Regular exercise is an important component of any healthy lifestyle. According to the Mayo Clinic, working out regularly prevents certain diseases, helps you lose weight, improves your mood, and provides you with more energy. During the warmer months, many people enjoy exercising outside. They may run in the park, take a walk around the neighborhood, or go for a bike ride.

But what happens when winter arrives? Do you just give up on exercising until warmer days return? Not if you want to continue your goal toward becoming a healthy, strong person. If the temperature plummets, there’s no need to hang up your running shoes. Just take your workout indoors. In fact, you don’t even need to leave your house to work up a good sweat.

DVDs and Streaming Videos

One of the simplest ways to work out at home is to use an exercise video, whether it’s on a DVD or the internet. There’s a workout available for just about every interest. Kickboxing, cardio dance,strength training, ballet workouts, Pilates, yoga, indoor walking, and bootcamp workouts are just a small sample of what you can try.

If you don’t want to pay money for an exercise DVD, check some out for free from your public library. Go to YouTube and find thousands of online workouts you can do from home. If you find a workout system you really enjoy, you may be able to pay for an online subscription to get new workouts on a regular basis. Shape magazine reports that “it doesn’t get much more convenient than online streaming.” No matter how busy your schedule or how terrible the weather, you can work out in the comfort and warmth of your own home.

Create a Home Gym

It’s too cold to go outside, and you don’t feel like going to the gym either. Create your own home gym instead. You can spend as little or as much as you want. One of the cheapest but effective pieces of exercise equipment is the jump rope. According to NDTV, jumping rope for just 30 minutes burns around 300 calories. It makes your heart stronger and tones both the lower and upper body.

Jump ropes are just one piece of exercise equipment you can use to get a great workout indoors. Other exercise equipment you might try are dumbbells, adaptable resistance bands, or a Bosu balance trainer. If you plan to do yoga or Pilates, invest in an inexpensive yoga mat. Treadmills, stationary bikes, elliptical machines, and rebounders are other good choices for home gyms.  Check out reviews.com for recommendations of the best yoga mats, treadmills, elliptical machines and stationary bikes.

Staying Focused

It’s difficult to stay motivated when you workout from home. The many distractions can prevent you from getting your workout done. Ringing cell phones, text messages, taking care of your family, work obligations, and a hundred other things can interfere with your exercise goals.But it’s possible to stay focused when you work out from home if you schedule your exercise time into your day.

Add exercise into your calendar so you make a date with yourself to get fit. Skinny Ms. suggests you use a music playlist to “keep your energy up and keep you excited about moving and exercising.” Consider calling a friend over so you can work out together. It motivates you to stick to a regular exercise regimen if you know someone is coming to your home to work out with you.

Just because it’s freezing outside doesn’t mean you have to forget about working out. Exercising to DVDs or in your home gym can help you burn calories, lose weight, and build muscle. When you stay motivated and commit to a regular exercise schedule, you can reach your weight-loss goals or maintain a healthy weight without leaving the warmth of your own home.

This was a guest article written by Jason Lewis from Strongwell.org.  He can be reached at info@strongwell.org if you would like to contact him.  

Photo via Pixabay

The information contained in our website, blog, guest blogs, e-mails, programs, services and/or products is for educational and informational purposes only, and is made available to you as self-help tools. I strongly recommend that you consult with your physician before beginning any exercise program. You should be in good physical condition and be able to participate in the exercise.