The gym life is expensive.
Believe me, I know all about it.
Did you know a survey from MyProtein revealed that the average American will spend around $154.93 a month on their health and fitness?
That’s an absurd amount without it even considering your outgoings for food if you are on a newfound diet, or the ever-rising gas prices to commute to the gym.
But what if I can help you cut that down right now?
Not only can I cut down on the expenses for your gym membership, but also help you reduce the time and money needed to commute to the gym so that you can reach your fitness goals.
That’s right.
With your own gym equipment, you can lose weight from the comfort of your home, anytime you like.
Ultimately putting you on the right track to becoming consistent with your workouts.
You may feel pretty overwhelmed with the number of options you can choose from to work out.
A lot of people are probably going to try and peddle some really expensive unnecessary equipment.
Luckily, I have come up with a relatively affordable list of products that have been tried and tested by me and my clients, so we can vouch for them completely.
Each option works well by itself, or in tandem with one another, so you can decide which combination is best for you.
Let’s get into it.
Which Pieces Of Equipment Do I Think You Should Buy?
#1 – Resistance Bands
What? Resistance training to lose weight?
That’s right. One of my favorite tools to use when exercising is the resistance band.
Not only will it help you build muscle and get stronger, but the increased time under tension from a band will enhance the intensity of your workout, meaning you burn more calories.
Resistance bands are extremely cheap and can provide a variety of health benefits, such as improving your posture and strengthening your joints to prevent injury.
They are also great for working out your whole body, wherever and whenever, so it doesn’t become a chore or take too much time out of your day.
Choosing the right resistance band is important.
Whether you’re a novice or an experienced gym-goer, the tension you require is going to be different.
I recommend checking out Dmoose.
They have a wide range of different resistance bands that can be tailored to each and every person and help them exercise for less than the price of a monthly gym membership.
How To Use It For Weight Loss
Putting it simply, as long as you are performing an intense workout with the correct form, you are going to lose weight with a resistance band.
If you are feeling the tension in your muscles and sweating profusely, you’re doing it right.
If you need a bit of help with getting started with a resistance band, then check out my free printable resistance band workout routine right here.
This comprehensive guide will give you the down low on how to do all the exercises that you need to lose weight whilst getting jacked at the same time.
#2 – Kettlebells
Another fantastic piece of equipment, and one of my personal favorites, is the kettlebell.
One simple exercise with a kettlebell can activate a lot more muscle groups than traditional exercises in the gym.
Training your whole body simultaneously is the perfect way to increase the number of calories burned, resulting in your excess blubber dropping off in no time.
Kettlebell workouts have been proven to surge your post-exercise oxygen consumption, meaning your body will be using calories to repair and recover your body hours after you’ve stopped exercising.
Kettlebells also do wonders for your balance, agility, and flexibility making them a great option for those of us looking to improve our sporting ability or the overall health of our body.
You can generally pick up a set of kettlebells for under $100, which is probably the better option to picking up each one separately every time you have to increase the weight.
I use Power Systems religiously when it comes to Kettlebells, as they have a wide range for you to choose from, whether you are looking for a traditional model or some more premium sets.
How To Use It For Weight Loss
The best exercise you can do with a kettlebell for weight loss is the Kettlebell Swing.
This incorporates most of your muscle groups across your whole body to work together and requires more energy to keep your body moving consistently, making it a very intensive exercise.
If you want a more in-depth kettlebell workout with the aim of helping you lose weight, then feel free to check it out after you have finished here.
How To Do A Kettlebell Swing
- Start with a kettlebell on the floor beneath you, with your legs shoulder-width apart.
- Bend down, and with both hands, pick up the kettlebell with an overhand grip.
- Stand up tall with your arms hanging straight down, engage your core, and slightly lower your body by hinging at the hips.
- The kettlebell should be hanging between your legs. This is the starting position.
- Drive the kettlebell upwards, keeping your arms straight, by driving through your glutes.
- When the kettlebell is in line with your shoulders, hold the position for a second.
- Control the weight back down to the original position.
- As the kettlebell returns to the original position, drive-through and repeat the movement for a set interval of time, or until failure.
#3 – Jump Rope
I have only got one word that can describe the Jump Rope.
Underrated.
That’s right.
People view skipping with a jump rope as something only children do in school, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.
Why do you think so many athletes do it?
It’s great for keeping yourself in shape, and keeping yourself fit, and also helps with many functions, such as balance and agility.
If you can jump rope fairly quickly, the intensity is going to increase ten-fold, and I can guarantee you will burn more calories than most other exercises.
The thing is, this piece of equipment is probably the cheapest you can purchase on this list.
One purchase for a few dollars will provide you with an exercise that will help you lose weight very quickly if you are consistent.
