3.44 Gather Equipment, Sign Up for a Gym or None of the Above!
The equipment that you will need for your program will of course depend on the type of exercises that you chose to do. Be sure as you get started that you have everything that you need to help yourself be successful.
When preparing for your program, try your best not to get worked-up about the cost of equipment or gym memberships. There are some ways around this which will be mentioned. Having everything you need to be successful with your exercise is crucial and whatever money you invest will pay itself back 10 times over when you succeed. Having all you need helps with motivation and confidence as well.
Here is a list of some things to think about and gather depending on your exercise:
Clothing: Treat yourself to some nice workout clothes. This will make you feel better and more confident about exercise. You need to make sure that you are comfortable exercising and excited to get physically active. Having nice workout clothes is important. Be sure they are comfortable and DO NOT worry about the fact that you may need to go back and get smaller sizes after you lose weight. This will be a fun shopping trip!
Walking/Running: Getting a good pair of walking shoes or running shoes is critical. There are specific running stores just for this, who have experts in fitting you with the right shoes. They frequently will have a treadmill there and will even video your feet walking from behind displaying them on a TV in front of you so you can see your stride. Replace your shoes every 400 miles…yes you will get to 400 miles eventually!
Bicycling: While cycling is a great aerobic activity, it requires a lot of equipment including:
- Bike
- Helmet
- Glasses (sunglasses or other protective eyewear)
- Gloves
You may need to equip your bike with water bottle holders and if you want to a phone mount as well. If you go to a dedicated cycling store, experts there will help you with everything you need.
Indoor cycling will not require the above equipment. Many people prefer to stay indoors to avoid weather and so they can do something like watch a TV show while they exercise.
Swimming: First you have to find a good pool to swim in of course, then get yourself a nice swimsuit and towel. Otherwise there is not much more you will need if swimming is your exercise of choice.
Strength training: The equipment you need for this will be highly dependent on whether you get a gym membership or not. Any gym should have everything you need. If you want to do strength training at home, you should try to get at least:
- Dumbbells: You may not need a whole set of dumbbells, but start with at least 2 different weights and if you have to add on, then go for it.
- Resistance bands: These are a simple way to do strength training at home.
- Exercise mat: This is more comfortable than you floor and will help make sure you don’t sweat all over your house.
- Foam roller: This is a great, simple tool to get those knots out of your muscles.
Remember that many insurance companies will actually pay for gym memberships as long as you use them regularly and many gyms have memberships as low as $19.99 per month.