Even if it’s cold and rainy outside, there’s no reason to stop working out when you have an indoor gym. With the right equipment and a few creative techniques, staying fit and in shape is easy even when the weather doesn’t cooperate. You can upgrade your current indoor gym or garage gym by getting just a few inexpensive items to help you keep training. Enjoying or starting a healthy lifestyle doesn’t mean you need to break the bank. Beginning with a few easy home routines and exercises is an excellent way to keep fit, and you can always invest in more equipment later. There are many benefits to getting exercise, one of which is good mental health. It also can help support high energy and activity level as you age. Read more to find out how.

During the pandemic, many people invested their money in exercise equipment to work out at home. If this applies to you, then be sure to keep using it, even during the winter. Here are some fitness tips to keep you in shape if you already have some exercise equipment.

• Upgrade or update: Give your equipment a second chance by updating any software or making a few upgrades like adding more weights or looking for new accessories that will add some variety to your workouts. You may need to get creative to find ways to upgrade your home gym without breaking the bank.
• Try something new: Find a new way to use the equipment you already have by adopting new routines. Look for new workouts you can try using the equipment you already have to keep things fresh and exciting.
• Find an app: Look for exercise apps that suit you, then shuffle them daily. This is an easy, effective way to get new workout recommendations and add variety to your daily gym routines, also you can focus on specific areas or go for strength training workout videos or apps.
• Dedicate each day to one part of the body: Make Monday your “leg day” and Wednesday your “core day” to dedicate your workouts to just one part of your body. Alternatively, you can use one piece of equipment one day, then switch to something else on the next.
• Stay entertained: If you have a stationary bike or a treadmill, use your smartphone or tablet to watch a good movie or get into a new TV series. You can even prop up a book and read it as you go to keep you entertained and distracted.
• Choose the best space: Pick the best possible space in your home to set up your indoor gym. Consider how much room you have to spare, whether it’s a spare bedroom, a bedroom over the garage, a basement, or the attic. A small self-storage unit can be of real help at this point: you can use it to store furniture and other items you don’t necessarily need right now, carving out some extra space for your gym gear. You should also think about where to store your equipment as well as noise, and if you’ll need to use this space for other things besides a gym in the future.
• Consider additional equipment: If you’re interested in adding more gym equipment, consider something that uses new technology. This smart equipment can be anything from the newest, latest fitness mirrors to stationary bikes that come with interactive workouts. Here are some must-have pieces of fitness equipment to have in your home.
• Look for smart accessories: Not every home workout needs (or should be done on) heavy equipment. Many indoor gym essentials are small and inexpensive. Take a look at your options and consider rounding out your home gym this way.
• Use your walls for storage: Create more space for your gym by hanging equipment from your walls. Slat wall is ideal for this purpose as it installs quickly and creates customizable wall storage for your gym equipment. Hooks, baskets, and shelves quickly snap into place, allowing you to get more utility from your available space.

Indoor gym prep (with equipment)

Staying fit is possible even when you don’t have any exercise equipment at home. Try these tips to help you look and feel your best while you’re at home, regardless of any equipment you may or may not have.

• Exercises without equipment: There is a range of exercises you can do without any equipment, such as sit-ups, stretching, push-ups, and more. Look into finding easy yet effective exercises you can do from any part of your home without needing gym equipment to help you stay in shape. Perhaps you want to tone your arms, stomach, or legs. Look into various workouts you can do to keep these parts of your body toned without the need for equipment.
• Look for things you can use around your home: From a bag of sugar as hand weights to your staircase for stepping, look around your home and determine what you can use to benefit your workout without the need for expensive equipment.
• Basic, inexpensive fitness aids: You can get a few smaller, more basic fitness aids that are easy to store and put away. A pair of small dumbbells, a yoga mat, or an indoor trampoline are all excellent options. Resistance bands can keep your muscles strong, and they’re easy to store and don’t cost a lot of money. Instead of a costly mat, you can easily use an alternative like a towel or an area rug already in your home.
• Use your house as equipment: That’s right, you can use things in your house to work out on, such as your stairs or even a chair. Look around to find a few ways to utilize these things and incorporate them into your daily workout routine.
• Find an online class: From dance to aerobics and yoga, enroll in a fitness class online. Many classes are free, or you can join a paid class which typically has a small monthly charge. It’s a great way to stay accountable and gives you something to look forward to during the winter season.
• Find space in your home: Even if you don’t have any equipment, choosing a dedicated workout space is important. This can be your guest bedroom, the basement or attic, or a spot over the garage. The key is to find a place where you’ll feel comfortable and have some time to accomplish your fitness goals without interruption.

