Five years ago I was fattening myself up like a turkey impatiently waiting to feed a family of 25. I was overweight, under-toned and semi-crippled. I hobbled along with an ankle that was not healing properly. Bending down under my desk to pick up a pen made weird grunting noises come out of my mouth, and playing football in the park with my son made me huff and puff like an old asthmatic smoker.
Although I am not a poster boy for Calvin Klein underwear, a lot has changed in five years. All thanks to easy workouts and various home based workout programs. Today, I don’t hobble at all, I can bend down and get up and bend down and get up and bend down and get up without even thinking about it and I can maintain a moderate level of exercise for as long as I need to in almost any context.
Fitness is such a crucial part of my life now, and I can’t really imagine going back to where I was 5 years ago. All those of you that were once in horrible shape and transformed yourselves will understand what I am saying. All those currently in horrible shape (weak, hurting, overweight, etc) and not doing anything about i
t should take a 15 second pause to ask themselves if they feel like doing something about it…. If you want to do something about it and don’t really know how, I would be happy to help anyone make the first steps to finding their own way. Keep reading, I have a few suggestions.
GYMS
For starters – I personally do not like gyms. They are always too busy. They are expensive. And they require an amount of time management that can get annoying. BUT, if you like them – sign up. They work if you have a good program. And they work even better if you have money and can afford a good personal trainer.
OUTDOOR AC
TIVITIES
YES! I love being outside. And if I can be outside and work up a sweat, I love it more. Brisk walks or hikes, or jogging or swimming, or riding your bicycle. Is there anything better than playing a sport with friends; squash, tennis, golf, hockey, soccer, etc. These activities, and soooo many more are just there – waiting. Waiting for you to decide to start.
HOME BASED WORKOUT PROGRAMS
These are the ones that I like. I like them because I get to do them in my house, when I want, without strangers gawking at me. These are probably the most versatile and flexible of all activities (and 
I actually find them fun.) Five years ago I started by doing free weights in my living room and today I do the P90X3 workouts regularly with a good friend of mine – daily.
Home based workouts don’t need to be complicated, or long. Anyone can start by doing a few push-ups, a few squats, a few crunches and a few lunges in front of the TV – equipment is not even necessary. Eventually you graduate to a few more, and then to something harder. Crossfit has a few “girls” workouts that are easy as pie.
There are actually hundreds of short workouts out there that can probably tickle your fancy. Men’s Health is full of different workouts of all kinds. It’s just a question of finding one that you like and doing it.
Beachbody has dozens of workout programs to choose from – all workouts I recommend. Sites like Muscle and Strength, or Men’s Fitness are also options. The Internet is actually chalk full of options for someone that wants to workout from the luxury of their living room.
SECRET TO FITNESS
The secret is simple – commit over time, be regular in your frequency, and bring intensity to every workout. That’s it. Whether it’s hiking or swimming or sports or doing some kind of home based workout program, you have to, 1) do it for more
than a few weeks, 2) do it more than twice a week and 3) when you do it – you gotta sweat.
I understand that this sounds like some sort of RAH RAH Infomercial. But the truth of the matter is, being unfit (and consequently often unhealthy) is a major societal problem that is sooooo easy to fix. We are smart educated individuals who must understand that we need to take a few minutes a day to make sure our body gets the love it so desperately requires from us.
– Alex Vinetti
Committing Sociology 