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During the summer I decided I was going to get into shape and lose weight (like I always do). So, I joined a fancy gym (Lifetime Fitness $69/month), I even got a fancy personal trainer 12x/month ($828) for a total of $897 a month. Almost $900 a month (for 3 months) for a total of $2,700. I will show you everything you need to burn more calories and less money and use some of the $2,500 education I received along the way to help you.

First, let me start by saying that there is nothing inherently wrong with most personal trainers or mega gyms like Lifetime Fitness. It is just that there is really no magic or special sauce involved in what they do there. They just tell you what you already know (in your brain, and what you need to do) which is simply to burn more calories than you take in.

That being said, everyone has different caloric needs based on age, activity level, and medical status; and those needs change over time. Lifetime fitness offers two tests (and they aren’t shy about trying to sell them to you) which will attempt to determine what your caloric needs are so that you can create a deficit (or the amount of calories you need to cut, per day, to meet your goal).

Arguments for the gym:

For many people, the gym is an escape, getting away from their children or their pets 2-4 times a week to that place where they sweat and become pure energy is a great stress release for them. They are there to work out and there are less distractions, although i have seen people work out for 10 minutes and then stop and talk for a half hour and then leave.

Space, although with the exception of the treadmill most of the things I mention below will fit in most walk in closets, many folks just don’t have the space for their own work-out area in their homes.

Up front cost vs. Monthly recurring costs $69/month isn’t exactly inexpensive especially in this economy. Things like the gym are most likely to be the first to get cut when hard times land on “main st.” (as the media likes to call it).

Gyms often times offer structured activities such as kickboxing, aerobics, spinning, etc.

What can I do at my house, then?

A mix of cardio (Walking, Step-ups), balance ball, stability, and strength training can be used to deliver a killer workout from the comfort of your own home.

Lets take a look at what we will need (I’m listing optimal first, then less optimal option second, then some optional equipment third):

Exercise / Balance Ball:

Don’t let their playground demeanor fool you, these balls are all business. The sheer amount of muscle twisting fun which can be had on one or two (multiple sizes) of these balls make them a must for any home gym.

Workout Mat / Carpet / Floor:

Planks, Sit-Ups, Ball Lifts, and other torturous things you do on your back are bad enough. Why lay on the floor when there are cushy mats available? (especially if you have back problems, etc)

A Treadmill / Sidewalk or other surface suitable for walking quickly:

Walking is good, honest! People have been doing it for years, nothing bad has ever come from walking (I bet YouTube has some examples but that is neither here nor there at this point). A treadmill is a nice addition to any home work-out space due to the varying speeds, the ability to work out when its freezing outside, the flexibility to use it to do slant pushups/step-ups and other activities. Its also nice to be able to work out wearing whatever you want. Sometimes the gym can feel like the high school cafeteria again, but without all of the yummy french bread pizza.

Step Up Boxes/Stairs:

Step up boxes offer varying degrees of punishment based on the height of the box. Step-ups are one of the best (or worst) things you can do to/for yourself. Remember to step down with the same leg you stepped up with and not to zone out! (yikes!) If you get real good at stepping up frontwards, try doing it side to side quickly while holding something over your head. You can move up to the larger hop boxes once you get good at the small ones for a better workout (just be sure to secure it somehow).

A Heart Rate Monitor / The ability to take your own pulse while working out:

A heart rate monitor is probably the single most important piece of equipment to have in any home gym. The good news is they’re also pretty inexpensive. You can “fake” everything else (except for perhaps a balance ball). To be able to look at your heart rate monitor and see those calories ticking away is a huge motivating factor. They also track and store your workouts so that you can download the data into your computer (if you’re the spreadsheet type). You can also program most of them to keep your heart rate zones and alert you when you are out of your zones or have been in a zone too long.

Adjustable weights/resistance gear

Recently, a new trend in weights has become popular, that is you get one weight which can be adjusted to virtually any weight. The reason this is so awesome is because it saves a tremendous amount of space.

Resistance Bands

Optional Equipment

A weight bench:

A standard weight bench can be handy for strength training while I wouldn’t say it is required. Again, I would check around at used sporting good stores for the best prices for these items.

Music Player:

Nothing passes the time during a workout better than your favorite music. Fortunately, since you are your own personal trainer you can use your favorite music player to rock out while you work out. With all the money you’re saving why not splurge a little?

Even if you were to purchase one of everything in this list, including the treadmill, you still wouldn’t beat my total of $2,500 for 3 months of ‘eat less and work out harder’ advice from a personal trainer. Sure, if all you are doing is paying the $69.99 for the gym membership than dedicating a small amount of space for a gym might not seem worth it but it is something to consider, especially if your gym, like mine is in the middle of the busiest mall in your city!

-Drew