How To Work Out At Home If Working Out Makes You Want To Die
by Marissa Pomerance
I’ve always known my boyfriend was a psychopath. I mean, I love him. But he’s just one of those strange, inexplicable humans who loves getting up at the crack of dawn to workout. Every. Single. Day.
He gets up at 6am, sometimes 5. Yes, even now. Throughout this pandemic. It’s psychopathic behavior that I just cannot relate to. As someone who is deeply lazy, it was already hard to motivate myself to work out. And since I’m now trapped inside the same 4 walls, exhausted and stressed and anxious, what little motivation I previously possessed has virtually evaporated.
But I’ve made a grand, shocking realization that exercising at home— even if it’s just once a week— is a welcome break from the monotony. I also like discovering an ab muscle every once in a while. So, I’m finding new ways to keep myself motivated.
I wish I could say that I discovered a magical *hack* or that my boyfriend’s go-getter tendencies rubbed off on me. Instead, getting back into a workout routine has taken weeks of trial and error. But don’t let this discourage you. If you’re also deeply lazy and trying to re-establish a workout routine, let us help you skip some of the bullshit with these truths I discovered along the way:
1. Find a real motivation.
You’ll only work out if you have a strong, personal incentive. And we’re not talking about weight. In fact, forcing yourself to do 2 hours of daily HIIT workouts because a fitness influencer on Instagram made you feel bad about your body is simply not sustainable. Work out for your mental health. Work out because you’re sitting in the same spot all day long. Work out because it’s something to do!
Don’t work out because of a number on a scale (spoiler alert: the more muscle you build, the more that number might go up anyways).
One of my friends told me her motivation is Beyoncé; not her music, or the image of her in a body suit, but simply her essence. My motivation was and is my health: feeling better and having more energy. Maybe you want to feel as powerful as Wonder Woman, or you just want more stamina to play with your kids (or maybe both).
External motivation is great, too, but take the time to figure out what yours is, and how to use it to your advantage.
2. Stop forcing yourself to do workouts you hate.
If you don’t somewhat enjoy what you’re doing, you’re never going to do it again.
Guess what? You’re an adult. No need to “push” (aka, force) yourself to go on a run if you despise it. It will only make you resent the process, making it nearly impossible to get into a solid routine.
After several tries, it became apparent that zoom classes with overly-spiritual instructors were not for me; I don’t need my workout class to be a forcibly-emotional, “transformative” experience, thanks very much.
You know what is actually an emotional, transformative experience? Realizing I don’t have to do yoga, and deciding to never participate in a yoga livestream again.
3. Stop feeling guilty.
It’s ok that you don’t like working out; in fact, it’s not even your fault. It’s probably your genes. Variations in genes not only affect your body type and metabolism, but can also play a role in your intrinsic motivation for working out.
This doesn’t mean you now have an excuse to never move your body again—you still should.
But give yourself permission to not feel consumed with guilt about hating exercise. Especially right now— we’re all dealing with enough shit as it is. If you’re working out to feel better, both physically and mentally, then shaming yourself into exercising is not just unsustainable, it’s also antithetical to your goals.
4. Start off with a private lesson.
Investing in a one-on-one session can be a great way to try a new workout, especially virtually. Zoom classes are convenient, but it’s hard to keep up and follow along when there are 20 people packed into tiny squares on a screen.
Do some research on studios and instructors to see if they’re a good fit, and try not to get turned off if you take one bad class.
While some people love the motivational factor of group classes, the personal attention of a one-on-one session can ease you back in and make you feel more comfortable.
5. Take it slow.
This process takes time. It’s understandable to feel easily discouraged. Working out once a week is fine. Even if it’s just some light stretching. Once is better than not at all. Once means you’re telling your brain and your body that you can do this.
6. Get out of your comfort zone.
But seriously, try it.
I know; this is one of the hardest parts of working out. Feeling uncomfortable, judged, and out of place in fitness classes filled with seemingly in-shape fitness fanatics wearing tiny, cute, matching workout sets. And this feeling can be amplified in virtual livestream workouts where a camera is on you the whole time.
But, here’s a fun little secret—no one else cares about you! Why? Because like you, everyone else is focused on themselves. They’re also wondering if they look stupid, if their hair is messed up, or if this is an unflattering angle. No one is even looking at you.
