Imagine waking up, slipping into your workout clothes, and getting a great workout without ever leaving the comfort of your home.
No fighting traffic or waiting for equipment at a crowded gym filled with….other people.
Instead, you have a dedicated home gym and workout space tailored perfectly to your needs and preferences.
It’s not just about convenience; it’s about creating an environment where you can work out exactly how you want and when you want.
My personal home gym and workout space
When COVID hit and the gyms shut down, my husband and I decided we were done paying for gym memberships and decided to turn our bonus room into a home gym and workout space.
It was important to us that the space was equipped with cardiovascular training equipment, weights for strength training, and mats for floor work and yoga. Knowing 3 key things helped us plan out the perfect home gym and workout space for us!
What’s inside…
Whether you’re looking to get stronger with strength training, enhance your flexibility with a yoga practice, or get your heart pumping with good old-fashioned cardio, I’m going to walk you through every step to create your own personalized home gym and workout space
The Importance of a Well-equipped Home Gym and Workout Space
A well rounded fitness program is composed of 3components:
Cardiovascular training (like running, biking, swimming, walking, etc)
Resistance training – Strength training either with weights or bands or even your own body weight!
Flexibility training – maintaining a health range of motion for your all of your joints to help avoid injury and stay mobile as we age
As you’re planning out your home gym and workout space, ask yourself 3 questions:
#1: How much space do you have for your home gym and workout space?
Do you have an entire spare room you can dedicate to your fitness equipment? Can you buy a few pieces of equipment and keep it in its own area 24/7?
Or will it need to share space in one of your living areas? Do you need to turn your living room into your own Planet Fitness for 30 minutes at a time and need equipment you’ll be able to stash out of sight the other 23 hours and 30 minutes of the day?
#2: What is your budget to furnish your home gym and workout space?
Will you purchase your equipment new? Or will you look for deals online or scour Facebook Marketplace for local steals? Knowing how much you can spend on equipment is going to help you figure out how to allocate your funds for the different items you’ll want to buy.
Are you looking for top of the line equipment? Or are you starting out with basic models and upgrading once you are confident it will get used regularly? Are you a cycle fiends who’s sure you want to drop $2k on a Peloton? or are you just figuring out what kind of workouts you like and want to start with basic models that you can upgrade once you’re sure you’ve found your jam.
#3: What are your must-have items in your home gym and workout space?
What aspect of your current workout program is currently suffering the most due to a lack of dedicated time, space, or equipment to commit to it?
Think..what types of workouts can you not do unless you have the equipment at home?
If the weather is nice where you live and you can often get outside to walk or run for cardiovascular training, can you hold off on buying cardio equipment and prioritize adding a weight set or resistance bands instead?
If you’re like me and live somewhere that is hot and humid half of the year, making it difficult to exercise outside, maybe you’ll make a treadmill or elliptical machine your first purchase so you can still get your cardio on consistently through the month of July
I will say, buying higher end gear can make it more fun to work out, meaning you’ll do it more often. Having lower end equipment that doesn’t have all the bells and whistles may mean you’re doing more manual adjustments that take more time and stretch your workout time.
From resistance bands for strength training to yoga mats for flexibility and mindfulness practices, a well-rounded setup enables you to explore different types of exercises seamlessly.
This variety not only keeps your routine fresh and engaging but also helps prevent plateaus by continuously challenging different muscle groups. Ultimately, a thoughtfully designed home workout space becomes more than just an area filled with equipment—it transforms into a personal sanctuary where physical and mental well-being are cultivated harmoniously.
A well-rounded fitness program that integrates cardiovascular training, strength training, and flexibility isn’t just beneficial—it’s essential for optimal health. Cardiovascular exercises like running or cycling improve heart health and endurance, but coupling them with strength training builds muscle, improves bone density, and reduces the risk of injury as we age.
Cardio – Rule #1
Any other Zombieland fans? Just me? OK.
Cardiovascular fitness is often seen as the cornerstone of a balanced workout program, and for good reason. Engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise, such as running, cycling, or even brisk walking, significantly enhances your heart’s ability to pump blood more efficiently.
This not only lowers your risk of developing chronic diseases like hypertension and Type 2 diabetes but also ensures that your muscles receive an ample supply of oxygen-rich blood during any form of physical activity.
A strong cardiovascular system lays the groundwork for overall health.
Beyond the immediate physical benefits, cardiovascular fitness also plays a pivotal role in mental well-being. Activities that get your heart rate up trigger the release of endorphins—often referred to as feel-good hormones—which act as natural stress relievers. This means you’re relieving symptoms of anxiety and depression while improving your cognitive functions like memory and decision-making skills.
Getting Your Sweat On
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a great cardio option that doesn’t require any special equipment. By alternating between periods of intense activity and short rest, HIIT is an efficient choice if you have a busy schedule and limited space.
For those who prefer lower intensity and/or low impact workouts alternatives, consider cardio activities like cycling or rowing. Both options are easy on the joints while delivering impressive cardio benefits.