How To Use It For Weight Loss
I think this is fairly self-explanatory, as a lot of us have probably had somewhat experience with jumping rope.
It is a difficult exercise, though. I think kids just make it look easy.
So, I would start by practicing getting the form right first. Start slow, and try to be as accurate as possible with the jumps.
Then, as your form improves, start speeding up and feeling the burn.
#4 – Adjustable Stepper Box
You might be thinking that this piece of equipment is a little bit unnecessary.
And I probably would have said the same thing not too long ago.
But then I started breaking things – including myself.
I thought it would be a good idea, and a lot cheaper, if I just used household items, like chairs or sofas to do box jumps and step-ups.
This was great at first, but then I broke a sofa and fell off a chair.
I also struggled to find any method for me to start progressing at the height at which I was jumping.
I decided it was time to invest in an adjustable stepper box.
And what a purchase it was.
Not only do I feel safer, but I can track my progress to a tee now.
I can slowly start to push my limits and make the activities with this piece of equipment more intense, so I am now burning more calories than ever before while improving my agility and flexibility.
This is the perfect piece of equipment to practice any type of plyometrics and get your sporting prowess to the best of your ability.
How To Use It For Weight Loss
The best way to lose weight with an adjustable stepper box is with box jumps in a High-Intensity Interval Training routine.
This routine is guaranteed to get the heart pumping and burn a ton of calories.
How To Do Box Jumps
- Set the stepper box to a height you can comfortably jump to.
- Stand in front of the surface with your legs shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your knees slightly, and jump upwards by driving through your glutes.
- Land on the surface with both feet and drive through your heels to stand up tall.
- Slowly and safely step off the box to your original position.
- Repeat the jumps without stopping, for a set interval. This could be a minute.
- Rest for 15 seconds after this minute has passed. Then repeat for another 4 sets.
#5 – Treadmill
I don’t know about you, but some people I know are not the biggest fans of running on uneven terrains.
Whenever they go for a run on the pavement, or roads, they almost always end up with pain in their ankles, and knees – and don’t get them started on shin splinters.
This is one of the main reasons I decided to invest in a treadmill, and believe you probably should too.
Treadmills are much better for shock absorption, allowing you to work out longer without feeling the stress on your legs and hips.
As well as this, with a treadmill you can run, or walk, at different inclines, meaning you can build strength and work at a larger intensity than if you were just running on a flat road.
I also prefer running inside, with the Air Con, rather than in the blazing sun!
How To Use It For Weight Loss
My favorite way to use a treadmill is after a resistance-based workout, where my Post-Workout Oxygen Consumption is at its highest, and I can burn the most calories.
Now you don’t even have to run for this, and I tend to sway more towards walking at an average speed but on the highest incline.
So, I recommend these settings to burn around 200 calories:
- Incline: Maximum it can go.
- Speed: Around 3-4 MPH
- Time: 20 minutes
3 Tips To Lose Weight
Now you have decided on the equipment, but it doesn’t just stop there.
You can’t just look at it and expect to lose weight.
There’s a lot more to it, and I have a small guide here that you can check out for nutritional and exercise guidance so you can get shredded abs in no time.
But I’m not just going to leave you with that.
Here are my top 3 tips to get you started on the right journey to losing that excess blubber and obtaining that dream physique.
- Diet: The first thing you need to do is get your diet sorted. Use a calorie calculator to help you work out how many calories you need to eat a day to be in a deficit. Then create a meal plan with high-volume, low-calorie foods so you can eat in this deficit whilst not feeling hungry.
- Workout Routine: Exercising the proper way is so important for reaching your fitness goals. If you are not working out the right parts of your body, to the right intensity, with the correct form, you can’t expect to see progress. If you need help with workout routines, I have an arsenal of guides that can help you work out your whole body. If you still need help, then be sure to drop me an email and I’ll do my best to help.
- Consistency: That’s right. A little bit of a cliche, but it’s so important. If you work hard, regularly, and stick to your program and meal plan, then you are going to see changes. Fact.
Final Words
If you have taken anything from this article, it should be that you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars a year on a gym membership.
Take any of the equipment I have recommended above and you will have something that can help you lose weight whenever, and most importantly to me, wherever you like.
If you know anything about me, you will know that I am a true believer in being able to train anywhere.
And that’s why I created the Grizzly Online Gym.
I upload all my workouts, whether it’s with bands, kettlebells, or no equipment at all.
You can sign up here and follow along with my workouts wherever you want!
That’s why I have written an E-book, “Train Wherever The F*ck You Want”, which you can pick up for free to get the ultimate guide to getting out of that expensive gym membership and exercising on your terms.
Do you agree with my list above?
What pieces of equipment do you think everyone should have in their homes if they are looking to lose weight?
Let me know in the comments below.