Lying in bed scrolling through my phone, I suddenly realized it had been a long time since I properly exercised. Each day was just a cycle of work and lying around at home - I felt like I was starting to grow mold. As someone who had spent three consecutive years being a hardcore homebody, I deeply experienced the problems that come with lack of exercise: back pain, low energy, decreased immunity, and most critically, gradual weight gain.
Finally one day, I decided to change my situation. The gym was too far from home, taking too much time to commute; membership fees were thousands of yuan, offering poor value for money. After much consideration, I decided to create a dedicated exercise space at home. After more than a year of exploration and practice, I transformed from a novice who got winded after 30 seconds of jump rope into a fitness enthusiast who could complete full workout routines. Today, I'd like to share my journey and experiences with everyone.
Honestly, my home isn't big - just a regular two-bedroom apartment with a living room of about 15 square meters. At first, I thought there was no space to exercise, but later I discovered that with some creative thinking, you can always find room for a workout area.
My solution was to move the coffee table in front of the TV wall back a bit, creating about 2 square meters of space. This spot had the perfect view of the TV, allowing me to watch shows while exercising - killing two birds with one stone. Plus, the location had great ventilation, with natural airflow from windows on both sides, preventing stuffiness during workouts.
Besides the living room, I cleared a small area at the foot of my bed in the bedroom, just big enough for a yoga mat. This way, I could do simple stretching exercises right after waking up, without having to go to the living room.
The balcony is also a good option. Although my balcony isn't large, it's more than enough for a yoga mat. Exercising on the balcony has the advantage of good lighting - working out in the morning sunlight is particularly uplifting. On rainy days, exercising to the sound of rain has its own special charm.
Most importantly, these exercise areas are fixed. Seeing these dedicated workout spaces every day creates a sense of ritual, reminding me to exercise. Just like how seeing a desk makes us think of studying, or seeing a bed makes us think of sleeping, the environment's influence on behavior is subtle yet powerful.
Moreover, fixed exercise areas help develop regular workout habits. Now, just standing in my living room workout space automatically puts my body in exercise mode, requiring no additional mental preparation. This is the power of environmental cues.
When it comes to fitness equipment, many people think it requires a lot of money. But that's not necessarily true. I started with the most basic equipment and gradually added more. Looking back, the value for money has been quite good.
Let's talk about the most basic equipment first. The first item is a yoga mat, which is absolutely necessary. My first yoga mat cost 50 yuan, but it wore out in less than a month, and was too thin - my knees would hurt when doing kneeling exercises. Later, I bought a 200 yuan mat with medium thickness and good anti-slip properties, which has worked well until now.
I recommend having at least two sets of workout clothes. I initially used regular T-shirts and sweatpants, but ended up completely soaked after exercising, which was very uncomfortable. Later, I bought quick-dry workout clothes - although more expensive, they're much more comfortable to wear. Having two sets allows for rotation without daily washing. I bought my current workout clothes during the Double 11 sales, costing just over 200 yuan per set, which isn't too expensive.
Exercise shoes are also important. My first pair was randomly bought from a mall, offering no cushioning for jumping exercises, making my knees uncomfortable. After extensive online research, I bought a pair of professional training shoes. Although they cost over 600 yuan, they're very stable and comfortable for all types of exercises.
After consistently exercising for a while, I started considering some advanced equipment. The first purchase was a pair of small dumbbells, 5 pounds each, mainly for arm and shoulder exercises. Honestly, 5 pounds was heavy enough at first, but now I can easily lift 10-pound dumbbells.
Resistance bands are what I consider the best value equipment - just a few dozen yuan, but extremely versatile. They can be used for warm-up stretches and increasing exercise difficulty. They're also very portable, perfect for traveling.
I bought a foam roller after experiencing muscle soreness from several workouts. Honestly, it hurt like crazy the first time I used it, but my muscles felt much better afterward. Now I use the foam roller to relax after every workout.
