Not everyone who wants to lose weight is prepared to go to the local gym or to join an exercise class.
Going alone to the gym can be a depressing experience, and those that do go often lose motivation quickly, and find that they are avoiding going; the weight they lost going to the gym piles back on, but they are reluctant to start again.
For those people, choosing to exercise for weight loss at home might be the perfect solution.
For those who want to stay in and exercise at home, buying a few pieces of gym equipment is a good idea: these pieces help the exerciser to focus, and provide a constant reminder that they need to be used. For anyone planning to exercise for weight loss at home, some good pieces to buy are:
* Treadmill - studies have shown this device is best at burning calories. Fold-away treadmills can help those who do not have much room for weight-loss exercise devices.
* Elliptical trainer - these little machines, sometimes called 'cross' trainers, exercise both upper and lower body at the same time, by encouraging the person to perform 'skiing' motions. They provide a quick method of burning maximum calories, ideal for the person who wants to exercise for weight loss at home.
* Rubber ball - available from gym shops, these balance balls help burn calories and increase stamina. Useful for giving muscles a 'rest' without abandoning exercises altogether.
Once these items are purchased, plan a time every day when they will be used. First thing in the morning, or after coming home from work are good times to exercise - then the person can get on with the rest of their life.
Begin exercising by walking on the treadmill for about 20 minutes at a time. Start off slowly, and then build speed over time - as you get better on the treadmill, it can be used for longer periods every day. After 20 minuets step off the treadmill, drink some water, and perform some stretches.
On the second day, do a number of sit ups or crunches. Lay on the floor, arms behind head, and legs straight (sit ups) or bent (crunches). Raise the head and shoulders from the floor (being careful not to lift the head using the arms), as far as possible. It is not important if the head doesn't rise very far - what is important is flexing the abdominal muscles. Lower the head back down onto the floor, and repeat a further 9 times.
Next, sit on the Pilates ball with calves at 90 degrees to hips: use the ball to bounce up and down, flexing the leg muscles; repeat about 20 times. Then, lay on the ball face down; keeping the balance by having your feet on the floor, and arms behind head; push the head downwards and raise back up. Do this about twenty times in total. Once you are confident in performing these exercises, add weights to provide more resistance.
These are a few of the ways in which you can exercise for weight loss at home, without needing to buy an entire home gym.
