By Jodee Weiland

Working out to stay healthy is a way of life for me, and it can be for you, too. There are so many Ways to Workout at Home Easily and Stay Healthy!

That said, my one word of caution to any of you would be to consult with your doctor before starting any workout routine, especially if you have never worked out before or have had health problems. I’m not a fitness trainer or expert, but I know what works for me and what doesn’t because I have been working out at least three to five times a week for most of my adult life. Lately, I work out daily. With age comes certain advantages making that easier to do. For one thing the children are grown up and on their own. And for another thing, I’m now retired after years of teaching. Both factors make it easier to workout daily and feel great!

Nonetheless, even if you have children at home or work, you can still workout three to five times a week or even more, if you choose to do so. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to do so either. When my children were young, I used a number of ways to workout and be at home with them. Later when I returned to the work, I continued to workout at home on weekends and evenings. One inexpensive way I chose to workout was to use DVD’s or video tapes years ago. There are fitness experts by the dozens out there making work out DVD’s for you to be able to use in your own homes. You can choose DVD’s for walking workouts, yoga, dance, and more. Choose DVD’s anywhere from beginners to advanced levels of difficulty. You just have to decide which of these will work for you!

One of my favorites, and definitely one that just about anyone can use, is the Leslie Sansone’s Walk at Home series. Leslie Sansone has DVD’s for people at all levels of fitness, and she makes working out fun and easy using her four basic steps. I’ve used many of her tapes for years, even while I was travelling. It’s so easy to carry a DVD with you when you travel and play it on a lap top or hotel/condo DVD player. You can even use her walk boosters, from resistance bands to handheld weights and more, to intensify your workout. Order online or shop at stores, you will find such a wide variety of tapes, you’ll be able to change up your workout often. As Leslie says often on her tapes, you need to change it up a little so that the muscles will work harder, and she’s right!

Another way I change it up is to use my exercise mini trampoline (see my earlier post for more information), which I use just about every day because I love it so much. You can purchase one inexpensively at a sporting goods store, a warehouse store, or even a retail store, or you can pay more money for an expensive brand, if you really want to do so. Years ago, I was looking for an alternative to a treadmill and found a Rebounder Mini Trampoline. At first I thought it was some sort of toy, but on closer inspection, I realized it was an inexpensive, easy to use, and easy to store piece of workout equipment. At the time, the price was about twenty-five dollars and much easier to afford than a treadmill, so I thought to myself, “Why not?” I decided to give it a try, and that has been a decision I have never regretted to this day.

I’ve replaced it several times over the years from wear and tear. My latest one cost me fifty dollars plus tax at a sporting goods store. I jog in place on my mini trampoline at least an hour a day, but more often than not I will jog longer or sometimes even more than once a day. This inexpensive piece of equipment works no matter what the weather is outside, and I can do it while I watch the news or whatever else is on the television. I love it, and even though I have a workout room in my home with a treadmill and an elliptical, as well as weight training equipment, plus more, I still use my mini jogger every day! I use the other equipment as well, but not as frequently because this is easier to fit in to my schedule no matter what’s going on during the day.

There are so many Ways to Workout at Home Easily and Stay Healthy! Whatever you decide to do to keep fit and healthy, you won’t regret the choice because in the long run you will feel and look better as a result. Keep in mind that it is important to eat well if you want to lose weight or maintain weight and stay healthy. Working out should never be an excuse for poor eating habits. I use a Mediterranean diet for the most part. It’s what I grew up with in my childhood home, and it’s delicious as well. It’s also a healthy way to eat according to most doctors, but that doesn’t mean you can eat unlimited amounts of pasta.

When you eat, eat to live as the saying goes. Don’t live to eat! Moderation is a good rule of thumb. Sometimes we eat fast and feel overstuffed afterwards. That’s because when you eat, it takes time for your stomach to register fullness. Pace yourself and enjoy your meal while you enjoy those you’re sharing your meal with or that wonderful book you’re reading. Eat right and make eating healthy a habit and a way of life, not a diet. Be sure to check out some of my recipes. Once you do, find ways to workout that are right for you and stay healthy by eating right as well! Enjoy life!