7 Tips for Keeping Your Home Workouts Simple

Let’s face it — as great as it would be to spend an hour or two in the gym each day, that isn’t realistic for a lot of women. Whether you’re juggling school and work or work and family, starting an at-home workout can feel downright impossible when you have a busy schedule.

The good news is that an at-home workout can be simple. With a plan and a few time-saving tips, anyone can find at least 20 minutes of their day to workout at home.

Start With a Small Goal

Any amount of exercise is better than doing nothing! If you’ve avoided working out simply because you believe you need an hour or more to make it happen, try setting a smaller goal instead.

For example, you can really challenge your body with a high-intensity interval training workout that only lasts 20 minutes. Start small and add more time if your schedule allows. If not, congratulate yourself for making healthy living work with your lifestyle.

Try Habit Stacking

Habit stacking is a strategy for creating new habits that has proven highly effective. The idea is that adding a new habit is easier if you pair it with something you’re already doing each day.

In the context of an at-home workout, this could look like doing 20 squats while you wait for your coffee to brew or running in place when you take your dog out when you get home from work.

Reach Out for Accountability

Are any of your friends already working out at home? A workout buddy or accountability partner can be incredibly helpful for those who are just starting their workout.

New habits take time, but eventually they become automatic. If you can find someone who can help keep you motivated for those first several weeks of working out at home, it won’t be long before your exercise routine feels second nature.

Get Everything Ready

The workout itself should be challenging, but getting ready for it shouldn’t! If you’re getting stuck in the details of getting out your equipment or changing into gym clothes, switch up your routine to keep it simple.

If possible, set up a space in your house to keep your workout gear ready to use. Use habit stacking to add laying out workout clothes and tennis shoes to your bedtime routine.

Find Awesome Resources

If you constantly find yourself thinking, “I don’t know where to start,” it’s time to find a resource that does the hard work of planning for you. Your job is to show up and work hard, but deciding what to do doesn’t have to be part of that hard work.

Find videos that are fun and challenging or an app, like SHOCK, that creates a personalized at-home workout for you.

Avoid Complicated or Expensive Programs

The health and wellness industry has changed a lot of lives, but it has also become a way to make money. While many people in the industry are truly passionate about helping people change their lives, some are simply looking to make a buck.

If a workout program requires an investment in a lot of expensive equipment or requires a lot of time to learn a new set of rules, it might be nothing more than a fitness fad. Stick with the basics of strength training, which require little more than a mat and a set of dumbbells.

Celebrate Every Success

Massive lifestyle changes are made in the everyday. Each day you decide to open the SHOCK App or pull out your yoga mat is a day worth celebrating. Don’t forget to track and reward yourself as you build a new habit. Small acts like checking your workout off a list or sharing with a friend at the end of  the day provide a sense of accomplishment that can motivate you to keep going.