Non Gym Workouts

Hi guys,

I am a regualar gym bunny, love the gym :)  But lately my husband and I have been having money conversations, and we are talking about each giving up a couple expenses that we love, for me the gym, for him video game rental... etc. 

So even tho this would be 6 months away, I am already freaking out!  I can't even maintain my weight WITH the gym, (I eat too much) how am I going to do it WITHOUT?  In the summers I like to run a few times a week, and I could buy some free weights for home workouts, but what could I do for cardio in the winter?  Has anyone REALLY had success with videos? What can I do to burn major calories without a gym membership??

Thanks for any advice :)

Jumping rope is excellent cardio, and a rope is pretty cheap

If you have a game system, dance dance revolution can be a great workout.  DVD's aren't bad, but it's nice to have a variety so you don't start to hate the perky, perky people on them.  You can buy a mini-stepper that fits in the closet for about $60.  Or you can always still work out outside.  I live in an area that gets lots of snow, but there are still die hard runners out there in -30C weather.  Snow-shoeing burns massive amounts of calories and cross-country skiing is an incredible workout.

I'm with you and the freaking out...I would give up my left pinky toe before I gave up the gym.  It's much much more than a calorie-burning investment.  If I didn't go to they gym I'd probably end up paying for therapy and anger management anyway 

All I use is workout DVDs. And I've lost about 23 pounds. TurboJam is my hero, I just love doing it. :P

Original Post by greenpea88:

I can't even maintain my weight WITH the gym, (I eat too much) how am I going to do it WITHOUT? 

Nutrition is the answer.

Exercising to maintain an unhealthy eating pattern will eventually not work [if it ever works]. Now is a great time to start thinking about healthy nutritioni...and of course, allowing yourself a cheat day weekly.

As far as what to do without a gym membership. With exception of working out with a group of people in, per say, a group fitness class, you can do EVERYTHING at home that you do at a gym...with dumbbells. Start by purchasing some adjustable dumbbells...and/or kettleball...eventually adding some resistance bands and stability and/or bosu ball.

You can also do hiit...as in sprinting, jacks, jumproping,etc for 30 secs with 60 secs of lower impact movement..repeat for 20 mins...twice a week along with weights 3x's a week and you are set to go!

I say... find something else to give up.. Like sex. LOL!

circuits

so easy to do

just remember technique is more important than speed

jump rope

(legs)

squats, controlled, slow, concentrating on the muscles being used

lunges, controlled, slow, concentrating on the muscles used

burpees (killer in combination with the last three) explosive, but good form

(chest, tri's)

press ups wide grip

press up narrow grip

(back, bi's)

bent over rows (something weighted, around 5 - 10kg)

(pull ups if you have a pull up bar)

(shoulders)

(if you have some dumbells) shoulder press

(if you're strong enough, and i dont know how advisable this is, handstand against the wall shoulder presses)

(core)

crunches

air walks

leg raises

many ways to do it

15 to 1 ( go for 45 mins AFTER warmup) do 15 reps, 14, 13, 12, 11 and so on

(or ten to 1 depends)

its a good way to see if you're improving (i..e. the further you get the better you do, speed  of rep isnt the key remember, so dont be disheartened if you get to 12 cos that's not bad)

or do it all three times and go for 45-60  seconds on each exercise depending on your fitness level.

(you can put a rest in as an exercise)

problem is is needing weights for back exercises, maybe you know some one who has some spare 5 - 10's

(i.e. your husbands friends, who  have some lying about, more common than you think)

or go running/sea swimming

another fantastic way is this...

join a local sports team

they will train you

Original Post by jennipherverna:

I say... find something else to give up.. Like sex. LOL!

Zomg!!  Sex is one of the best cardio workouts available.

LOL.  I was just hating since i am not getting any these days.

all i do is DVDs at home...cardio AND free weights. kickboxing and step are my favorite cardio. i havent belonged to a gym since i worked at one three summers ago.

cathe friedrich, kelly coffey-meyer and amy bento are my personal trainers. :)

thanks for all the replies!

I do know my main problem is nutrition... I really need to work at it.

Looks like I am going to be quitting the gym like asap instead of 6 months :(  So I will be putting these into practice right away.....

I wouldn't be too worried! I only go to the gym two or three times a week but still exercise twice a day! Do you have a bike? Going for bike rides is a great way to sneak in some fun exercise. Also, I live near the woods so I go on 2 or 3 nature walkes a week. . .bring my camera and the time flies by :) If it rains I go on youtube and do some yoga, pilates, circut training, etc. . .they have TONS of videoes there-- don't waste your $$ buying videos. And then there's always other stuff, a walk on the beach, a little jump rope here and there. Even throughout the day like when you dry your hair or something do a few squats. I like exercising at home as opposed to the gym because I am motivated to exercise throughout the day and not in just one block of time. . . it's actually proven to burn more calories that way anyways!

I have never been able to afford a gym so me and the bf have gradually built up a collection of bits over the years. Wii fit is definitely woth the money (in fact, get harry potter for the wii - been playing that all weekend and duelling definitely is a good upper body workout!) We also have a mini stepper (£25) a yoga mat (inherited) and dumbells (my girlie ones are from tesco and cost £3 for the pair) On top of that, we go hill jogging - you'll find that road running is actually a much better workout than a  treadmill ;)