A pedometer or smart band is also quite necessary. I use a smart band that cost a bit over 200 yuan, which records exercise time, heart rate, calories burned, and other data. Watching these numbers change gives me a great sense of achievement.
However, I want to emphasize that you can absolutely exercise without this advanced equipment. For example, dumbbells can be replaced with water-filled bottles, resistance bands with old silk scarves, and foam rollers with tennis balls. The important thing is to start exercising, not wait until you have all the equipment ready.
To maintain a good exercise state, the environment is really important. I've summarized several practical tips from my experience of trial and error.
First, you must set your phone to Do Not Disturb mode. I used to get distracted by WeChat messages, which completely disrupted my workout plan. Now I always set my phone to Do Not Disturb beforehand, only using it for workout music or following video instructions.
Second, communicate with family members in advance. My mom used to frequently ask for help in the middle of my workouts, interrupting my exercise plans. Later, I agreed with family members that my exercise time is my private time, and they shouldn't disturb me unless it's really urgent.
Third, prepare everything needed for exercise in advance. I now prepare a clean towel and a bottle of water beforehand. Previously, I often realized mid-workout that I forgot a towel, or only remembered I needed water when I got thirsty.
Temperature and ventilation are also important. In summer, I turn on the air conditioner beforehand, but avoid directing the airflow at the exercise area. In winter, I adjust the temperature to a comfortable level beforehand, so it's neither too cold nor too hot during exercise.
Lighting needs attention too - too dark makes it hard to see movements, too bright can be harsh on the eyes. I usually choose to exercise when natural light is good, or use soft lighting if exercising at night.
Regarding planning, I initially had grand ambitions, thinking I could develop abs in a month. As you can imagine, I quickly gave up because the goal was too unrealistic.
Later, I got smarter and started setting smaller goals. For example, my first week's goal was just to exercise 10 minutes each day, doing any kind of movement - just getting active was enough. After achieving this goal, I gradually increased the time and intensity.
I remember my first training plan: 10 wall-supported squats, 5 knee push-ups, and a 20-second plank. It might be a bit embarrassing to admit, but this was my starting point. It was precisely because of this simple plan that I could stick to it and gradually improve.
Now my training plan includes: 50 standard squats, 30 standard push-ups, 2-minute planks, plus some strength training. Looking back at where I started, it feels quite miraculous - consistency really can bring such big changes.
Regarding workout scheduling, I think consistency is most important. It can be after waking up in the morning or before bed at night - the key is forming a habit.
I chose morning workouts because willpower is strongest in the morning, and exercising gives me energy for the whole day. I usually wake up half an hour early, drink some warm water, do some light movement, and wait for my body to warm up before starting training.
If you really can't wake up early, evening workouts are fine too. Just be careful not to exercise too late, as it can affect sleep. I recommend finishing workouts at least two hours before bedtime.
Weekend schedules can be slightly adjusted. Since there's no work, I exercise a bit later and may extend the workout time. However, regardless of adjustments, maintaining daily exercise is crucial to avoid breaking the established habit.
To maintain exercise motivation, progress tracking is especially important. I now use a fitness app on my phone to record daily exercise details, including workout time, sets of exercises, weights, etc. Watching those numbers grow day by day gives me a real sense of achievement.
For example, I went from being able to do only 10 squats to now doing 50. From barely holding a 30-second plank to easily maintaining 2 minutes. From struggling with 5-pound dumbbells to now lifting 10-pound dumbbells for combination exercises. All these improvements are recorded in detail, becoming motivation to continue.
I also take regular photos to document physical changes. Although changes are gradual, when you compare photos from a month ago to now, you can see obvious differences. For instance, arm lines are more defined, waist circumference has decreased, and posture has improved.
Speaking of maintaining motivation, I have a trick: setting up rewards. After each week of consistent exercise, I buy myself a small gift. The reward doesn't need to be expensive, but it must be something I like.
For example, after completing the first week, I bought a bottle of shampoo I really wanted. Second week, a sports bra; third week, a pair of athletic socks... These small rewards aren't expensive, but anticipating them after exercising makes it especially exciting.
