10 Ways To Slim Without The Gym

1. Make your workout fun

Spending hours and hours pounding the treadmill might not be your definition of the word fun, but exercise does not have to be boring. There are plenty of fun activities to improve your fitness that you can get involved in without it feeling like a chore. If you want to tone your waist, then you could try working out with a hula hoop. If you hate training indoors, then get outside and go running or mountain biking. And if you’re looking for something completely different, then try taking part in a trampoline class . Getting adventurous with your exercise can help you remain motivated and stay on track with your fitness goals.

2. Join a club

If you’re fed up of spending money on a gym membership you hardly ever use, it might be time to take a completely new approach and join a club. There are countless sports clubs you can join. If you like the thought of joining a team, then you could try hockey, football or basketball. Or if you prefer working out alone, you could try joining a running, climbing or canoe club. Many clubs typically offer taster sessions free of charge so you can see what the setup is like before you commit to paying for equipment and membership.

3. Be active whenever you can

Rather than thinking that the only way you can improve your fitness is by going to the gym, try to change your lifestyle and be more active whenever you can. Increasing your baseline physical activity in day to day life can have a massive impact on your fitness. Park your car a little further from work, walk up and down the stairs during the adverts when you’re watching TV . Do regular chores around the house, take the stairs over the lift and if you work in an office, get up and deliver a message to a college in person rather than sending an email. All of these little changes add up and can help you lose weight without depending on the gym.

4. Variety

If you’re someone who constantly starts new health kicks only to give them up a few weeks later, then you should inject your fitness and diet plan with some variety. Completing the same exercises over and over can eventually stall your progress and eating the same healthy meals will get boring to even the keenest fitness enthusiast. Mix up your routine and try new healthy foods each week and complete a variety of different exercises like pilates, dancing, swimming and running. Challenge yourself and get outside your comfort zone if you really want to lose weight without the gym.

5. Go shopping

It’s estimated that the average woman burns around 48,000 calories per year from shopping alone. That works out around 385 calories per week. Walking around shops for a few hours can give your leg muscles a good workout and carrying around heavy shopping bags can also work your arms. So you no longer have to feel guilty about buying things when you’re shopping - look at it like you are increasing the difficulty of your workout! So in the future, try to avoid the temptation of online shopping and instead hit the shops yourself to gain the benefits of this non-gym workout.

6. Yoga

Looking for an exercise that helps you slim down and tone your body? Yoga could be the perfect option that you can complete without having to go to the gym. If you’re new to yoga, it might be worth taking a few classes so that you can ensure your technique and form is correct with a qualified instructor. But once you are confident in your ability, you can practice the art of yoga at home on your own, or with a specialist yoga DVD. As well as improving your flexibility and strength, yoga can also lower stress levels and can improve your mood. Try to practice yoga three or four times a week for the best fitness results.

7. Skipping

Skipping is a favourite activity of boxers, arguably some of the fittest athletes around. It’s a simple, cost effective exercise, that works almost every muscle in your body, which is one reason why skipping is such a good activity for weight loss. There are also different variations you can do, including single-leg, high knees and jumping at different rhythms to vary the intensity of the exercise. To ensure your rope is the right height for you, stand on the centre of the rope and pull the handles up until the rope is tight. The handles should line up with your chest.

8. Eat smaller meals, more regularly

Another way you can reduce your waistline without hitting the gym is to change your eating habits. Consuming smaller meals more frequently throughout the day can help to boost your metabolism and keep you fuller for longer. A study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics discovered that people who had six small meals per day were found to have lower BMIs than people who consumed less than four times a day. Eating more frequently encourages your body to burn fat rather than muscle tissue, and keeps your body supplied with energy that it can use throughout the day, rather than storing the food as fat for later use.

9. Treat yourself in the week

Many diet and fitness plans are quite strict throughout the week and add all of this on top of your 9-5, it’s little wonder that so many people throw all of their hard work out of the window when the weekend arrives. It’s better to eat reasonable healthy across seven days than it is to eat extremely healthy over five and binge during the weekend. So rather than restricting yourself Monday to Friday, allow yourself the occasional treat during the week, such as a small glass of wine after work, or a few squares of chocolate of an evening to help you avoid the temptation to binge.

10. Get a good night’s sleep

If you’re looking to lose weight without the gym, then the secret could be in your sleep . Where possible, try to get the recommended seven to eight hours sleep per night as sleep can help to speed up your metabolism and lead to natural weight loss. A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to feel hungry because their body needs the energy to stay awake. A lack of sleep can also cause hormonal imbalances which can make you feel hungry even when you don’t need to eat.