How do you make a home gym affordable and user-friendly?

The home gym. I have to say it's probably my favourite gym. No line ups for machines, no sweaty men staring at you, no worrying about the A/C not working, or of it working too well.

The issue is that many people will argue that it's too tough to have a "home gym". They don't have enough space, or they can't afford big machines. The truth is that a home gym is what you make of it, and it can be so much more simple!

My own personal home gym is actually my living room. While in my undergrad, it consisted of a 3'x6' space between my bed and the wall where my yoga mat would fit. During my grad studies, it was my basement: a huge open space with a cold, tiled floor, and no furnishings. Just a makeshift table that my laptop sat on and oodles of basement space to do some kickboxing videos or animal flow.

Now, in my very own house, I transform my living room into a home gym. It's more affordable than you think and the only "set up" is moving the coffee table out of the way and rolling out my yoga mat:

The first thing to do is decide what you want to do at home. Maybe you just want to do yoga at home, or maybe you want to be able to do a variety of workouts. My collection consists of:

1) Yoga (P90X yoga, a few Rodney Yee videos, and Wanderlust TV's 21 days of yoga which can be streamed online for about $30 for full access anytime you want)
2) Weight aerobics: I love The Firm and all of their videos but their original ones from the 90's are by far the best workouts I've ever done!
3) Cardio: Cardio-dance-kickboxing fun, I have a collection of Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire DVD's from BeachBody's Chalene Johnson. Totally fun, and I can still manage it in a small space.

Building your home gym
The above workouts are just a small tasting of what's out there. I highly recommend visiting www.collagevideo.com to checkout a variety of workout videos. See what you like - what looks like fun and what you would be interested in doing. Based on what which workouts you want to add to your collection, you can start thinking about the equipment you need.

In general, start with a yoga mat. Something for you to work on, or stretch on. Any mat will do, though I'm in love with "The Mat" from Lululemon as it provides extra grip support and doesn't slip.

If you want to include yoga, invest in yoga blocks. These by far are my favourite accessories. They can help with posture and support, even with just sitting on the ground.

Beyond that, work up slowly with anything. Always start a new workout without any weights at all. Just go through the motions and get used to the new routine. Then work up in weight. Start with 1-3lbs. In the picture above, I have a set of 1 lb hand weights (pink), 3lb dumbbells (black), 5lb dumbbells (green), 7lb dumbbells (silver and pink), and 2lb ankle weights that used to belong to my mom.

The nice thing is that you don't need to buy 3-5 sets of dumbbells all at the start. For most beginners I suggest picking one super light hand weight (1-2 lbs) and one slightly heavier dumbbell (3-5lbs), depending on your physical strength and condition. That's really all you need to start. For a lot of videos and workouts, you might not need any weights at all.

To make things even more affordable, focus solely on body-weight exercises, (or hook up a TRX system). These don't require any hand weights at all, just your own body and your own strength. The goal is to find a routine that you love to do. That way, exercise isn't a chore, it's a part of your daily body maintenance, a fun activity, and part of your everyday life.
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How to Start Running

Okay, silly title, but if you're new to cardio or exercise in general it's important to start the right way. The last thing you want is to attempt a workout intensity far beyond your body's capability and end up crashing and burning.

Some of us are inherently runners. Our walking pace is always twice as fast as everyone else around us. We enjoy the outdoors and time with our thoughts, and we always feel the drive to get out there and keep going. I am definitely that girl. If you want to start running, make sure it's because you want to run. Don't run because you think it'll help you lose weight quickly (which it might), or because you think this is the best way to get into shape (which it might not be - everyone is different).

So the first thing you need to start running is the drive to want to run. And once you get going, you must enjoy it. If you're miserable and hating yourself as your forcing your legs to catch you and pounding them on the pavement, you're likely going to cause your body more stress than actual benefit.

Next you'll need your "gear":

1) Running Shoes: a really good pair of running shoes will make all the difference! This is one of those expenses you just have to plan for. Go to a speciality running store and get yourself assessed for your running feet needs, specifically cushioning and stability. Make sure to run around the store and get a feel for the shoe. It must be comfortable and supportive.

