Health and fitness are becoming increasingly popular. This is likely due, in part, to social media. The more we see other people living healthy lifestyles, the more we want it for ourselves. Plus, with so much information on the subjects readily available, it’s becoming easier to know where to start on your health and fitness journey.
Of course, it’s often difficult to stay motivated, especially if your space does not help to promote a healthy lifestyle. Here are some ways to make sure that your home helps you stay motivated.
Planning Ahead When Buying
If you’re starting fresh and buying a new home, then this is the perfect opportunity to plan ahead for the healthy life that you want to lead. You want to make sure you do plenty of research and find the perfect home and location for you, that way you don’t end up wasting your FHA loan on the wrong property.
Try to find a home located somewhere that will provide you with plenty of opportunities for physical activity. Look for properties near parks with paths for biking or jogging, lakes for swimming, kayaking, or paddleboarding, or mountains for hiking or skiing in the winter. If the locations you’re looking at don’t offer any of these geographical features, then at least try to look for something close to a gym or another fitness center like a yoga studio.
At the very least, you should try to find a home in a quiet, residential neighborhood so you can go for jogs around the block. The more convenient it is for you to exercise, the more likely you are to do so.
Working Out at Home
If working out in public spaces like a gym or a yoga studio isn’t really your thing, then you should look into creating a gym in your home. A home gym doesn’t have to be anything too crazy. You don’t need to buy a bunch of different exercise machines, cover your floor in mats, or line all of your walls with mirrors–though if this is what will help to motivate you, then you should totally go for it!
When building your own gym at home, you should first consider what kind of exercise you want to prioritize, and look for tools that will offer flexibility in your routine. If cardio is very important to you, but you don’t want to go jogging around your neighborhood, then you might want to purchase a treadmill, an elliptical, or a stationary exercise bike.
Some other basic essentials you should have in your home gym are dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands. All of these can be used to help build muscle and tone your body. Another option for muscle-building is purchasing doorframe pull-up bars, these are both affordable and easy to install. You should also include things to help with stretching and recovery, like yoga mats and foam rollers.
If you want to go beyond the basics to get into lifting and bulking, and are willing to spend a little more money, then you could look into purchasing a weight bench or weight rack so you can lift at home. Just make sure you have someone to spot you!
Healthy Eating
Eating right is just as important to your health as exercising regularly, and the stocking and organization of your kitchen are crucial in supporting healthy habits. Having a nice, big pantry to store all of your food and ingredients seems like it would be ideal, and it can be, but it’s important that you don’t keep your healthy options hidden in the pantry. It’s like the saying, “out of sight, out of mind.”
If your healthy options are tucked away, you’re less likely to remember that you have them. You should try to keep fruit out on the counters or your kitchen island. When placed in a fruit bowl or fruit basket, it can also serve almost as decor, brightening up your space.
If you’d prefer not to keep your fruit out on display, then you should at least try to prioritize it in your pantry, keeping it by the front so it’s one of the first things you see. This method of prioritization goes for all of your healthy foods–whether they be snacks in your pantry or meals in your freezer.
The more easily accessible something is, the more likely you are to reach for it, so keep your frozen veggies and chicken in front of the tater tots, and keep the apples and oranges in front of the chips. It’s great to have balance in your diet, but healthy options can be just as delicious and satisfying as fatty, sodium-filled options, and will keep you feeling better overall.
