: While cardio works for heart health and weight loss, strength training helps to shape and tone the body and reduces the risk of osteoporosis in women. Gear you can get to help with these types of exercises are all-in-one gyms, weight training benches, barbells, suspension resistance bands. Free weights and resistance bands allow you to still participate in strength training, but for less expense.
- 3. Balance Equipment: Having something for your gym that allows you to challenge your balance while performing other activities can provide you with additional all around benefits. Most of all it improves stamina and core. Equipment known to be good for balance are stability balls, exercise pads, wobble boards, balance beams, etc. The majority of this equipment is inexpensive and offers great additional exercise options for your workout time.
- 4. Find Flexibility equipment: Increasing flexibility can help in all aspects of training. When flexibility is part of your routine you will sustain fewer injuries and have better functioning. You can use a Pilates or stretch machine, as well as a slant board, stretching bands, foam rollers a mat or towel to stretch your body and improve your flexibility.
Unfortunately, all of the exercise in the world couldn’t and wouldn’t do you much good if you are constantly packing away the monster burgers and fries. You need to also be cautious about what you eat and how much you are eating in order to actually lose weight.
Diet Plan
One of the top tips from weight loss gurus is to make sure that you keep a food journal. Watching what you eat every day is a great way to keep your caloric intake within normal limits. You may think you’re doing fine until you take a closer look.
A second way is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as lean proteins. This will help keep your system clean and working well so that you can enjoy greater benefits from the exercise and lower caloric intake.
Lastly, up your water intake. If you drink a full glass of water before you eat, you may be surprised by how much more full you feel.
These are just a few simple suggestions to help you get on track to reaching your weight loss goals.
Heidi Rothert writes for garage doors in Layton, Utah and across the country, helping to drive internet marketing and sales.