Going to the park

I don’t mean for the parents to sit and watch while the kids play. Pushing kids on the swing can be a small workout for your arms. If you have two young enough to enjoy being pushed on the swing, you can do what I call ‘kid juggling’ and push one with each arm. If you get them going at the right rhythm, it’s pretty constant.

If the playground equipment is strong enough, you can climb and slide with the kids. Yes, it’s undignified. It’s also fun.

Older kids can enjoy playing sports at the park. Kick a ball around, play a bit of baseball, whatever appeals to your family.

Go swimming

Well, probably not right now, in the middle of winter, unless you have access to a nice indoor pool. But once things warm up this is a great form of exercise.

The younger your kids are, of course, the more limited your own activities will be, but even with babies you can do a lot of exercise. Even jogging in place in a swimming pool takes some effort. So does swinging kids around in the water.

Walk, skate, ride a bike…

You get the idea. Whatever your family will enjoy doing together. The nice thing is that these can be done along your own street if you like, or you can venture further afield.

Play in the snow

It’s winter, and while exercising outside is a bit harder to do, taking advantage of the snow is a really fun way to do it. Bundle up and play in the snow if it’s in your local area, or drive out to enjoy it!

Kids can maker it harder to go to the gym, but that doesn’t mean you can’t work out. Making the time for exercise as a family can be loads of fun.

How do you pick the right gym? There are several factors to consider.

1. Are you comfortable there?

If you’re just getting started, will it make you too self conscious to go to a gym where it seems like everyone has been working out heavily for years and years? The right atmosphere makes it much easier to go to a particular gym.

Some gyms are set up just for women, such as Curves. Some have rules against grunting as you work out. There are many factors to consider.

2. The right cost.

Many people have to think budget when they pick a gym. If you need low cost, I understand the YMCA has great prices. But if you want a different gym and cost doesn’t matter so much, pick one based on other criteria.

3. Your level of commitment.

If you aren’t committed to going to the gym, don’t bother joining one. Many people keep paying and paying for no benefit because they never go.

You may be able to increase your level of commitment by finding a buddy to workout with. Join the same gym or even different gyms if you’re just going to compare stats, and really push yourself to make it work.

4. Distance.

If you have to drive too far, will you really go? This is related to your commitment level, but the a long drive can mess with even the most committed.

5. The contract.

Read the contract carefully. If things don’t work out, some gyms have contracts that are utterly miserable to get out of.

Some gyms also have different levels of access, depending on your contract. You may be able to visit other locations, which is very useful on vacation. You may have access to childcare. Make sure the contract offers the features that you will value most.

There’s no one right answer for which gym you will be comfortable at. As you consider gyms, think about what it is you want from them. Take a tour and see if they have a trial period before you have to sign a contract. There’s nothing like experience to tell you if the gym is the one you want.

Getting fit is one of the classic New Year’s Resolutions. It seems like people are always saying they want to get fit right now. Why is that?

Honestly, this is one of those things you should work on whenever you realize you need to get fit. But at the New Year is as good a time as any, and may even be the best time to get a workout buddy, since other people you know may well be making the same resolution.

But if now is not the time that you will stick to your goal of getting fit, don’t commit yourself to it. Find the right time to set up a workout schedule.

When it’s wrong

This is the wrong time if you’re stressed out from the holidays and have no idea how you’re going to go about getting fit. It takes a plan. It takes commitment. If you don’t have those, you’re probably only going to frustrate yourself.

If you know you have too many excuses for why you can’t so much as take a regular walk around the block for fitness, never mind working out, you probably aren’t ready to get fit yet.

If feeling like you’re so out of shape that you won’t fit in at the gym, decide if that is too much of an obstacle to join a gym, then figure out an alternative. This can be an obstacle, but you don’t have to let it be one.

When it’s right

Getting fit is the right decision most of the time, however. It doesn’t take money if you don’t want it to, so even finances should not be an excuse. Anyone should be able to find a safe place to take a regular walk, even if it’s just around the block at home, around the office you work at, or the mall. They’re all free, so you just need to pick the one that meets your needs.

You can also do basic exercises indoors at home with no equipment at all. Crunches, dancing randomly to music, anything you can do to get in motion.

If you can afford some basic home gym equipment or a gym membership, so much the better. This can often be one of the easy ways to get a workout buddy. Find someone who wants to join the same gym and plan at least a couple nights, mornings or whenever it works a week to workout together at the gym.