The importance of staying active during winter

There are many benefits to keeping active, even when you can’t hit the gym, including:

• Good for physical and mental health: Staying active is great for your physical health but also for your mental health. Keeping your body moving may help relieve stress and give you a more positive outlook.
• You’ll stay in shape: Remaining active year-round will help support strong muscles to stay in shape. Try to continue an exercise routine to avoid losing all of the hard work you put in during the rest of the year.
• You’ll feel confident in the spring and summer months: By establishing and sticking to your winter workout routine, the spring and summer months can be much more fun. If your goal is to burn fat, increase energy, or just feel good about yourself, you’ll see those rewards once the seasons change.
• Motivation: When you remain active, you’ll stay motivated to live a healthy lifestyle. It’s also a great way to motivate you to get back to working outdoors or hit the gym later, and even to begin your working-from-home morning routine!
• Make it fun: Make sure that your activities are fun and use them as an opportunity to bond with your kids, parents, friends, or significant other. Exercising together helps keep you accountable while enjoying some fun time with the ones you love. Finding alternative ways to work out can keep you interested and on track with your fitness goals.
• Use music: Listening to some good music can do wonders for keeping you active and in shape. Look for a cool playlist on a music app or platforms like Pandora, Spotify, or Apple Music to help you stay excited about your workouts.
• The sky is the limit: There are many ways to stay active during the winter. You can participate in anything from yoga and meditation to cardio, strength training, and even dancing. Look for new, fun activities you can try at home. Who knows, you might find a new passion that keeps you excited about staying in shape.

The pros and benefits of exercising at home

Even if you love to go for a jog outside or hit the gym, there are many pros to exercising at home, including:

• Avoid inclement weather: When you exercise at home, you can avoid going out on cold or rainy days altogether. It’s a great way to keep fit, even when the weather isn’t cooperating.
• Pandemic rules: If you’re still concerned about the pandemic, exercising at home is an excellent way to avoid being at the gym, where you’ll likely be in close proximity to others.
• Comfort: Maybe you’re a shy person who doesn’t like working out in groups or in front of others. Setting up an indoor gym at home allows you to work out and exercise in private.
• Flexibility: When you exercise at home, you can pick out the perfect space to set up your home gym. It also allows you to learn new ways of working out, either with or without exercise equipment, to ensure you remain active all year round. You have full control to create a home workout that can fit around your other responsibilities.
• Time: Participating in exercise at home means you’ll have the freedom to work out whenever you have the time. Do your best to schedule your workouts at home as often as possible. You can start with just five minutes a day and work your way up to an hour or even a few hours if you choose.
• Support: More resources and workout tips are available online than ever to keep you on track and work out effectively.

Staying active, especially during the cold months of the year, can help you feel your best and improve your mood. Even when working from home, you can keep active with simple exercises and stretches. Since there’s less light and fewer opportunities to go outside, look for new ways to stay fit at home and make it a fun activity that you can either do alone or with your kids, your pet, or your significant other. Think of exercise as an investment for your golden years, so you can stay in great shape no matter what the future holds.

Credit: www.porch.com – ‘Winter Indoor Gym Essentials’ by Adriana Lopez