For starters, some people just don’t have the time, while others are nervous or self-conscious and would rather take some time to build their confidence before doing jump lunges in front of a jam-packed gym of spectators.

This is where non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) comes in, which is basically any activity that isn’t sleeping, a sport, or exercise.

The idea behind NEAT is that you don’t need to become a fitness fanatic to stay fit; you just need to keep moving.

Not having enough time for the gym isn’t an excuse to become a couch potato. There’s still a lot you can do to stay fit.

Cook Your Meals from Scratch

You probably already know that it’s easier to eat healthy when you make your meals from scratch. In addition to controlling how much sugar and fat go into your food, there’s also an additional benefit: you do a lot of standing and walking around during meal prep.

Sure, it seems like a small thing, but standing lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other diseases that are caused by a sedentary lifestyle. It can also lower stress and boost energy levels.

Take up an Active Hobby

Engaging in an active hobby can help you stay fit while enriching your life. Gardening, hiking, cooking, dancing, or pretty much any hobby that gets you off the couch, benefits your life and health. Whether you prefer to be indoors or outdoors, you can find an active hobby that plays a role in helping you stay fit.

Skip Some Conveniences

We’ve grown accustomed to the convenience of modern life, such as food delivery services. Unfortunately, while certain conveniences make life easier and free up time, they also take away valuable opportunities to stay active.

For example, a grocery delivery service robs you of all the moving around and lifting involved with grocery shopping. It might not seem like a big deal at first, but when you think about it, these conveniences can add up to create a sedentary lifestyle.

To stay active and be fit, consider giving up some of the conveniences that you don’t really need. You might even save some money in the process!

Walk More

You’ve heard it a million times, but it deserves another mention. There’s probably no better way to stay fit without hitting the gym than to walk.

So, park a couple of minutes away from work or the store and walk. Plan the walking route in advance so you don’t find yourself in an unwalkable or unsafe area.

Walking is good for the heart, lowers the risk of coronary artery disease, and is great for stress reduction; many people aim for 10,000 steps a day.

The bottom line is that it’s possible to enjoy better health and wellness without spending hours a day at the gym.

Just get off the couch and take up an active hobby, cook your own meals, walk more, and generally find creative ways to leverage the power of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) that fit easily into your lifestyle.

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Body Pump is a workout that combines aerobics and strength training with lots of repetition. It involves lifting, thrusting, and squatting with light to moderate weights. It’s highly demanding, but if you’re willing to put in the work, you can burn more than 500 calories per session.

Body Pump Class

While you can definitely do a body pump workout on your own, its creator, Les Mills, intended it to be a group exercise. The goal was to get more men involved in studio classes, which are more popular with women.

A typical body pump class is 30, 45, or 60 minutes long. It is broken down into eight sections, and each section focuses on a different muscle group.

After a quick warm-up session, the instructor guides the class through a series of squats, bench presses, deadlifts, lunges, shoulder & abdominal exercises, and, finally, a cool-down session.

You can select the size of the step and weights you wish to use during the workout. This allows you to start small until you’re ready to level up. The classes are set to music to motivate and help you keep time.

Benefits

Body Pump is a total body workout that improves muscle tone and builds muscular endurance. You can burn between 200 and 600 calories in one workout, depending on your fitness level. Therefore, if you are eating between 1600 and 2400 calories a day, you can easily burn a quarter or a third of that and lose weight without reducing your daily caloric intake.

Body Pump workouts boost your metabolism and overall health. Two body pump sessions a week can help to prevent cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and diabetes

This workout is also great for increasing muscle flexibility and range of motion through resistance training. This can relieve back, neck, and shoulder pain, which is often the result of tight muscles.

Last but not least, this workout makes your legs stronger and leaner, gives you a tight core, defined biceps and triceps that are not bulky, and makes your waistline smaller, in proportion to the rest of your body.

Get Started

The easiest way to get started is to join a BodyPump class. Being around people with similar fitness goals keeps you motivated, making it less likely you will skip workouts. The class also teaches you how to lift weights and work out safely.