Many people find a workout buddy to be a great motivator. If you can’t work out a schedule to work out together, just try comparing how often and how long you work out. That can also be enough to give you that extra nudge to keep going.

But the most important thing to remember is simply that you don’t need to give up just because right now is not the time for you. Get started when you can make the commitment, then plan out what it will take to keep going. Having goals can make it a lot easier.

Being too busy to work out is one of the most common reasons why people don’t exercise. Just about everyone uses it at some point. But even if you don’t have the time to break for even 15 minutes to take a walk you can sneak in a little bit of exercise.

Think about times you just stand around… brushing your teeth, cooking, that sort of thing. Leg lifts or walking in place can get you moving just a little bit more. It’s not a lot of exercise but it is something.

Put a little more effort into housecleaning. This in itself is fair exercise. Do a bit more of it and work harder at it.

Work out whenever you watch television. It may be a leisure activity, but it doesn’t have to be so sedentary. I like using a Gazelle while watching television, doing crunches, leg lifts, whatever. An exercise ball can be nice too. Fitness balls are also nice. The exercise shouldn’t be anything that makes it too hard to watch your show, or you probably won’t keep up with it. Then again, there are always commercials!

Working out at the computer is harder. This is one of the hardest areas to work out, and it may not be possible to do much about that. You can move your legs, but generally not much and not terribly effectively.

When you shop, park further out. The added walk really won’t be all that bad, and it’s generally much easier to find a spot.

Stealth exercise isn’t generally enough to get you fit, but it’s better than not trying at all.

One of the biggest blocks to getting fit is the mental block. If your mind just isn’t cooperating with your goals, you aren’t going to get anywhere.

You know you’re not in the right frame of mind when you allow too many excuses to keep you from exercising. If you always come up with reasons why you can’t get to the gym, take a walk, take the stairs or whatever else you’re doing to improve your level of fitness, it’s time to figure out why you are doing this to yourself.

Start out by looking at your fitness goals. You do have fitness goals, don’t you?

If not, come up with some. Keep them realistic and allow for improvement over time. Depending on what you think will motivate you the most, you can base your goals on time spent exercising, goals for specific exercises, weight loss and so forth. You decide what will keep you going.

If you do have goals, why aren’t you reaching for them? Did you set them too high? Too low? Too vague? Rethink your plans and figure out what you can do so that you really want to achieve them.

Now think about where you work out.

If it’s at the gym, why aren’t you going? Is a gym membership really the best thing for you? Can you make it easier to get yourself there? Would finding a friend or partner to meet there help?

If you work out at home, what’s keeping you from doing it? Are there too many distractions? Not enough distractions when you work out? A television or radio where you work out can be a very good thing if it encourages you to use your equipment.

Or maybe you haven’t bought any equipment yet. While a home gym isn’t an absolute necessity, and many exercises can be done without equipment, it does make exercising easier. If budget is the problem, take a look at the possible solutions.

You can check garage sales for the things you want. Freecycle (a website where people offer things for free). eBay. You have loads of options that can help you find used home gym equipment in very good condition, and that can save you quite a bit of money over buying new.

Consider hiring a coach or personal trainer to at least get yourself started on a good routine. A professional can help you find ways to reach your goals and really motivate you to reach for it.

Despite all the excuses that are so easy to make, it is very realistic to plan to get fit in your spare time. It’s just a matter of figuring out what will motivate you to keep working at it. Nothing good will happen otherwise.

Many of these cost a couple hundred to even a few thousand for those who want to spend that kind of money. But you don’t have to spend a ton to have a home gym that will help you to reach your fitness goals.

Think about the things you really need to have. I love my exercise ball, for example. Takes very little room, I can use it for exercise and my kids can play with it. No worry about the kids pinching their fingers on it. And it cost under $30. It can be used in any room of the house.

If you walk, jog or run for exercise, a pedometer is a great idea that can help you to track your goals without costing a fortune.

That is the beauty of sites such as Amazon that offer a range of exercise, fitness and sporting goods, along with so much else. You can find great fitness equipment and not spend a fortune. Just buy the things you are actually going to use.

But do remember as you shop to not overdo. A bunch of little stuff can easily add up to what you would have spent on a single larger item. Start small with things you know you could use in your current routine, rather than building up with a bunch of stuff you HOPE you will use.

Start with what you know, then build when you are used to using your equipment. You’ll have a much nicer home gym and waste much less money.