Why join a gym when you can...

[FitChick]

...lift cans of beans? This woman shows that when you are motivated you can win the battle of the bulge. A stone = 14 lbs, by the way.

[thefooloftheyear]

Good for her...

 

You simply cannot underestimate the amount of fitness(and calorie burn) that can be achieved from just daily routine(for some)...I am involved in a business where, even though I am the owner, is very physically challenging..Heavy lifting, bending, reaching, repetitive motions...all day long..

 

I had a friend who never worked in this business(office type of guy) come down and give me a hand because we are swamped right now and he recently got laid off. He looked exhausted when he left and couldnt work the next day...too sore/beat...

 

When I go to the gym as I normally do after work, I just go right at it with really no warmup. One time a guy I know asked me why I never warm up..I said.."what for??, ive been warming up for the last 9 hours or so":laugh:

 

Thanks for posting..

 

TFY

[FitChick]

I just watched that Lazy Girl video -- exercise while drinking, reading and watching TV.

[melell]

Yeah, I do a lot people on a 'prison work out' than going to the gym. Act like your house is a cell, you'll find ways

[Phoe]

I'm with TFY, my job is physically demanding with lots of heavy lifting, walking what must total several miles, and then immediately after work I go to the gym, immediately get my sets in, and am back on the road home within 40 minutes.

 

I spend only 30-40 minutes in the gym a day, RARELY add in any cardio, but don't need to with my daily job requirements.

 

 

My routine is probably considered slightly unconventional lol

[Emilia]

Hard to tell what her body looks like in that shapeless outfit, she would probably look better with more muscle tone. My gym costs £19.95 a month and gives me a hundred more options that my living room does.

[FitChick]

Found some more of the Lazy Workout videos. Looks like they are doing a series of them. This one makes me nostalgic for London. With endless walking, running for trains, and escalators that don't work, I can easily lose two pounds per week while eating like a pig.

[SpiralOut]

I once had a housekeeping job. I lost so much weight it wasn't healthy, but for others who wanted to lose weight they were happy to have dropped anywhere from 20-40lbs. It is very demanding physically.

 

Also had a warehouse job where I gained muscle from lifting heavy boxes all day.

 

I know someone who lost 40lbs from walking 10km every week.

 

I think gyms are a good option for those who like the atmosphere. Don't think I would ever join one again, though, unless it provided me with lots of class options like kickboxing and yoga. Just yesterday I went hiking with a fitness group. It was free and it was more fun to be around nature than to look at a gym TV screen.

Edited October 8, 2013 by SpiralOut

[Eternal Sunshine]

This reminds me of my recent holiday. I went hiking and walked around quite a lot and pigged out on 3 big meals a day. I was afraid that I have gained weight, but once I got home, I lost 5lbs. In 11 days. Don't underestimate consistent physical activity

[Emilia]

I guess the point is whether you care about shape or just weightloss. The two things are not the same. I wanted to lose weight from my middle but keep my bum shapely and increase the size if possible.

 

A colleague of mine walks to and from work several miles a day and she does lose weight when she does this, however her body shape doesn't change. She is smaller but not more shapely if that makes sense.

[KatZee]

I would rather work out at home than in a gym where people just stare at me. I have a fitness bar in one of my doorways and that's where I do my upper body work and pull ups. I have free weights to tone arms/tri's. For more core and upper body strength I do various forms of crunches, leg lifts, push up's, push up planks and for cardio I do uphill runs in my neighborhood. My next investment is a weight vest!

 

I'm a bit more hardcore than a can of beans, but I get the point lol.

[dichotomy]

I have a wonderful 5 star health and fitness club - amazing large place. 10 mins or less drive ! but even that close, I found it easier to build a home gym in my basement over the last 4 years. It will take me about 7 years or more to break even on the money spent - but going right downstairs in the morning in my PJ's all scruffy at 5:00am - blast some AC/DC...or watch the news, and I work out before my family is up. It has made it so much easier to stay with it. Except for a hotub and pool I am missing nothing at home gym.

Edited October 8, 2013 by dichotomy

[FitChick]

My living room used to look like a gym with all the equipment I had. Sold it off. Then I downsized and now have a weight rack with five different pairs of dumbbells, Perfect Pushups, ankle weights and about 40 DVDs of various types of workouts. I've never set foot in a gym.

 

Bonus: At home I can work out naked!

[crederer]

I saw this thing on tv probably 10 years ago where this woman was in poverty but she started working out hard at home instead of paying for a gym membership. She would put heavy things in bags as dumbells and some other crazy stuff and she ended placing like 4th place in a body building competition a few years later (while strictly on a home workout routine).

[SearchingforPlayer2]

I started working at a factory a few years back to pay my way through art school. My position basically had me lifting and moving 10-14lb metal frames constantly for 8 hours straight. After the first night I was in agony. After the first couple of months my abs and arms were in the best shape they had ever been. Sad that the job fell under a few months after that, but then I took up Kayaking...

[theonlyjuan]

Create a caloric deficit. It's calories out vs calories in.

 

You need to eat reasonably healthy but you could lose weight doing all sorts without going to a gym.

[Jeff78]

Lots lots of comments in this thread make the point that if our work keeps us busy and moving organized workouts aren't nearly so necessary. Although automation has been a blessing in many ways it certainly has a downside with regards to our health. I'm not sure the current fad of treadmill desk will correct the problem but at least it shows awareness that it exists.

[StandingO]

I can identify with much of this. I too used to do heavy lifting in a factory when required. It was table height to above lifting so pretty much all upper body. Then I would go work out at home and again all upper body. I tried the gym a few times and would again work out what I was strong at. Result, strong upper body with relatively weak lower body. The gym gives you more options to work your lower body. For me if I don't go to the gym I forget the lower half. Some running or bike will be it. Today I have lower body injuries mostly caused by age and not enough flexibility and strength supporting my joints . Simple thing like helping a friend one day put my knee out. Strapped buckets on either side of a pole to hike up sand to a back yard. The strong looking guy had the most problems because his legs were not able to support the added work load. Bamm knee gives out. Bottom line I think it take more self discipline to do a full and complete workout at home compared to the gym.

[FitChick]

Bottom line I think it take more self discipline to do a full and complete workout at home compared to the gym.

Not for me!