Once you’ve gotten the hang of it, you can purchase the music track, a mat, dumbbells & a barbell and do the Body Pump workouts at home.

Lastly, always consult a physician before starting any new exercise regimen – especially one that involves lifting weights.

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Pilates.

It is one of the most popular fitness programs around and for good reason. This technique was developed in the early 1900s by Joseph H. Pilates to rehabilitate soldiers who suffered war injuries.

What Exactly is Pilates?

Pilates has little to do with aerobics; it is a combination of flexibility and strength training which focuses on strengthening the core.

While Pilates exercises are often performed on a thicker version of a Yoga mat, it is not a derivative of yoga.

For starters, Pilates is a lot more dynamic and doesn’t involve as much stretching and holding static poses as yoga does. It is more structured and involves more equipment including a footbar, a carriage, straps and springs. And there is absolutely no chanting involved!

Can Men Do Pilates?

Pilates may be more popular with women but there’s nothing about it that makes it more suitable for women than men. In fact, it was developed by a man for other men!

The best thing about it is that it can be adapted to different fitness levels and body types. It’s great for building muscle groups that might not always get enough attention, as well as for core strength. The flexibility training also helps to prevent muscle strains and injuries during other workouts.

Pilates Classes Vs. Pilates at Home

Many people worry they’re not coordinated enough, or are too self-conscious, for a Pilates class. Thankfully, other people in the class are usually too focused on breathing and maintaining balance to notice anyone else.

If you want to get the full benefit of Pilates, go to a studio that has all the necessary equipment. You might not be as coordinated as you’d like the first few times but your flexibility and coordination will improve quickly.

If going to a gym makes you nervous, start at home to get a feel for it before signing up for a class. There are many free videos of basic Pilates exercises on the Internet.

Find a Class

Pilates classes are cheaper if you have a regular gym membership. Without one, they can cost more than $100 a pop! But don’t let that discourage you. Groupon has more than enough Pilates classes that cost way less than $100.

What to Wear

You don’t really need a special outfit for Pilates. Any comfortable exercise clothes should do. However, it’s best to avoid very loose clothing since it might bunch up during certain exercises.

Pilates is a great way to strengthen your core and tone your body without lifting weights and bulking up. However, despite all its benefits, it isn’t for everybody. If you have back problems, check with your doctor before attempting Pilates.

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Some people are self-conscious and feel uncomfortable working out in front of people.

For others, logistical issues such as transportation or travel time make the gym a no-go. 

While still others just don’t like training inside because they’re the outdoors type who likes fresh air and wind on their face. 

The gym isn’t for everyone. Fortunately, there are many ways you can stay in shape without ever having to step foot in the iron jungle. Here are five great gym alternatives. 

Walking and Hiking

Walking is going through a kind of rebirth in the fitness world. It’s easy on the joints, reduces stress hormones, and enhances metabolic processes. We were made to move, and walking was intended to be the main mode of transportation.

Whether it’s a twenty-minute walk around your neighbor or your favorite places in nature, like the beach or a park, or a day hiking your favorite trails, walking and hiking are great for your mental, emotional and physical health, especially if you invite a friend along. 

Don’t underestimate the wellness and mood-boosting benefits of short walks (20 minutes or less), vigorous hikes, and even adding a few minutes of power walking to your walk. Anything from a brief stroll to an energetic hike will most certainly be worth the time and the effort.

Donate Your Labor

Don’t overlook the wellness benefits of volunteering your “labor” to a charitable organization in your area that would involve a healthy dose of physical activity. Whereas some people might enjoy recreational sports on the weekend, others might enjoy supporting a worthy cause like a community garden or Habitat for Humanity; you get the idea.

Those activities impart the “helper’s high” many volunteers report experiencing. It makes you feel good knowing you’re making a difference. Plus, you’re personally benefitting from the physical activity. You will feel good on the inside and outside!

