Healthy living and fitness is something that has become really popular in the last 10 years, people are starting to ditch their boozy weekends after a long week sitting behind a desk and instead, replacing them with standing desks, healthy lunches and weekend expeditions in the wild. If there was something that was needed to be done, it was this. We fell into a trap and became comfortable which is a dangerous thing for humans as we will continue until it’s too late. Luckily, things have changed for many, and running and bike rides became the norm.
But what happens when that isn’t enough? We look for bigger fitness goals. This ended with a lot of people with really high levels of fitness and the need to continually maintain that level. Here we take a look at some equipment you can use to maintain your level of fitness.
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Exercise Bike
The wind is strong, the rain is pounding, and it’s freezing outside. These are the kind of things you have to put up with as a rider until it becomes an option to get a stationary bike for our homes. A stationary exercise bike is one that sits on a stand and has controls to change the resistance of the pedals.
If you already have one at home, then you can start your day with a cycle to whatever distance you want, and then go about your day as planned, even if it means another trip to the gym. These bikes are brilliant for working out at home as they give you the choice to either really work up a sweat or take it easy and have a recovery ride. Do some research before investing as the price range is enormous, so take a look at what you need before piling money into something that has every gadget imaginable that you won’t use.
Treadmill
Much the same as an exercise bike, these things are brilliant for those times you don’t want to head out and pound the pavements in the rain, snow, or freezing weather. They’re great bits of kit that allow you to go for a walk, or run a marathon in the comfort of your own home. I say comfort…
Running a marathon obviously isn’t comfortable but, hopefully, you get the gist of what I am saying. There are so many types of treadmill you can get, from self-powered ones to super fancy ones with heart rate monitors. Look at your exercise goals and decide what is going to be the best for you before you buy anything.
Weights
There are so many people that are scared that if they start lifting weights they are going to become really muscley and put on weight. Let me tell you now that this isn’t the case. When you lift weights you are burning calories and building muscle at the same time, this doesn’t mean you are going to be big straight away, it takes a lot of time to build strong muscle and you’ll lose weight before doing so.
There are arguments that say you actually lose more weight lifting weights than you do during any cardio-based exercise, and you burn calories for a number of hours after you finish your workout too.
If you have already gained a muscular physique and don’t want to lose it, then you’ve probably already got some weights at home. But for those of you that are new to it, go simple for the beginning and get some dumbbells at varying weights. This way you can increase the weight if you need to, or drop it down if it becomes too difficult.
Outdoor Kit
We can talk about indoor equipment for hours, but the best way to stay fit is to get outside and start exercising there. If the weather is nice you’ll be exposed to the sun which gives you vital vitamin D and being outside makes us feel happier. Get a good pair of running trainers and you’ll be well on your way to maintaining a brilliant lifestyle. You can go for runs to the local park where you can take part in a HIIT workout (high-intensity interval training) and then run home. Or you could go on a bike ride, or a walk, or do some yoga. The possibilities are endless.
When it comes to keeping fit it can be challenging to stick to a routine, which is why I say it’s best to listen to your body. Whilst it’s impossible to overtrain, it’s definitely possible to under rest so if you aren’t feeling it, don’t do it. It’s not worth an injury that will put you out for an entire year. That’s when bad habits come back.
If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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