Do I really need to go join a gym?

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all_4_my_son
all_4_my_son Posts: 8 Member
in Getting Started
I hate going to the gym; I get very intimidated working out around other individuals. Do I really need to re-join a gym to lose weight? Are there not workouts I can do at home that can help me lose weight?

I've looked for workouts on Pinterest, and they all seem to be gym based for the most part.

Any pointers will be most appreciated. Thanks!
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Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    No you don't. You can go out for walks, do Youtube videos, buy exercise DVDs, etc.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    all_4_my_son wrote: »
    I hate going to the gym; I get very intimidated working out around other individuals. Do I really need to re-join a gym to lose weight? Are there not workouts I can do at home that can help me lose weight?

    I've looked for workouts on Pinterest, and they all seem to be gym based for the most part.

    Any pointers will be most appreciated. Thanks!

    You lose weight being in a calorie (energy) deficit...regardless of exercise or no exercise.

    The only reason I go to the gym is for the weight room...otherwise I'm on my bike. I will lose weight riding all of the miles if I consume less calories than I'm expending in a given day (not just through exercise)...I will maintain my weight if I consume a balance of energy regardless of riding all of the miles.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
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    Not at all.

    You can do any of the following:

    1) Not work out. I wouldn't really advise this, but all you need to lose weight is a Caloric deficit.
    2) Get some basic equipment for home and follow a tried and true plan/program.
    3) Use a bodyweight strength program, such as You Are Your Own Gym or Convict Conditioning.
    4) Purchase a/some fitness DVD(s), such as P90X (or virtually any BeachBody product) or RushFit (my personal favorite, although I haven't done it in a few years).

    Additionally, walking and running don't require - other than potentially new shoes - any equipment.
  • amandaeve
    amandaeve Posts: 723 Member
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    Try searching for "body weight" workouts or the 10-minute types- they tend to be body-weight-based. There is no need to join a gym, especially if you don't like it. However, I agree with @cwolfman13 - you need to focus on calorie balance if you want to loose weight. Gyms are for fitness, weight is different.
  • jonnymopar
    jonnymopar Posts: 12 Member
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    Your original post sums up the way I feel. Luckily for you, as others have posted here, you don't need it.

    I'm not sure what your starting point is in general, but for me, I started walking 1/2 mile at lunch at the beginning. Before long, it became 1 mile, then 2! I can't do much at home being on dad duty, and I can't go into a 1:00PM meeting at work sweating like a pig with a bright red face. Walking alone has done it for me, and 2-3 miles at a decent pace was just the ticket. Hopefully you can find something that works for you.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    You can walk, run, hike, or bike without joining a gym.
  • Desertcolt07
    Desertcolt07 Posts: 1,132 Member
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    losing weight comes down eating less and moving more. if the gym isnt for you, just find another way to move more.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
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    Eat at a deficit.

    Find workouts that you will stick with, obviously if you don't like the gym you won't stick with it. There is such a variety out there, find something you enjoy. YouTube has tons of free workouts that do not require any equipment, look it up. Good luck
  • prattiger65
    prattiger65 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    happysherri wrote: »
    Eat at a deficit.

    Find workouts that you will stick with, obviously if you don't like the gym you won't stick with it. There is such a variety out there, find something you enjoy. YouTube has tons of free workouts that do not require any equipment, look it up. Good luck

    ^^^^ All of this. I guess I could just say "ditto"
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    edited March 2017
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    Here's the kicker that has been alluded to.

    You don't lose weight in a gym. You lose weight by eating less calories than you burn. Getting your "diet" in order is the most important part of losing weight. I put "diet" in quotes as I'm talking about your normal eating habits, not some funky diet plan. This is what MFP helps with, and is a great tool for that.

    You go to the gym to burn some extra calories to help with weight loss (or allow you to eat more and maintain your weight loss) and to improve your fitness.

    So, you don't need to go to a gym, or do any exercises at all, to lose weight.

