Staying in shape and doing body weight workout does not require anyone to avail of expensive equipment or gym memberships. You can still stay fit and healthy in the comfort of your own home. The question is where and how to start your fitness journey.
Before that, you need to determine the reason why you chose to live a healthier and more active lifestyle. Those reasons can vary from person to person.
Some people might be motivated to live a healthier lifestyle because their spouse or friend is doing the same thing. Or perhaps you are already tired catching your breath while taking the stairs to the third floor.
Others think choosing a healthier lifestyle is their second chance in life. These are those people who took their health for granted before and almost let their lives slip away.
Regardless of your reasons, there should be no excuse when it comes to being healthy and in shape. For one thing, being healthy is not only about the physical aspects of it but also what you feel on the inside.
Getting started
An effective exercise composes of working out different parts of your body. Just because you feel some kind of pain when you lift that dumbbell doesn’t mean you have to stop. For others, it’s those kinds of pain that they look forward to in every workout session.
There are many ways to exercise. Some like to run a couple of miles in their neighborhood. Others would prefer riding their bike outdoors or use a stationary bike in the gym.
If you want to work hard for that muscle, you should try body weight circuit exercises. So, what’s up with these types of exercises?
For starters, bodyweight exercises work for your muscle groups. It can also promise to burn calories and get your heart pumping. In fact, bodyweight training can burn more calories than the usual cardio exercises. You can even burn more calories even after intense bodyweight training.
You can run on a treadmill or pedal on the stationary bike if weight loss is your goal. But whether you admit it or not, these can be boring. Plus, you need to do these routines longer if you want to achieve results. It can be boring
Not so with bodyweight training. You can lose weight and build muscles in a shorter amount of time per session. If you are a busy bee who doesn’t have the luxury of time to work out in the gym, bodyweight training is the perfect option for you.
A beginner’s guide to a circuit body weight workout
You will only need to prepare yourself before starting this kind of work out. No need for bulky weights and machines to do a circuit workout. A beginner’s bodyweight workout usually consists of 3 circuits of squats, push-ups, lunges, planks and jumping jacks.
Fitness experts recommend doing circuit training about twice or thrice a week. However, avoid doing the body weight workout two or more days in a row. Remember that you build muscles while on rest, not during exercise.
You need to repeat each exercise with no breaks in between as much as possible. You can follow these routines, each of which should be done three times.
- 20 reps squats
- 10 reps of push-ups
- 10 reps of walking lunges (should be per leg)
- 10 reps of dumbbell rows (if you don’t have at home, you can use a jug filled with water or any other type of weights alternative)
- 15-second planks
- 30 reps of jumping jacks.
You need to follow the numbers of reps per exercise routine, followed by the next routine and so on. Once you are done with the last routine, you will start again from the top until you do all of the routines three times.
There will be barely no time to breathe, so you will feel super tired after each routine. But that’s the whole point of this entire training! Make sure to warm-up exercises first before doing the actual circuit routines.
However, you also need to listen to your body if you feel or experience anything funny. If you feel dizzy during or after a routine, go ahead and take a break. The last thing you want to happen is fainting while in the middle of your workout session.
You should also read: Get in Shape – Planning Your Best Workout Routine
Don’t forget your nutrition, too
We already know that what and how you eat contributes a lot to the success of your fitness goals. No matter how often and how much you exercise, it will be useless if you still eat junk food and sweets. In other words, good nutrition is the key to better health.
You can do so by tracking your calorie intake. There are calorie calculators available online or through mobile apps. However, it can be a tedious task but achievable if you are vigilant enough.
Or you can follow this healthy plate plan:
- 1 to 2 protein serving
- 2 servings of vegetables
- 1 serving of good carbs (whole wheat, brown rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc.)
- 1 serving of healthy fats (ex. avocadoes)
Ditch soda, junk food, and other unhealthy food on your diet. Drink lots of water and of course, have an active lifestyle. It will not be an easy journey, but you’ll eventually get there!
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