There’s no getting around it: Americans have a weight problem. About one out of every three adults in the United States are considered to be obese. According to a 2017 survey from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States ranked as the fattest county in the world and the obesity rate for American adults clocked in at 38.2 percent.
Despite the high obesity rates, Americans are doing their best to lose weight. Sixty six percent of Americans are on a diet and 80 percent of dieters are trying to lose weight on their own.
But when it comes down to it, it’s definitely not easy and takes some work. Fifty percent of Americans say they are unsuccessful at losing weight because they don’t have enough self discipline. That lack of self discipline extends to the gym where it can be difficult to keep a consistent schedule.
Rather than trying to force yourself to get the local gym every day or a few times a week, your drive and enthusiasm to lose weight might get a boost if you’ve got a gym at home. Whether you’ve got state-of-the-art equipment or some basic pieces, fitness stores are stocked with everything you need to create the perfect home gym.
If you go that route, here are options you’ve got to help you on your way to getting in shape:
- Yoga mat: Yoga is great for exercising various muscle groups and can be very relaxing from a mental standpoint as well. You don’t have to be a master of every position, but having a yoga mat and practicing yoga can help with stretching exercises and ab work.
- Power cage: If you’re big on strength training, a power cage allows you to do a great deal of strength and conditioning work including bench press, deadlift and barbell squats.
- Power tower: Depending on the space you’ve got for your home gym, you may not have room for something as big as a power cage. Another option is the power tower which allows you to do chin-ups, dips and pull-ups among other arm exercises.
- Heavy Bag: You don’t have to be a boxing expert, but getting a heavy bag can make you feel like one. This is great for building power and speed while burning fat at the same time. Many fitness stores sell heavy bags with wraps and gloves, so you’ll be able to get everything in one stop.
- Power reels: There’s absolutely nothing wrong with getting equipment like dumbbells or resistance bands, but power reels give you the best of both worlds. They provide a lot of resistance, which gets your muscles working and growing.
- Jump rope: This is an oldie but a goodie which can help you whether you just want to jump rope for basic exercise or whether you’re doing something more strenuous like CrossFit training. Fitness stores sell a variety of ropes, including speed ropes which are adjustable and can challenge people, regardless of their workout regimens.
- Bike: Sometimes there’s nothing better than going for a bike ride on a sunny day. But in the doldrums of winter or when the weather’s bad, you might not want to do that. Instead, you can add a stationary bike to your home gym and easily log as many miles as you need to. Fitness stores sell a variety of exercise bikes, elliptical machines, Nordic tracks and other machines to get you moving. Whichever one you choose, you can do so knowing it’s going to be a great addition to your gym and to your workout routine.
To improve your cardiovascular health, the Cleveland Clinic recommends that you partake in 30 minutes of moderate physical activity for five days a week, equating to at least 2.5 hours every week. You can do this very easily by adding fitness equipment to a home gym and finding both equipment and a routine that works best for you to get in shape.