Go online and search for volunteering activities in your local area, or check with the Chamber of Commerce or a faith community. 

Household Cleaning Counts

There isn’t anything easy about washing the car, sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, and other household chores! If you don’t believe me, use your fitness tracker to check your heart rate and count calories next time you clean the floor. 

Why not don your workout clothes and shoes, put on your favorite music, and move with purpose as you speed through your chores!

Join a Team

Almost every sizable town has sports leagues for adults, from hockey and basketball to softball and even cycling groups. And don’t worry – even if you’re the kid who wasn’t exactly picked first, you’ll be able to find something that matches your skill level and athletic ability. 

You’ll find yourself looking forward to the games and spending time with your teammates. Not only will you improve your physical health, but social interaction will also boost your emotional and mental health. 

If you try a sport and don’t like it, try something else. Keep exploring until you find a sport and a team that clicks. 

The Obstacle Course

Have you noticed how popular outdoor obstacle courses are becoming? They even have contests. Options are available for all fitness levels, too. 

Many are themed; perhaps you’ve heard of some of them, like Tough Mudder, Zombie Mud Run, Spartan Race, etc. Training for them will give you a great workout, not to mention how fun it is to compete in the races; it’s just you against the obstacle course and a few hundred other people having fun in the mud! Search online for options in your local area; just be sure to enter the name of your town for options conveniently located near you.

It’s okay if the gym isn’t your thing. There are plenty of other ways to get in shape and stay fit that suit your temperament and lifestyle. So have fun and start exploring as you continue to unlock your best life! 

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According to surveys, most people give up on their resolutions by the second or third week of January and resign themselves to the “realities” of life.

The fiery passion that ignited the New Year fades into a weak flicker that dies in days.

Leading the list of resolutions are health and fitness goals, for most people. Ads are everywhere for discounted gym memberships, waived fees, and new diets that promise you will lose those holiday inches in just days.

But you know how it goes because you’ve seen it all before. The gym is full in January and empty weeks later.

But you can make your fitness goals come true – you can be an exception to the statistics this year. Here’s how.

Be Simple

Making things overly complicated kills motivation and progress. Don’t over think your diet, workout clothes, or even your workout routine.

Have as few moving parts as possible.

Which is better, a complicated workout routine you struggle with and quit weeks later, or one that’s simple and easy to stick with?

Same with your diet; don’t make it complicated. Eat healthy most of the time but enjoy your favorite foods some of the time. It’s about balance and enjoying the journey.

When it comes to fitness goals, the secret to success is consistency, not perfection. So choose a workout and diet you can stick with.

Be Realistic

Transforming your body isn’t an overnight process despite what the infomercials promise. Those professional fitness models took more than a few months to sculpt their flawless bodies into perfection.

So don’t believe the hype that “All it takes is fifteen minutes a day, three times a week!” Hey, fifteen minutes a day three times a week is better than nothing, but it’s probably not enough to get the results you see in those ads.

Transforming your body takes time. So create a process that you can enjoy by setting realistic goals you will stick with.

Start small. You might aim for two to three workout a week, and avoid your favorite junk foods five days a week, allowing yourself a few treats on the weekend.

Own Your Why

Transforming your health and body is about consistency. And the reality is, some days you’ll feel like doing it, some you won’t, but you have to do it anyway.

The fiery motivation you had at the first of the year will die down, which is why you need more than inspiration to keep you going. You need a strong reason to keep you moving forward when you’d rather be sitting on the couch after a long day at work.

Some strong reasons include having more energy, being stronger, maintaining functional independence, looking and feeling good, losing weight to lower the risk of chronic disease, and boosting longevity to have many more quality years of life with your loved ones.

Own your “why” because it keeps you going when you feel like quitting.

You absolutely can achieve your fitness goals in 2021 – or at least get closer than last year. If you don’ want to be back at square January 1 next year, remember to create a fitness plan that’s simple and easy to stick with, set realistic goals, and own your why to stay intrinsically motivated on the days you feel like quitting.

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

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