Everyone has those days. You know the kind. Days where you want to be motivated, but you simply can’t find it in you. Whether it be from stress, having too much on your plate, or plain old lack of motivation, some days are just tougher than others. You have good intentions, but the thought of getting yourself to the gym seems unfathomable. But maybe, just maybe, if you had a workout backup plan in place, you’d be able to talk yourself into doing SOMETHING. That way, instead of missing a workout completely, you could do a bit of exercise at home in an effort to keep yourself on track toward your fitness goals.
What is a lazy day workout backup plan, you ask? It’s a few basic items to have around the house that will help you sneak in a quick workout, even on your laziest days.
Fitness/Yoga Mat
When you’re low on energy, take a load off. Lay on the floor and get a good workout with floor exercises. Roll a yoga or fitness mat out and do crunches, leg raises, hip raises, planks and pushups. These kinds of floor exercises require less energy than some, but still give a strong workout to multiple muscle groups.
8-pound Dumbbells
A set of 8-pound dumbbells won’t take up much space around your abode, but they can provide enough resistance for a basic workout on those languid days. Use them with squats or lunges for full-body exercises, or give your arms a quick burn with overhead presses, triceps kickbacks, and shoulder presses.
Pilates/Yoga DVDs
Workout DVDs might seem a bit old school, but in a pinch, they’re great for squeezing in an at-home workout on days you can’t get yourself to the gym.
Fitness Journal
This little guy plays double duty for your workout backup plan. Reading up on your progression can be quite the motivator when you look at how far you’ve come. When you get a day where you simply don’t have it in you to hit the gym, read up on your journey. You just might find that motivation you were missing.
Additionally, keep a list of your favorite bodyweight exercises, such as calf raises, tricep dips, lunges, squats, or wall sits, in your journal. That way, if you still aren’t able to push yourself out the door, you’ll have a handy list of exercises that you can do at home that involve nothing more than your body.
Keep a few, or all, of these things around the house, and you’ll have the resources for a workout backup plan that you can use with whatever energy you can muster up the next time you’d rather loaf than go to the gym.
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