A stationary bike or a compact rowing machine can seamlessly fit into smaller spaces, ensuring you get an effective workout without overcrowding your home gym and workout space
These exercises offer versatile intensity levels—ideal for everyone from beginners to seasoned athletes looking to maintain or elevate their fitness routines.
Jumping rope is often overlooked as an efficient cardiovascular workout. This simple yet incredibly effective tool provides an excellent full-body workout in a short amount of time – improving your coordination and boosting heart health. Plus, it’s highly portable, making it perfect for those with limited space—just clear out a small area and you’re set!
Getting Pumped
Strength training is often overlooked as a key part of physical fitness. Consistent strength training can increase insulin sensitivity, promoting better glucose management and reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes. It also helps you maintain muscle mass as you age, counteracting the natural decline that can lead to injuries and mobility issues.
Strength training also offers substantial psychological benefits. The process of setting and achieving incremental goals in weightlifting or resistance exercises creates a strong sense of accomplishment and boosts self-esteem.
Plus, strength training can serve as an effective stress reliever! Here are a few items to consider as you stock up your home gym and workout space for strength training workouts:
Adjustable dumbbells allows you to tailor the resistance to suit various exercises like bicep curls or shoulder presses without needing multiple sets of weights.
Resistance bands are not only affordable but also incredibly effective for targeting muscles from different angles and adding variability to exercises like leg lifts or rows.
Stability balls enhance core strength when incorporated into planks or crunches.
Kettlebells provide a dynamic alternative for traditional moves such as swings or goblet squats. By outfitting your home gym with these adaptable pieces of equipment, you ensure that your exercise routine remains challenging yet engaging.
Perfect Push-Up with rotating handles that engage more muscles and reduce wrist strain. Amazon+5
Perfect Ab Crunch – Target your abdominal muscles effectively while reducing strain on your neck and back. Amazon
Perfect Fitness Crunch and Sit-Up Training Assistant – Supports your head, neck, and shoulders to focus on abdominal muscles during crunches. View on Amazon
BalanceFrom Ab Mat Trainer Abdominal Machine – An easy-to-use ab exerciser View on Amazon
All-in-One Home Gym is a comprehensive home gym system to perform a variety of exercises in one compact unit.
SincMill Home Gym Multifunctional Full Body Workout Equipment – Offers a 148 lb weight stack with various accessories for lower body workouts View on Amazon
RUNFREELY All-in-One Weight Machine for Home Gym Provides a 150LBS weight stack with 12 resistance levels and ergonomic design for full-body workouts. View on Amazon
Flexibility and Mobility Training
Flexibility training often gets sidelined, yet it is critical in preventing injuries and improving overall athletic performance. Stretching, yoga, and Pilates i joint mobility and reduce muscle stiffness from intense cardio or weightlifting sessions.
A high-quality yoga mat provides cushioning and stability for various poses. Gaiam Yoga Mat – Premium 6mm Print Extra Thick Non-Slip Exercise & Fitness Mat Ideal for all types of yoga, Pilates, and floor workouts. View on Amazon
Yoga blocks assist in achieving proper alignment and support in poses.Amazon+3
Yoga Blocks 2 Pack – Premium EVA Foam Lightweight and durable, perfect for improving poses and balance. View on Amazon
A yoga wheel helps in stretching and improving flexibility, especially for backbends.Amazon
URBNFit Yoga Wheel – 12-Inch Roller – Designed for stretching and flexibility to help back aches and tension. View on Amazon
By balancing these three pillars of fitness within your home gym setup, you create a versatile environment where you can address all aspects of physical fitness. This comprehensive strategy keeps workouts fun and interesting while promoting long-term health benefits far beyond what any single type of exercise could achieve alone.
Workout Programs to Use at Home
Thanks to COVID, there has been an exponential increase in fitness apps and online programs that will provide complete training programs, allow you to track your workouts and monitor your progress over time. A lot of personal trainers and fitness coaches also offer virtual personal training sessions real-time through Zoom or through their own fitness app.
By following these tips and tailoring the design to your specific needs and preferences, you can create a home gym and workout space that is functional, motivating, and enjoyable to use.
If you’re in the process of rebuilding your relationship with movement, I see you — and I get it. For so many of us, especially women in midlife, fitness doesn’t look like it used to. Our energy, schedules, and priorities shift. What we need is not pressure or punishment… but permission to move in a way that feels good.
And honestly? Having the right tools can make all the difference.
You don’t need a home gym or expensive equipment to build strength. But a few key workout accessories can make strength training feel doable, safe, and even fun — especially when you’re starting (or starting over).
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s comfort, support, and making the experience feel just a little more accessible — so that your body and brain both want to come back tomorrow.
So here it is: my go-to list of supportive strength training accessories for home workouts — all of which I use myself and/or recommend to my clients.