Sometimes rewards don't have to be material things. For instance, after a month of consistent exercise, allowing myself to sleep in on weekends; or meeting friends for a nice meal. The key is looking forward to the reward, which provides more motivation to continue.
There are actually many opportunities for exercise during work, the key is finding them. For example, when working from home, I pay attention to these points:
Always stand up and walk while taking phone calls, don't sit. This not only provides physical activity but also makes your voice more energetic.
I set a reminder to move for 5 minutes every hour of work. This can be simple stretches or walking around - the point is not maintaining the same position.
When going to the bathroom, I deliberately take a longer route or use stairs instead of the elevator. While these seem like small amounts of exercise, they add up to significant activity throughout the day.
Keep a small dumbbell near the computer and exercise arms during work breaks. Of course, control the movements to avoid disturbing others.
If you have energy during lunch break, find a quiet corner to do some simple stretching exercises - this will help maintain energy for afternoon work.
Housework is actually exercise - just pay attention to your movements to achieve workout effects.
For example, when mopping floors, practice squatting movements. When bending to mop, remember to engage your core and maintain correct posture - this not only protects your back but also exercises abdominal muscles.
When folding clothes, practice bending movements. Many people bend with curved backs, but the correct movement is to bend knees while keeping the back straight. Doing this several times is equivalent to doing several proper glute bridges.
My favorite is window cleaning - the movement is perfect natural arm training. During the back-and-forth wiping process, arm and shoulder muscles get exercised. The harder you wipe, the better the workout effect.
Mopping can also incorporate training elements. For instance, practice lunges while mopping - pushing the mop forward while doing lunge movements both cleans the floor and exercises thigh muscles.
Not having professional equipment really isn't a problem - household items can all be put to use.
For example, water-filled bottles can replace dumbbells. A 1.5-liter water bottle weighs about 3 pounds when full - two bottles make 6 pounds, completely sufficient for beginners. Plus, bottle weight can be adjusted by water amount, which is very convenient.
Chairs are great training tools. They can be used for tricep exercises, commonly known as "bench dips." They're also good for split squats or assisting with balance training.
Walls are very practical too. They can be used for wall squats, which are especially friendly for beginners since wall support prevents loss of balance. They're also good for standing stretches, particularly suitable for improving posture problems.
The bedside can be used for modified push-ups. The bed height is perfect for beginners, easier than doing them on the floor. As strength increases, gradually transition to floor push-ups.
Towels can also be useful. They can be used for stretching exercises or rolled up as yoga blocks. I often use towels for arm stretches with great results.
Speaking of improving training effectiveness, music is really helpful. I created a specific workout playlist with rhythmic songs. Exercising with music makes me feel full of energy.
My playlist is divided into three parts: warm-up music, training music, and cool-down music. During warm-up, I play songs with moderate rhythm to help the body gradually enter exercise mode. During training, I switch to more rhythmic songs that match exercise tempo - it feels great. Finally during cool-down, I play light music to help body and mind relax.
I've also found that music helps control exercise time. For example, one song is about 3-4 minutes - doing one set of exercises for one song's duration ensures sessions aren't too long or too short.
Looking back on this year-plus of exercise experience, my biggest realization is: it's never too late to start - the important thing is taking action.
I remember when I first started exercising, I couldn't even do 5 standard push-ups and was out of breath after 10 squats. But through daily persistence and gradual progress, I can now complete a full workout routine. Not only is my body healthier, but my mental state is also much better than before.
Actually, creating a home fitness space isn't difficult - the key is starting simple and gradually increasing difficulty. Just like learning, you need to progress step by step, not aim too high too fast.
Finally, I want to say that exercise really can change a person, not just physically, but more importantly, mentally. When you discover you can do things you couldn't do before, that sense of achievement is irreplaceable.
So, if you want to start exercising, start today. First clear out a small exercise space, prepare a yoga mat, and then, get moving!
Trust me, a year from now, you'll thank yourself for making the change today.
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