BY JP Thomas | jzpthomas.com

Since March of last year I have been working out at home. Prior to the pandemic I loved working out at the gym. Being thrust into solely home workouts has changed my mind in so many ways. I used to think that they were not as effective as the gym, but I have proven that theory so wrong. I’m not going to lie, the 1st few weeks of doing home workouts was not easy for me, but now I am in a groove so much so that I almost never go to the gym. Here are 5 simple changes I made to make my home workouts more effective.

Designate a space to workout

Whether that's your living room or your bedroom, clear a space where you can set up and workout. I can attest to the fact that you do not need a home gym or a full room dedicated to working out. My workout space is my office, and my woman cave during non work hours. I also train my husband at home and to make space for his workouts we move our coffee table and utilize our living room. Whether you have a big space or a small space you can move things around to clear room for your workouts.

Get the right equipment

I know from experience that weights are not the easiest to come by right now, but you can get creative and use resistance bands or body weight. Both are very effective for getting a good workout and challenging yourself.

Here are a few body weight, with weights, and resistance band workouts to get you motivated:

• Resistance Band Glutes

• Resistance Bands No Jumping

• Full Body HIIT

• Cardio & Core Workout

• Full Body HIIT With Weights

Set time aside

The same way you plan your days is the same way that you should plan your workouts. I typically workout before work, but some mornings I don’t want to wake up extra early so I block my lunch hour during the workday to get a quick sweat session in. Find a time of day that works best for you and put it on your calendar as an appointment. This will help to keep you accountable and serve as a reminder to ensure you actually workout.

Plan your workouts

Sometimes getting motivated to workout is a challenge within itself paired with trying to figure out what to do. Instead of trying to think through what exercise(s) you want to do each time, leverage the many fitness videos on YouTube. If you know you want to workout in the morning, spend some time the night before and map out what workout you want to do.

Try something new

One of the best parts of working out at home is privacy. There is no one staring at you or paying attention to what workout you are doing. Use it as an opportunity to switch up your workouts. If you are someone who used to only run on the treadmill try doing a HIIT workout. Or if you have found that you only focus on one area of your body try to switch it up and do a total body workout.

JP Thomas is a healthcare professional and certified personal trainer with a passion for equal access to health for all and a passion for fashion. This passion inspired her to start her blog which focuses on health/fitness and affordable fashion. JP believes that when we look good we feel good inside out. You can follow her on IG @jzpthomas or visit her website at jzpthomas.com