When you cannot afford a membership to a gym and you are trying to get in shape, there are many good home workouts that do not require any equipment and are easy to do in a smaller space. With simple accessories that you have at home, you can complete an effective workout. The best exercises use your own body weight.
Abdominal Crunches
Lying flat on your back, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands over your chest or just behind your neck or at your temples (just don’t pull your head forward). Roll your upper body forward or for an additional challenge concentrate on pushing your chest forward. Hold for a moment and slowly return to the starting position. There are many varieties of the abdominal crunch exercise that can work different parts of your abdominals.
Standing Rows
All you need for this exercise is a towel and a vertical pole or anything that is fixed and can hold your weight. Wrap the towel around the stable object and bring your feet close to the pole. With a strong grip on the towel, lean back and than row yourself forward. For an extra challenge combine the row with a squat. Lean back, squat until your bottom is a few inches from the floor, pull yourself back up and row towards the bar; return to the starting position. Keep your back arched and row with your back muscles.
Wall Push-ups
Stand 1-2 feet from a wall and face the wall. Lean forward and place your hands flat on the wall, a little wider than shoulder width apart. Lower yourself towards the wall and then push yourself away; bend only at the elbows. Try to keep your body flat and in a straight line.
Planks
This home exercise is great for working on your core muscles and helps give you stability and balance. Get down on the floor on all fours and place your hands a little wider than shoulder width apart. Supporting yourself with your hands, extend your legs and get up on your toes. Make your body stiff as a plank and hold for 30-45 seconds. There are many variations of this exercise that can make it more challenging for you.
Squats
Squats are great for training yourself to bend properly and can be used in your daily activities. Stand in an upright position with your feet a hip width. Bend at the knees and press your heels into the ground. Do not bring your knees past your ankles. Keep your back straight and press your bottom out. Go down as low as you can handle and then bring yourself back up.
Healthy Eating
We all know that eating and drinking healthily is really important to our family’s overall health. A balanced diet is, of course, something that we all want for our families in order to live life to the fullest and to reduce the risk of serious health problems later in life.
Eating healthily isn’t the same as going on a diet: it is a lasting lifestyle choice to be enjoyed, not endured!
A balanced diet involves eating a variety of foods including fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds; choosing healthier fats and oils, limiting salt and sugar intake; and drinking plenty of water.
But sometimes it can be tricky to know where to start, especially when it comes to incorporating healthier choices into your hectic daily routine. We’re often bombarded with so much conflicting advice when it comes to what we should or shouldn’t be eating that is simply doesn’t seem realistic to eat healthily every day.
