Workout In The Midst of Global Crisis

There's more to getting in shape than gym memberships or those costly home gym equipments. The current global economic crisis shouldn't be an excuse not to get into shape. There are myriad of ways to get those excess pounds off and still save money with the following tips:

1. Work Out At Home

You may find it hard to figure out what exercises you should be doing at home. Charla McMillan, creator of FitBoot.com, a training program for fitness professionals told WebMD to follow a few simple guidelines. “You have to ensure that all your major muscle groups are targeted at least once each week -- and no more than three times a week, and your program has to include 30-60 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise three to five times a week.”

Always remember to stretch first before doing any fitness program to help with both strength and flexibility. Adrian Garce, a personal trainer, suggests that at least two to three minutes of stretching is also needed as you end your exercise.

Some of the basic, no-equipment exercises to get you started are squats, push-ups, jumping jacks, chair crunches, and chair dips.

2. Plan Your Workout Schedule

With expensive gym memberships, people are less likely to miss a schedule. In the same way, approach your “budget” workout with the same convictions. Make a realistic schedule and fulfill it by all means. Get rid of interruptions like phone calls, visitors and errands.

3. Motivate Yourself

Keep your workout on track by laying out your exercise clothes the night before. According to Susie Shina, director of FitnessOneEighty.com and author of 60-Second Circuits: 1,000 Easy Exercise Combos You Can Do Anywhere, this acts as a reminder that you don't want to skip out on your session.”

For music lovers, choose a playlist of your favorite exercise songs and load them into your mp3 player, or create a workout CD. Timing the music to fit the length of your workout will help keep you on track for the whole routine.
“Motivation and music go hand in hand, so again, it's another way to ensure you stay motivated,” said Shina.