    Having said that, as others have said there are great routines you can do at home. Even just walking will do wonders. Some weight lifting (dumbbells) will help make it so you don't lose a lot of muscle as you lose weight. I'm down ~ 75 lbs and have not set foot in a gym, but I do have a treadmill at home. I do a couple weight routines a week as well.

    Like you, the thought of a gym doesn't appeal to me. I'm hoping to start in the fall but won't before then.

    Here is one you can try with no equipment.

    https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/
  • marieamethyst
    marieamethyst Posts: 869 Member
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    I haven't set foot in a gym in years. I workout at home using YouTube videos/DVDs (Jillian Michaels' stuff is what I usually go with: 30 Day Shred, Yoga Meltdown, Ripped in 30, etc - a lot of her stuff is less than 30 minutes, which is the ideal time for me to sneak a workout in before my little ones have a crisis), hand weights, body weight exercises, dance games on the PlayStation, walks with my kids, etc. As long as I stick to my calorie goal I lose or maintain weight. No gym needed if you don't want to go! :)
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    I'm unemployed and a gym membership is out. (Also, for religious reasons, I wear skirts and long sleeves at all times where I might be seen by men I'm not related to. I used to belong to a women-only gym, but they did minor maintenance during business hours, so men did come in. If I were working again, though, I'd probably check into other ones.)

    So, I get my exercise by
    1. Walking as much as possible. Whenever an errand needs running, I check my watch, check it again when I come back (or in the middle, if I'm waiting for a long time at the checkout and then check again when I start moving). There's a small supermarket about 8 minutes away, a big one thirty minutes away, and once a week, I hit multiple stores in an area 45 minutes away, and since I'm not telekinetic and can't just stand at the front of the store and mentally summon the items on my list, walking up and down aisles counts too. That trip usually takes me about 2 hours round trip (net time; again, I deduct time spent in the checkout lines).
    2. At my last place of business, they'd give you a catalog to select length-of-service gifts. When I'd been with them for ten years, I picked out a basic Nordic track skiier. On days when I can't walk, I use that. When I started MFP, I was doing 25 minutes. I've worked my way up to 40.
    3. I've started resistance training. Walked into a fitness store I was passing by and asked for ideas and the clerk recommended medium-resistance fitness tubes. I'm currently using mine for biceps, triceps, and lats, using one exercise I got off their website and two from a YouTube video. I'll start with lower body when I get a door attachment to anchor it to. Meanwhile, the walking and skiing is probably helping a bit with that.

    As everyone is saying, exercise is important; where you get it isn't.
  • Spliner1969
    Spliner1969 Posts: 3,233 Member
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    I never go to a gym. I saved the money I would have spent on a gym and purchased a cardio machine, then I do body weight exercise at home or in the warm weather I skip the cardio machine most days and replace that with walking/running then do my body weight exercises. I also purchased a few free weights and a bench but I don't use it a lot. I do mostly bodyweight stuff and have been very happy with the results.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    People have posted some great options here but kettlebells as well are cheap and can be done in a small space in your home. I would recommend Simple and Sinister by Pavel to start
  • hmhall85
    hmhall85 Posts: 22 Member
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    No; you don't need to join a gym. The only reason I go to the gym is for access to the weight equipment I'm working to build muscle because muscle mass is smaller and consumes more calories at rest.
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    edited March 2017
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    I was intimidated my first time. I got a personal trainer once every two weeks (it's what I could afford, and kept me from being over aggressive). She made me feel more comfortable on some equipment, and showed me interesting things to do, which helped me feel more comfortable in general.
    Unless there is equipment there you really need, you don't need to join a gym though. I have a jump rope, exercise bands, a balance ball, yoga mat and some low weight hand weights for home use. Edit: I also did a lot of exercise videos online as well to help get in better cardio shape and also give me variety so I didn't get bored. Not necessary for weight loss, but good for overall health.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,540 Member
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    No.
    Exercise is for fitness and health. Not required for weight loss.
    Exercise can be done several ways outside of a gym and doesn't have to include any simulation of strength training.
    Exercise CAN help increase your calorie deficit which is why many include it in a weight loss plan.
    If all else fails.............................just walk.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
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    I lost 70+ pounds without going to the gym, I just did more walking. However -- I wish I'd done some strength training, too. Personally, I'd rather go to a gym for weight training and the cardio machines -- I find being around other people motivating. But that's not true for everyone - some people find being around others de-motivating.
  • Sonja_Serfontein
    Sonja_Serfontein Posts: 3 Member
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    12 WEEK NO-GYM HOME WORKOUT PLAN

