Being a month into 2021 there are many New Year resolutions that we are all trying to keep true too. If you're like me then you are hoping to become more active this year and just feel better about your body overall. Heading over to our nearby gym can be intimidating and overwhelming for people beginning their fitness journey so what's the alternative? Working out at home!
When I thought of working out at home it did not appeal to me at all and honestly, it sounded unmotivating but after trying a couple of different techniques for working out at home I think I am more motivated than ever to keeping active. Here are the various platforms that we can rely on to getting us pumped while working out at home:
1. Youtube Workouts
Good old Youtube! If you are looking for a more affordable approach to working out there are many videos on Youtube known as follow-along videos. These types of videos you can workout at the same time as the YouTuber showing you the exercises. You will both take the same rest and workout at the same time as if you were both in the same room. For these workouts, since YouTube has multiple workout channels there should be a workout routine for everyone no matter their preference so the possibilities are endless.
2. Tik Tok Fitness
For all my Tik Tok addicts, myself included, there are millions of videos on the platform dedicated to working out. There are workout videos in which you can use machines if you own some or at home based workouts were equipment is limited. Personally, I would invest in a pair of dumbbells and a yoga mat for my at-home workouts. The videos on Tik Tok are so quick that you will not be spending a lot of time sitting through a video to see what exercises you can do in comparison to Youtube videos that are on average about 15 minutes long. With Tik Tok the workouts are straightforward and you can save the quick workout videos incase you want to come back to them. Also, many individuals post daily workouts for others to follow because of how intimating it can be for some to start their workout journey so one can follow alongside those individuals.
3. Apple Fitness +
Personally, this is my favorite platform for working out at home because it makes working out fun and it holds me accountable for finishing my workouts. Costing only $9.99 a month and the membership can be shared with your family so it makes it very affordable if multiple people are chipping in for the cost. They have workouts ranging from 10, 20, and 30 minutes so for those that are always on zoom and have a busy work schedule, it makes it easier to fit in a quick workout depending on your time constraints. They have 9 categories of workouts but my personal favorites have been the HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and dance workouts. The HIIT exercises with trainer Bakari will have you sweating in the first couple of minutes in and will definitely have you feeling sore the next day. As for their dance category dancing with trainer Jhon always has me sweating while listening to Latin artists such as Maluma and Bad Bunny. During his workouts, you will learn a different styles of dance such as cumbia, salsa, and merengue. If you have an apple watch your calories burned and heartbeat will be tracked with the apple fitness + app and it that has definitely helped me push through some of the intense workouts. If you do not have an apple watch you are still able to use the app with no limitations. Further, they upload new videos every week so you will always have something new to look forward to!
4. Peloton Digital Membership
If you are looking to splurge money on some equipment and want more options such as outdoor running and walking exercises then maybe Peloton is for you. The monthly cost is $12.99 for their regular platform with no machine integration. Maybe you tried apple fitness+ and realized you wanted something different then maybe this is for you! Through the online platform, they offer live and prerecorded classes for all different types of exercises. If you decide to buy their peloton bike or treadmill (a bit too expensive for me) then the monthly charge would be $39 a month. The price might be steep but with it comes with the opportunity to access progress tracking and you would have unlimited access to all of their peloton classes.
These are just some of the platforms that one can use to workout when you are not sure where to start in your fitness journey. You don't have to limit yourself to one of these four platforms but you can rely on more than one platform for your workouts. Start off slow a couple of minutes a day and gradually increase the time you spent exercising if you feel like you cannot get through an entire workout. Being at home shouldn't prevent us from accomplishing our goals and resolutions but rather push us to prove that anything is possible.