Your running shoes should be replaced about every 800 kilometres or 6 months. When they stop feeling comfortable, supportive or when you start noticing more soreness or injuries, it's time to try on a new pair!

2) Sports bra (for the ladies): No matter your chest size, having a properly fitted sports bra is a must. Do your own version of the "bounce test" and make sure you're comfortable.

3) Run wear: This can be anything you're comfortable moving in. Summer's are easy, but I recommend shorts with liners or elastic grips to prevent them from riding up. In the winter and colder days, layer up or wear long socks

4) Road ID bracelet: If you're hitting the trails or running solo, a Road ID bracelet is just a smart move. It's your "in case of emergency" - should something happen to you, you can be identified, have any allergies listed, and you can leave an "in case of emergency" phone number since most of us have password-protected cell phones. Visit www.roadid.com

Important Tips for running:

• Start low (distance) and slow. Pace yourself and/or work in run/walk intervals. Take note of your breathing and your heart rate. If you can't catch your breath, you're going too fast. Slow it down, bring the heart rate down, catch your breath and then try starting again. 
• Focus on landing mid-foot to the balls of the feet. Avoid heel-strikes (when your heel hits the ground first) as it can increase the impact that you're taking and may cause you to be more prone to injuries. 
• Be well hydrated all day long! Imagine your muscles are like meat. If you're dehydrated, your muscles turn into beef jerky - all stiff and more "brittle" so-to-speak. You want to stay well hydrated so your muscles are limber and have full mobility. 
• Have a post run plan: A protein shake or small meal with protein and some carbohydrates will help your muscles to repair themselves after the "stress" of exercise. 
• Always start with a warm up (brisk walk or similar) and always end with a really good stretching routine. A modified Hatha Yoga routine to open the hips and stretch the hamstrings and the quads will be very important to prevent soreness and injury. 
• Examples of poses include: runner's lunge, warrior I and II, right-angle pose, triangle pose, straight leg stretch, and Royal dancer. 
• You can also foam roll after your run, like a post-run deep massage. Roll all surfaces of the legs and the glutes (buttocks). 

Don't forget to set a goal! When you reach your goal it makes running that much more triumphant and fills you with confidence. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish!

How to squeeze in a little exercise on a busy schedule

December is here; We've had our first little flurries and wet snow, we're well into holiday shopping time. Everyone is busy, rushing around, half anticipating, half dreading all the rich foods and treats that come with the holidays. Now is usually the time people find they're just too busy or too rushed to take care of themselves. Workout/exercise routines get lost in the days. The days are dark and colder... wouldn't you rather bundle up all cozy and warm?

Exercise is a great way to keep warm, you just have to actually do it. Often times when I feel like I'd rather curl up in a cozy ball of blankets on the couch I'll actually force myself to go upstairs and change into yoga wear. By the time I have my gear on - which includes a sports bra and tank or t-shirt - and I'm walking around my house, I feel like I can actually do something. I feel motivated not be lazy because I'm already ready. 

When the mornings and evenings are so dark, it's much better to opt for indoor workouts - for safety reasons. Workout videos - either downloaded, DVDs or YouTube videos - are a great way to keep moving and stay fit. You can exercise on your own time. Even on really busy days you can sneak in 20 minutes of movement. 

Movement tips for those with super busy schedules:

1) Wake up and before getting dressed, go through the motions of 3 Ashtanga Sun Salutations. Move slowly, don't push yourself - this is to help wake you up and warm up your muscles. Don't forget to breathe through them!

2) Have a 10 minute break? Find a room, basement - any floor space - make sure you have a pair of shorts or yoga pants and do a few minutes of animal flow across the room. "Ape" and "Beast" are easy to do in smaller spaces and are great even for beginners. Even 5 minutes can make a huge difference in your day. 

3) Sitting at a desk all day? Sit on a Yoga ball. You can move, rock, sway and engage your core while doing your work. Bounce a little too!

4) Need to stretch your legs? Squeeze in a few squats while you're at it. Go slow. Have a chair to desk in front of you for balance if you need it. Start with 4-8 reps. Click here for proper squatting technique and the awesomeness of squatting!

