Exercise that doesn't involve the gym - HELP!

I'm not sure where you live or what opportunities are available, but I really enjoy hiking when I have time.

If you prefer to not hike alone, try meetup.com to find hiking groups or see if there is a local chapter of the Sierra Club that you can join.

There are obviously safety precautions, like having the right footwear, bringing water / 10 essentials, being aware of and respecting wildlife.

Hiking is nothing more than walking in nature, but it is far more scenic than walking around civilized society so it is easier to get more miles in (assuming you have time) without feeling like it is work.

Just my $0.02 - maybe it fits you, maybe it doesn't.

Beach body mom on youtube, I love her.

Kexessa wrote: »

I don't go to the gym because I'd rather be outside exercising. If you're walking, look into rollerblading. It's great exercise, you're outdoors, it really tones your legs/butt/core and it's super fun.

Ditto. I'm getting most of my exercise from gardening and swimming these days. When the humidity dies down, I'll be walking again. I also do yoga.

Also, there's a woman on here who's primary exercise while she lost over 100 pounds was walking.

Not sure if this helps, I brought a bike about 2 years ago, I loved going out in in the evenings after work and I lost a lot of weight. Then it sat it the garden over the winter as the evenings got darker and roads become more dangerous. I recently had a brain wave and brought a bike trainer, Its was quiet cheap and easy to set up, it fitted on to my bike and it feel's very secure. I set it up in my living room while the house was empty and rode it whist watching T.V, then on Monday just gone I decided on a more permanent idea.
I put my bike along with the trainer into my car and took it to work. I work in a building with a warehouse which doesn't get used much so its all set up in there. Now I enjoy riding my bike in my breaks and lunch hour, sometimes I am sneaky and grab 10 min's on it when we are quiet. It's only been 3 days but I feel better already. I put on my headphones, listen to my music and don't even notice how long I have been at it. As my arms are free whist riding, I intend on bringing in my weight's to use at the same time. Of course this may not be for everyone depending on where they work but if you have a garden or a spare room the bike and bike trainer can be set up there.

Download the Nike trainer app. It will give you some great workouts with minimal equipment needed.

Machka9 wrote: »

Walk longer.
Walk faster.
Include hills and stairs in your walk.
Ride a bicycle.

Of all the very good advice you have received, this is undoubtedly the best. You say you walk 30 minutes a day. Is this a casual pace? Very brisk? What kind of distance does that make? If you're doing a steady, consistent 8 km (5 miles) in that 30 minutes, you are in pretty good shape. If you are only getting only 1.5 km/1 mile in that time frame, you need to pick up the tempo as well as the length of time you are walking. Set targets for yourself. If you are only walking 1.5 km you might want to look at a first target of around 3 km in that 30 minutes. Gradually work your way up both in speed and distance. When you get comfortable at one goal marker, set a new target. 3 km in twenty minutes, or 5 km in forty.

Additionally, you want to look at other exercise to accomplish other goals. Most people look at a flabby belly and tell themselves they are fat even though they may be less than a stone overweight. The problem there is muscle mass vs fat. The belly is flabby and, especially if you have been overweight or out of condition for some time, the muscle tension is just not there. Look at doing some crunches and weight lifting.

If you're not accustomed to doing crunches the first thing you need to know is that old... OLD concept of putting your hands behind your head and sitting straight up from a prone position is absolutely WRONG! Two things to realize: Sitting up with your hands laced behind your head tends to cause you to pull up, throwing elbows forward and putting ungodly stress on your neck; Secondly, if you are sitting all the way up as in the old-school sit-ups, you are passing the stress point on the muscles on which you actually want to focus. About half-way up is generally about the check point. Knees bend will also help to take some stress off of the back and, if you are not yet in shape to do the crunches without a bit of help, find something to lock your feet under until you can do without the 'extra hand'.

Weightlifting: No. You don't have to go to a gym to lift weights. And you don't even have to have weights at home to do it. Maybe you have a small toddler or a dog running around your feet. Use that wiggly weight. Lift him (gently) up and over your head and down again ten or twenty times (unless the dog barfs on you half-way through!) Or get a couple of market bags and fill them full of canned goods or rocks. With arms at your sides, lift forward from the elbows. Do several reps then shift. Raise your arms out to your sides at shoulder height.

And, when you just don't think you can get that walk in today? Get on your bike and ride! Put in a good, brisk 12 or 16 km/8-10 miles. If you can't do that much in the beginning, don't worry. As with all fitness programs, start small. Work your way up gradually.

Lastly, there is an old truism that says it takes about 13 weeks for your body to develop a new habit. That includes exercise. Working out daily can be a chore but, after three months, it can seem as natural as breathing. You may even feel 'lost' without it.

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I have a home gym now but that was not always the case. And, in the beginning, I started small. I parked my car a longer distance from work, on the top level of the parking garage, and I walked the extra distance. And I walked the steps back up to my car at the end of the day. Little things, like kicking soda pop in favor of flavored water, can and do make big differences. Just don't expect everything to happen overnight. Commit to the change and it will happen.