If you're looking to get fit in 2017, you can easily do so in the comfort of your own home. You don't need fancy machines or expensive gym memberships to get in the best shape of your life. Here are 4 ways you can work up a sweat without breaking the bank.
1. Beachbody Streaming
If you've been keeping up with my fitness updates - you can access my full archive here by the way - you know that I'm in the process of completing T25. I seriously can't recommend the series enough! Results come quick, as long as you eat clean, and it's time efficient because it only takes 25 minutes; hence the name T25.
I finished Alpha not too long ago (a 5 week program), and I'm in the process of completing week 2 of Beta. I purchased the entire set on Amazon a few months ago, BUT I really wish I hadn't because Beachbody's now streaming their entire collection (over 700 programs) online for $9.99 a month. If you enroll for the entire year, you save $55. I'm subscribing the SECOND I finish T25 - I've been dying to try a bunch of their other programs so this is freaking awesome. Try it out for yourself free of charge here for 30 days.
2. Phone apps
The app store pretty much sells everything I need to keep my life together so it's no surprise that their fitness programs are on point as well. I'm excited to tell y'all about my personal favorite, Freeletics Bodyweight. It offers TOUGH workouts named after greek mythological figures. You get to try 11 of them for free, but you have to pay to unlock the other ones. Each one has 3 different levels: endurance, standard, and strength, all of which have a varying number of rounds. Let's take a look at one of them - I'm going to break down Aphrodite for you. You have 5 rounds total, and they feature 3 different exercises. Round 1 is 50 burpees, 50 squats, and 50 situps, round 2 is 40 burpees, 40 squats, and 40 situps, and so on and so forth until you reach round 5, which is 10 burpees, 10 squats, and 10 situps.
You can watch a video demo of each exercise beforehand to double check your form! What I love most about this app is that you're encouraged to compete with YOURSELF. Each segment is timed so when you go back to re-tackle whatever workout you're assigned to do that day, your challenge is to beat your previous time/s. If you decide to commit to this app, you can purchase it for $3.07/week for 3 months, $2.68/week for 6 months, or $1.73/week for 12 months. You'll get a customized weekly training plan and unlock all 900+ workouts.
Obviously, there are a TON of other effective apps out there, but I haven't had a chance to try them because I already have a ton on my plate fitness wise. I have friends that swear by You Are Your Own Gym and Sweat with Kayla though so those are worth checking out.
3. Pinterest Exercise Routines
I'm a huge fan of pinterest for more reasons than one, but it just so conveniently happens to be a fitness goldmine. There are a ton of workouts available on there so get your search on STAT. If you need help finding some good ones, browse my "Get Your Off Your Butt & Exercise" board. Other relevant boards include: "Bodily Perfection" and "Want Some Fitspo" for inspiration, "Healthy Body, Healthy Soul" for helpful tips on maintaining your overall wellness, and "Let's Eat Clean" for delicious but healthy recipes.
4. YouTube videos
YouTube's a great resource for all things entertaining and informative, and fitness is no exception. There are a bunch of different channels on there that offer free workouts that'll help you shed fat like no other. My personal favorites are Fitness Blender, Popsugar Fitness and Blogilates.
Fitness Blender was created by Daniel and Kelli, an adorable yet totally badass husband and wife team. They've been at it since 2010 and have amassed a following of 3+ million. Their success is well deserved though. Their channel features 500+ FREE full length workouts, and they share new ones weekly so you always have something fresh to try.
Popsugar Fitness offers a variety of different tutorials, workouts, and exercises. Browse their playlist to see what tickles your fancy. They're divided into clear subcategories for your browsing ease! Also, they have a do-it-along-with-us real time workout show called Class FitSugar hosted by Anna Renderer. On it, they cover popular workout classes and trends including the Victoria's Secret workout, Bar Method, and more.
Blogilates aka Cassey Ho is the founder of POP Pilates. She's a superstar youtuber who's become a household name. She's inspiring for a variety of reasons, but I'm featuring her today on SS because her routines are fun and effective. She's released several workout DVDS (you can purchase them on Amazon if you're interested), but you can access a bunch of free videos (300+) on her channel.
So there you guys go! I hope this post is helpful, and I wish you all the best for your fitness journey in the new year. How are y'all planning to stay in shape? Do any of these options sound appealing to you? If yes, which one/s?