Some of my favorite experiences were classes that I thought I’d hate, like boxing. Boxing seemed like such a daunting, advanced workout solely for Victoria’s Secret models and fitness junkies. Turns out, it’s actually a really fun way to rid myself of stress and aggression (even when I’m at home, just punching the air), and most people in the class were also beginners who had no clue what they were doing. And if you’re looking for some fun boxing classes to stream, click here.
7. Find a virtual workout buddy.
We know. Everyone recommends working out with a “squad,” which is a word I find very difficult to type. And usually, when it comes to in-person classes, this is advice we wholeheartedly ignore.
But. Motivation and accountability are hard to come by these days. So finding someone to workout with can make all the difference. Inviting a friend to participate in a Zoom workout not only motivates you to actually do it and keeps you accountable to your friend, but it also gives you some much-needed (safely distant) social time.
Plus, a post-workout mimosa is much more socially acceptable when enjoyed over Facetime with a friend.
8. Support local studios.
There are more at-home fitness services than ever. Peloton and Nike workouts and Youtube and, yes, even IGTV videos.
But deciding to support a local studio will give you a personal connection to real people in your neighborhood. Plenty of local studios are offering a schedule of Livestream and Zoom classes that you sign up for just like a regular class. And once you’ve signed up for a class, you wouldn’t want to cancel, right? Because you don’t want to let down the local instructor and studio who are depending on these livestream classes to get by right now. (Not trying to make you feel guilty, but it’s true).
So find some local studios you want to support. And sign up for a few scheduled classes ahead of time— that way you won’t back out, and you’ll be forced to participate.
9. Invest real money.
Don’t just get a free trial, because you’re not going to use it, and we all know you’ll just cancel when the time comes anyways.
Get that full month. Buy that class pack. Splurge on some quality equipment.
Paying extra for great instructors or one-on-one sessions will not only yield better results, but it will make you feel more inclined to actually work out if you prefer not to waste money.
10. Use eating well as an excuse to work out, and vice versa.
You spent all this time making that beautiful salad platter. You bought butter lettuce and rotisserie chicken. You steamed your potatoes and green beans. You made your own vinaigrette dressing, free from sugar, carbs, and calories. You have it for dinner, and you feel great about yourself.
Then, you feel guilty the next day for sitting around and “ruining” a perfectly healthy meal. First, let go of that guilt (obviously, see #3).
And then use your healthy eating habits as motivation. Once you’re done working out, you wouldn’t want to ruin that wonderful caloric burn, so you snack on carrots. More bang for your buck, right?
Using your healthy habits to fuel each other gets you into a positive cycle of behavior; this cycle provides a bunch of reasons to feel good about yourself (your beautiful salad! That online pilates class!), and could leave you feeling physically, and mentally, better than ever.
Bonus: Try any of these great workout options.
If you just slogged through ALL of the above and were like, “great, but HOW do I work out at home?” We have some ideas.
We know that the hardest part can be getting started, especially If you have no clue where to begin. So here are a few resources— from livestream workouts to free videos to where to find those aforementioned local studios:
Obé Fitness: Obé Fitness has a combination of live and on-demand classes ranging from cardio and boxing to yoga and pilates, meaning it has a little something for everyone.
Popsugar Fitness: Popsugar’s Youtube channel is filled with free, upbeat workouts that you can stream anytime. Their workouts are particularly suited for lovers of dance and HIIT.
Classpass: Not only does Classpass now offer a suite of streaming classes, but it’s also a great way to book livestream classes from local studios and instructors. Currently, they’re offering flexible payment options and tons of free classes, too.
Nike Training Club: Nike’s Training Club app offers on-demand workouts from some of the best trainers. They’re also offering a free premium version to all Nike members.
Peloton App: Here’s a fun secret; you don’t have to drop thousands of dollars on expensive Peloton equipment to have access to their library of workouts. Their app offers literally thousands of workouts, from strength training to stretching.
Blogilates: Cassey Ho, founder of Blogilates has filled her Instagram feed with fun, approachable workouts, healthy recipes, and genuinely helpful fitness tips. You can also find her free workout videos here.
BoxUnion On Demand: Punching the air is surprisingly a great stress reliever. And BoxUnion, an LA-based boxing studio, offers a very affordable digital subscription ($20-$30/month) to their online boxing, HIIT, and strength-training workouts.
See? There’s no need to dread working out at home. Take it at your own pace, find something you enjoy, and rope a friend into doing it with you— doing it every once in awhile is better than never.
Marissa Pomerance is the Managing Editor of The Candidly. She’s a Los Angeles native and lover of all things food, style, beauty, and wellness. You can find more of her articles here.
