Traditionally, the New Year symbolizes new beginnings and goals for those who believe in its magic. However, things feel a little different this time around. Just when we thought the COVID-19 pandemic was becoming a thing of the past, news channels began discussing another, more contagious mutation of the virus. Suddenly, we had to once again cross out “get a gym membership” from our 2021 goal list (sorry, not sorry). If there is something that the pandemic has taught us however, it’s that getting fit from the comfort of your home is entirely possible. Here are three simple steps to starting your 2021 fitness journey at home:

Set realistic exercise goals

Although health-related goals are among the most common New Year’s resolutions, fewer than 8% of goal-setters actually accomplish them. The main reason behind this staggering fact is that individuals tend to set highly unrealistic exercise goals that simply don’t fit into their routine. To avoid falling victim to this statistic, plan out small steps that work with your schedule and lifestyle. This will help you create habits from which you can later increase to more frequent exercise activity.

Get in the mood

The work from home life has granted us the opportunity to wear loungewear whenever, wherever. Even though most canl agree that there is nothing better than wearing pajamas all day, changing your routine when you’re feeling sluggish can help you get into the workout mindset. Try trading sweatpants for exercise clothes for a boost of motivation.

Tip: Assign an area of your house, preferably with sunlight, as a designated workout area.

Equip yourself

There is a big misconception that you need fancy gym equipment to get in shape. If something positive, the pandemic sparked within us endless creativity through DIY projects at home. Who needs dumbbells when you can use your laundry detergent bottles as kettlebells? Here are some other equipment swaps you can make:

• Use paper plates as gliders.
• Ditch the Stairmaster for stairs for a great leg workout.
• Use a jump rope (or old hose) to bump up your cardio.

If you want to treat yourself and love a good run, a second-hand treadmill from Kijiji or Facebook Marketplace is a great addition to your home gym. Our new single item delivery service can help you bring it home in no time with just the touch of a button.

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