Yes, You Can Get In Shape Without A Gym Membership. Here's How

Yes, You Can Get In Shape Without A Gym Membership. Here's How

Many people see “getting in shape” as being synonymous with “going to the gym.” It’s not. While belonging to a fitness club can be convenient, it’s not a prerequisite for getting fit. Here are five reasons why you can get in great shape in your living room:

1. There are a lot of workouts online — for free.

What type of workout would you like to do at the gym? Whether you’d choose yoga, resistance training, Pilates, dance, cardio, or core training, you can find a gym replacement by doing a quick search online.

These workouts range in length from just a few minutes up to full-length class and usually don’t require equipment.

2. Walking is the most underrated exercise out there.

The rule of thumb when it comes to walking is to aim for 10,000 steps per day. Those 10,000 steps will burn between 400-600 calories, which happens to be about the same amount someone would burn during a spin class, and it’s twice as many as the average resistance-training workout burns.

3. It’s easy to build exercise into your day.

People think that exercise doesn’t count unless it’s an hour-long workout that leaves them drenched in sweat. This is simply not the case. Exercise studieshave proven that short bursts of exercise are actually more effective than long, drawn-out workouts when it comes to burning fat and increasing fitness levels.

That’s why it can be so effective to build quick workouts right into your daily schedule. Have a coffee break at work? Go for a long walk. Are you binge-watching Netflix at night? Do a core workout between episodes.

Little bouts of exercise like this add up over the course of your day. Once you have a handful of movements to choose from, finding time to do them becomes more feasible.

4. It’s summer — get outside!

Who wants to be trapped in a sweaty gym when the weather is warm and the sun is shining? There are so many ways to get fit outside. You can join a summer sports league, take your bike for a ride, go swimming or visit your local playground for a gym-quality workout. Your neighborhood park might even have some outdoor fitness equipment that is specifically designed to take the place of the machines you’d find in the gym.

5. You don’t need a gym to eat healthy.

Most people exercise because they want to feel better about themselves, which often includes losing weight and looking their best. While exercise is certainly a big part of the fitness equation, eating a healthy diet is arguably even more important.

The 80/20 rule can be applied to getting in shape: 80 percent of your results are going to come from what you eat, while the remaining 20 percent come from the amount and type of exercise you do.

Exercise, whether in the gym or anywhere else, is a fantastic way to burn calories, build muscle and create a well-shaped body. But, it’s a healthy diet (consisting of vegetables, fruit, protein and limited in processed foods and sweets) that will really help you get the fitness results you’re looking for.