Let's face it:
Working out at home seems simple enough, but it can pose significant challenges. Most notably, being consistent and motivated to train seems to be a massive roadblock for people.
But we all know that, while essential, good nutrition isn't enough. To that end, we've put together a list of four actionable tactics you can use to exercise at home.
Let's see what they are.
1. Start Small
Contrary to what many people believe, going on a diet isn't the best way to improve our nutrition. Instead, we should go about it slowly (1). For example, introduce habits such as eating a bit more protein, drinking more water, and having some veggies with each meal.
The same goes for our training. Instead of looking for a high-frequency program that promises quicker results, start with something sustainable. For example, do fifteen minutes of exercise, but do it consistently.
2. Focus on Consistency Instead of Intensity
Grandiose but occasional efforts are less productive than small but consistent ones, especially for beginners.
As a beginner looking to make exercise a habit, the best thing you can do is focusing on being consistent. For example, establish a morning ritual where you do no more than ten minutes of exercise. While it might seem too little, ten minutes can add up over time.
More importantly, being consistent allows you to gain momentum. Over time, exercise becomes a habit, and you're a lot more likely to follow through no matter how you feel. Plus, research shows that consistency with workouts' timing appears to be beneficial for our performance and ability to maintain weight loss (2).
3. Set a Clear Action Plan
Much like establishing a consistent eating schedule, having a clear exercise plan is also vital. Knowing what you have to do drastically increases your chances of success. Instead of waking up and wondering, “I hope I feel motivated to exercise today,” you know that a workout will happen later.
This tactic is also supported by research. Folks who were given specific plans for tasks (e.g., taking a daily vitamin, exercising, and such) were much more likely to follow through (3, 4, 5). In contrast, when people didn't have a clear plan of action, they were a lot more likely to miss tasks and eventually give up altogether.
4. Record Your Progress
Keeping track of your progress can be incredibly valuable because it helps create a positive feedback loop: you do the work, see positive results, and feel motivated to do more work.
On the other hand, if you're recording your workouts and notice that you haven't seen good progress lately, you can switch things up and kickstart progress again. But for that to be possible, you need to know where things are going.
One of the simplest and most effective ways to record your progress is to write down your workouts as you do them. Keep them in an app or journal and go through your past performance once a month or so.
Conclusion
As you can see, exercising at home isn't as complicated as most people would have you believe. All you need are a few good tactics to get started.
More importantly, you should remember that you don't need to start with something grandiose. Doing a bit every day will likely give you a better start.
Combine these tactics with better nutritional choices (e.g., consuming more protein, healthy fats, and fiber), and you'll be well on your way to good health and fitness.