    Monday
    • 20 Squats
    • 15 Second Plank
    • 25 Crunches
    • 35 Jumping Jacks
    • 15 Lunges
    • 25 Second Wall Sit
    • 10 Sit Ups
    • 10 Butt Kicks
    • 5 Push Ups

    Tuesday
    • 10 Squats
    • 30 Second Plank
    • 25 Crunches
    • 10 Jumping Jacks
    • 25 Lunges
    • 45 Second Wall Sit
    • 35 Sit Ups
    • 20 Butt Kicks
    • 10 Push Ups

    Wednesday
    • 15 Squats
    • 40 Second Plank
    • 30 Crunches
    • 50 Jumping Jacks
    • 25 Lunges
    • 35 Second Wall Sit
    • 30 Sit Ups
    • 25 Butt Kicks
    • 10 Push Ups

    Thursday
    • 35 Squats
    • 30 Second Plank
    • 20 Crunches
    • 25 Jumping Jacks
    • 15 Lunges
    • 60 Second Wall Sit
    • 55 Sit Ups
    • 35 Butt Kicks
    • 20 Push Ups
    Friday
    • 25 Squats
    • 60 Second Plank
    • 30 Crunches
    • 55 Jumping Jacks
    • 60 Lunges
    • 45 Second Wall Sit
    • 40 Sit Ups
    • 50 Butt Kicks
    • 30 Push Ups

    Saturday
    • REST

    Sunday
    • REST

    Cardio (by week)
    1. 30 second sprint, 30 second jog (5x)
    2. 35 second sprint, 45 second jog (6x)
    3. 45 second sprint,60 second jog (7x)
    4. 50 second sprint, 45 second jog (8x)
    5. 55 second sprint, 30 second jog (7x)
    6. 60 second sprint, 45 second jog (7x)
    7. 60 second sprint, 45 second jog (6x)
    8. 65 second sprint, 60 second jog (5x)
    9. 70 second sprint, 45 second jog (6x)
    10. 75 second sprint, 30 second jog (7x)
    11. 80 second sprint, 45 second jog (8x)
    12. 100 second sprint,30 second jog (5x)
  • Ariliz23
    Ariliz23 Posts: 13 Member
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    I don't know where you are in terms of fitness, but the mistake I made was to jump in and want to do it all in one day. I'd work out hard for a few weeks, get injured and need to be out for weeks. Then I'd hit it hard, injure myself...

    I belong to my local rec center because it's less "gym-y" and the people are like me and it's cheap. They have free classes and gentle programs for people with disabilities or who are older.

    But when I can't get to the gym - or don't want to - I do Wii sports here. It's not a great workout, but it gets me moving. Wii golf, bowling, tennis. And they have more strenuous workouts too. You can also rent exercise DVD's from the library or find them on TV. They have yoga, stretching, cardio sorts of things. Places like ARC or Goodwill also generally have an exercise section with equipment and DVD's to try out.

    Going out for a walk is great too. And if you go to "Meet Up" for your area, you may find a group paddling the same canoe - people who don't like the gym - who get together for walks or hikes or other exercise adventures.

    I like to believe exercise isn't just walking on the treadmill. I need to do that to get started, but I'm looking forward to going out on hikes and maybe even a bit of rock climbing!

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