Let’s face it: making it to the gym isn’t always easy. Summoning up the motivation to head out can be difficult, and someone else may even be using the equipment you need when you get there. A gym can be valuable after bariatric surgery, but wouldn’t it be even better if you could have exclusive access to a gym in the comfort of your own home?
Though you may not be able to afford the cutting edge equipment of most modern fitness centers, creating an at-home gym is an excellent way to stay focused on fitness. With an exercise space of your own, it will be much easier to get a good workout even when you don’t feel like leaving the house. Whenever you have a spare moment at home, you can pop into your gym to burn a few calories, and this can be a big help in reaching the goals you’ve set with your bariatric surgeon in Plano, Lubbock or Denton.
Even keeping exercise gear around in convenient places around the house can help you get more exercise, but you’ll get the most out of having a dedicated area for your workouts. Ready to make an awesome at-home gym? Start by asking these questions:
Where will you put it?
Your home gym can be as big or small as you like. It doesn’t have to take up an entire room of its own—try to find an area of about six square feet, or as big as you can make it. For many people, unused space in a garage or spare bedroom is perfect, but make sure your gym is somewhere easily accessible and is climate controlled.
Ideally, your workout area should be somewhere that feels open and has lots of natural light. You should try to minimize clutter and distractions—a closet can go a long way and many other space-saving storage solutions can help. Brighten up your exercise space by putting it near windows, keeping plants around, repainting the walls or putting up mirrors. It’s also a smart choice to have an electrical outlet nearby, especially if you hope to watch fitness DVDs or plug in a stereo for some workout music.
What will go in it?
The equipment you stock your gym with is entirely up to you. Think about the workouts you’re most likely to do at home and invest in a few pieces of gear to get you started.
There are many affordable pieces of equipment to consider buying for your gym, like:
- Yoga mats
- Foam rollers
- Exercise bands
- Free weights
- Jump ropes
- Stability balls
- Balance discs
- Pull-up bars
If you feel it will be worth the money and space, feel free to invest in a larger workout machine like an exercise bike or treadmill. Just remember that you can still get a great, full-body workout with the kind of inexpensive gear listed above.
Once your home gym is set up, experiment with different workouts and continue adding pieces whenever you can. It won’t be any good if you don’t use it, so do your best to make home workouts a habit and continue challenging yourself with new ways to use your time.
Has a home gym helped you stick to the exercise guidelines given to you by your bariatric surgeon in Plano, Lubbock or Denton? Tell us how you set yours up in the comments below!
