This time of year is when everyone is making big goals, especially involving diet and exercise. It is that time of year when everyone seems to be trying a new diet, a new workout program, a new product for weight loss. It can be exhausting and disheartening to hear everyone talking about weight, especially when you don’t feel like you have the resources to really accomplish your goals.
Not only is motivating yourself to eat well and workout regularly hard, but it can also be really pricey. We are made to believe that we can only succeed if we buy into this program, have these certain brands of food shipped to our house, or have a membership to that gym. The weightloss industry is real, and it is booming during this season, but you don’t have to buy into it.
Trust me, I’ve been that person to invest my money into shakes, workout programs and dvds, weight loss apps, and products that swear up and down this is the next big thing in weight loss. I don’t even want to think about how much I could have saved if I had known about all of the free resources that I do now. So, to hopefully save you all a little money while simulaneously accomplishing your goals, here are my favotire FREE wokrouts, resources, and tips:
Pilates is my absolute favorite type of workout. I don’t like jumping around or doing anything that hurts my knees or ankles (they have aged much quicker than the rest of my body) and pilates is, for me, the perfect workout that works my muscles and gets my heartrate up. Cassey Ho, the founder of blogilates, is my favorite instructor. If you sign up for her mailing list, she’ll send you a free monthly workout calender. Each day consists of a 4-5 short videos that are all on Youtube. I am also the type of person that likes to follow a program-type schedule, so I know I’m working everything and not just doing a bunch of random workouts, so if you’re anything like me you’ll love this site too!
A recent discovery of mine, POPSUGAR (yes, the magazine), has a YouTube channel full of free workout videos of all kind. My favorites on there site are the barre workouts (ballet inspire, low impact). They have a wide range from cardio, HIIT, isolation workouts (abs, arms, glutes), dance, and even beginner workouts. Free and easy and led by real people, not just an electronic voice telling you what move is next (I hate that).
Another great place for workout videos. They have a lot of different kinds as well, including yoga, pilates, barre, HIIT, tibata, bootcamps, etc. They have vidoes that are always available as well as classes that happen at certain times of the day, so if you need a pre-scheduled workout for accountability, this app could really work for you! And it is completely free, which is not the usual for apps. They usually try to tease you with a free 30 day trial and then demand your money, but this one is free from day one until forever (hopefully).
Social Media/Pinterest
This is generic, but really these places can be great to find workouts and people that post their workouts online. I really like @adelefitmomof4 on Instagram because her videos are labeled in the first picture so you don’t have to click on each post to see what kind of workout it is #firstworldprobs. Pinterest is also super easy to use, just type in what you’re looking for and hundreds of results will come up, then you can just save it to a board on your page. You can do the same with YouTube as well and “save” a video by liking it and subscribing to your favorite pages.
P.S. If you’re a runner or walker the world is your oyster. The only downfall is how cold it can be in the winter. But you can dress warmly and in layers then once you get going your body will warm up and it won’t be as bad. Winter is maybe not the best time for new outdoor runners because in addition to getting used to running you also have the cold to battle. But that’s just my opinion, so if you want to be a running winter warrior then go for it, my friend.
A few minor tips you’ve probably heart but I’ll give them to you anyway:
- stretch before and after workouts
- don’t pay for stuff you can do for free at home
- don’t workout to look a certain way, workout to feel a certain way
- workout for your body, not in spite of it
- don’t buy into products that promise miracles, there are no shortcuts to long-term health (trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way)
One last thing, if you’re new to healthy eating, don’t go overboard. Don’t try to make a bunch of fancy new meals with ingredients you’ve never heard of before that each take 5 hours of prep. Get to know your macros (healthy fat, protein, carb) and balance your plate accordingly, then maybe try a new recipe once a week. It can be simple meals, you don’t have to become a gourmet chef or eat like a bunny rabbit to be healthy. This is a short article about macros, their importance, and some example meals.
Trying to get in shape and reach those resolution goals can be a stressful thing all by itself, don’t add the factors of money, time, and stress if you don’t have to. I hope you found something useful in this post! I am by no means an expert, but I’ve spent a big portion of the last few years investing lots of time into diet and fitness, and the things that worked best were clean eating and regular exercise. I know right, what a bummer. I’d love to hear about your routines and any questions you might have, good luck!
Always,
Emily
Always Emily 