5) Sitting in front of the TV after a long day? Why not do a plank and hold it for 30 seconds during a commercial break. For each minute of commercials, do 30 seconds of plank. It will help strengthen your core and upper body. Work your way up to 60 seconds. 

As always, I still recommend getting outside during the day. Fresh air feels great and there's no reason to be afraid of the cold if you're dressed for the weather. Get out those leg warmers and bum warmers and boots! Don't forget your scarf, mittens and a hat, and layer up :) 

Baby, I've got moves you've never seen...

Lately, I've been feeling like I could just Scorpion all day long. Lift my leg up, twist over, fall into a perfect position, then pull under and do it all over again. Let me explain... I'm talking about moving my body in the most fun and creative way: Like an Animal.

A friend of mine posted a video of Ido Portal on my Facebook page (which I've inserted below) and there was an immediate attraction. It wasn't to Ido himself, but what he was doing. After watching the video all I wanted to do was move. I wanted to move my body just like him. It was as if I had punished my body for so long and this was going to free it. And that statement is a pretty harsh reality seeing as how I do an hour of weight aerobics 4-5 days per week; sometimes looking very similar to Eric Prydz's "Call on me" video - minus the sultry faces and thongs.

I pride myself on activating all muscle groups in a workout... but sadly I was proven wrong. 

I mastered the Beast, practiced my Crab walking, and fell in love with Scorpion. It's just so much fun! You only need to move around for a few minutes before you start to feel it. After 5 minutes, your heart is racing, and after 10 minutes I feel like I've done a workout. The best part: even after I was done, I craved to do it again another day.

The reason being is that I've actually worked out muscles that I don't regularly engage. It was so uplifting and sooo bubbly-making! Here's a preview but don't be discouraged by the first 20 seconds, when you break down each animal move, you realize that you can do this anywhere that you have space. I mean, I even do it for a few minutes in my kitchen while I'm waiting for dinner to cook. 

 

There's something about moving your body around that is just so rewarding. I never knew such a workout existed or that it would be so effective. But the best part is that it doesn't even have to be a workout! Seriously, just give your body a reward every so often and do a couple moves when you can. Like when you're really stiff from sitting on the couch or at your desk for long periods of time. 

"Fitness is a small, small, small world within the universe of movement... a polluted world" - Ido Portal

I'm getting a little tired of fitness gimmicks that trick people into thinking they are a magical solution to losing weight and getting fit. Yes, a healthy diet and exercise will make you feel better and look better, and I would be happy if more people would do anything that was active. But the take home point is not to have unrealistic goals. Just move.  Move and have control over those movements. Move and you will feel amazing.

"If you cannot move your body and control it ... then what business do you have moving other objects outside of yourself?" - Ido Portal.

Ido Portal on Paleo Diet and Movement

Personally, I just go onto YouTube and search Animal Flow for videos and copy what they do, but if you're interested in looking further into the official program, check out this link: http://www.globalbodyweighttraining.com/the-animal-flow-workout-fitness-video/

The other reason why I'm so in love with Animal Flow is simply because it is controlled movement and we forget about that when we're working out. The goal is not to do something as quickly as possible to get through the routine; it's to go slow and have control over your body. If you're lifting weights, lift with control and purpose. Don't let gravity or your weights take control of you, you need to control them. For example, if you're doing a bicep curl, you should be the one to tell that weight when it can be lowered and at what rate, don't let gravity move you.

You also don't want to use weights that are too heavy for you. The third part of why Animal Flow is incredible - YOU DON'T NEED ANY EQUIPMENT OTHER THAN YOUR BODY! Talk about a cost-effective workout!

Now go move!

Exercise as a chore, a "drug" or a lifesaver?

I know I'm not perfect but I am proud of my dedication and will-power. Growing up, I don't think I realized that everyone has a different perception of diet and exercise, and it makes me a little sad. I'm still fairly astounded when I hear of people who don't exercise - ever. Mostly I'm thinking "Do you have any idea what you're missing out on?!"

To me, exercise is like eating - it's a necessity of life, and I can't imagine a life without incorporating even a weekly workout. So I thought it would be important to explain just how amazing exercise truly is.

Seriously, how amazing is this photo from one of my favourite workouts? Susan Harris in the 80's... legwarmers, bodysuits, men with mustaches... Amazing :)

I think we get stuck in the whole "gym" idea. People think that in order to exercise they need to join a gym. Like that's the secret to getting fit for someone who never exercises. "I want to lose 10lbs so I'm joining a gym!" Seriously? A gym is not a weight loss pill and a gym will not force you to attend. They're perfectly happy just to take your money and not see you again, unless they can talk you into personal training sessions and take more of your money. So this is the part when you need to take control over your workout.

I'm not saying that gyms are bad and personal training sessions won't help you. They can be amazing and some people praise their personal trainers, but you have to beware of your expectations. I wish we would get away from the thought that exercising is a chore: You know you have to do it, but you dread it. You psych yourself up to it and you kinda do it, but then the next day you're so proud and content with the fact that you had your exercise and don't go back to it for a while.

I'm the opposite. You can almost say that it's like a drug to me. I need to workout, otherwise I will get very fidgety and restless, just itching to do something active... Like a workout withdrawal. And then there are those days when you push yourself just a tiny bit harder and you wake up with nice sore muscles. It's like they're telling me "Man, we really did work yesterday - good job!" and then your muscles give you a little high-five for being such a trooper. ... at least, that's how I like to think it is.

Maybe you're not up for an hour-long weight aerobics or cardio workout, but start with some great stretching. Get your muscles warmed up. Yoga is amazing for that! You'll increase your flexibility and mentally feel really relaxed afterwards.

Exercising isn't just like a drug to me, but a lifesaver. I can't even count how many times a workout has saved me when I'm feeling my worst. Working out dissolves my PMS and cramping; If I'm feeling angry, I let my aggression out with some kickboxing cardio (thank you Turbo Fire), and if I'm just plain grumpy, or bored, a workout will reset my whole body and mentality.

Everyone should have "me-time". Time when you can block out the rest of the world and focus on you. That's what this does for me. I love my old 80's videos (now on DVD thanks to www.collagevideo.com) and I will do them in whatever space I have.

I think the biggest hiccup is that people say they don't have enough time. I think when it comes to your physical health and your sanity, you need to do what you have to do.

• Wake up earlier. (Just make sure to eat the tiniest bit of something pre-workout)
• Have your kids workout with you (this doesn't always work... my niece always wanted me to pick her up and hold her while I tried to workout and obviously that wouldn't work)
• Have someone watch your kids while you're busy for an hour.
• Have dinner in a slow-cooker and workout as soon as you get home from work (if you're snacking throughout the day, you won't necessarily be starving when you come home. Plus, sitting while commuting can be terrible for your hip flexors among other things)
• Workout on your lunch break (I also used to do this when my work was only a 5 minute drive from home... totally worth it)
• Workout with a friend (that way you have no excuse to miss it)
• Try going to a gym and use your membership fee as an excuse to go there. Get your money's worth!
• Buy a 10-class pass to a yoga or fitness class - again, that way you have to use them up because you already paid for them. 
• Make sure you do something fun or that you enjoy. If you hate the type of workout you're doing, you're not going to want to do it. If it's a video you're doing, make sure you like the instructor. If you're running, make sure you have a sweet-ass music playlist to keep you going. 
• For 30 minutes (or one-hour if you can) be selfish. It's so hard when you have family and friends who count on you, but at the same time, you can't take care of anyone if you're not taking care of yourself. 

I can't stress that last point enough. I've seen it happen far too often with people around me. They work themselves into the ground trying to please or help everyone around them. And these same people maybe think I'm selfish but I don't care. I know how badly I need to take care of myself otherwise I'll be run into the ground too. 30-60 minutes is really a very short splotch of time in a 24-hour day. Do something for you and your body. If you keep up with it, you won't regret it.

For a list of my favourite workouts, check out this link from my website: http://www.thehealthyfox.ca/#!workouts/c24co