What’s inside…
Here are my tried-and-true picks for workout accessories that make home strength training feel accessible, safe, and even a little fun. (Yes, I said fun )
Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase — at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself or with clients.
Top Workout Accessories – #1: Resistance Bands with Handles
Perfect for: Rows, chest press, bicep curls, shoulder work — especially if you’re not ready for dumbbells. Check them out on Amazon
These are lightweight, affordable, and super versatile. I love them for push/pull days when you’re short on space or don’t want to mess with heavy weights.
Top Workout Accessories – #2: Long Loop Bands (a.k.a. Glute Bands)
Perfect for: Glute bridges, squats, lateral steps, hip mobility Get a set here
These are great for adding gentle resistance to leg day or warm-ups. Plus, they’re easy on joints and work well at any strength level.
Top Workout Accessories – #3: A Pair of Light-to-Medium Dumbbells
You don’t need a full rack. Just one pair (5–10 lbs) is enough to build confidence and see progress — especially when paired with bodyweight exercises.
Top Workout Accessories – #4: Nonslip Exercise Mat
A thick, non-slip mat makes such a difference — especially if you’re dealing with sensitive knees, joints, or just want a little more comfort during workouts.
Top Workout Accessories – #5: Foam Roller or Massage Ball
Strength training is only part of the equation — recovery matters just as much. A foam roller can help release tension, increase circulation, and prevent stiffness.
Top Workout Accessories – #6: Simple Timer or Interval App
If you tend to lose track mid-workout (same), this little cube lets you flip to 30 sec / 1 min / 2 min intervals easily. Great for focus and structure.
Let’s gooooo
Here’s the truth: you don’t need a complex program or a Pinterest-perfect gym setup to get stronger.
Here’s my home gym set up here – it’s not fancy!
My favorite strength training workout
It’s a back-to-basics, no frills Push Pull Legs workout split – you can check it out here.
What you do need is the right mindset, a little consistency, and a few thoughtful tools that remove friction and create comfort.
Looking for more ways to motivate yourself to move?
These workout accessories make strength training feel a little easier — and a lot more aligned with how you want to treat your body now. Not with pressure. Not with shame. But with respect, ease, and progress that lasts.
Even though I love being active, and I know there are countless benefits to staying active as I get older, I have to admit that I don’t always *feel like* getting up and running or lifting weights.
Pre-pandemic I had a regular schedule of dropping my son off at preschool and then meeting a friend at the gym 3 or 4 days a week. I did this for so long, I assumed my workout habit was so solid that there wasn’t much that could knock me off track.
Like many of us, my routine unraveled when everything shut down — and since then, rebuilding it has taken more intention and creativity than I expected. That’s actually how I stumbled onto something surprisingly helpful (and kind of fun): apps that pay me to work out.
Yes, really — there are apps that pay me to work out! And they’ve given me that much-needed boost when my internal motivation takes a nap.
Table of Contents
Even though I genuinely like to exercise — and fully understand the benefits of movement, especially as I move through midlife — that doesn’t mean I always feel motivated to lace up my sneakers or pick up a dumbbell.
Truth is, getting started is often the hardest part. Once I’m moving, I usually enjoy it, and I’m almost always glad I showed up.
But that initial push? It can feel like climbing a mountain.
… ok, think back to March 2020.
Gyms were closed for at least 2 months. Our gym opened back up as soon as they were able to when quarantine was lifted. I was anxious to get back to “normal” ASAP but found I wasn’t comfortable working out with a mask on at the gyms.
We decided to take the money we would have spent on renewing our gym membership for another year and we set up a home gym instead
You can even see my Perfect Sit-upthing-a-majiggy. They don’t make this model anymore (not sure if that’s a bad sign?) but I actually love this thing because it puts your body in the perfect position to reduce head and neck strain while doing crunches.
I was pretty confident that having a full gym conveniently located in my house would mean we’d be working out all. the. time. and back in our routine of regular activity.
Nope.
Despite it being super convenient to walk down the hall and workout whenever I felt like it, I had a hard time getting it into a regular routine with it.
Once I was in the workout room and got started, I had no problem doing a workout. It was the inertia of getting myself in there and working out that was a big struggle.
I tried all kinds of rewards and motivational tricks to get myself into a regular routine using my home equipment but I couldn’t do it consistently.
I couldn’t understand it since I enjoyed working out, it was ridiculously convenient, and I had plenty of equipment to keep my workouts interesting.
What I realized was that my fitness habit hadn’t been as solid as I thought. After the quarantine hiatus, I was struggling to get back into the same routine I’d had prior to COVID.
I realized that the missing ingredient wasn’t the convenience, or the assortment of available equipment, but it was the accountability and my workout partner that I’d meet there a few times a week.
It wasn’t enough for me to want to work out, I actually needed someone to SEE me and be part of my workout program with me in order for me to actually do it. (I learned recently that the term for this is ‘body doubling’ and it’s a very common strategy used by people with ADHD to complete tasks.)
The First Step (LOL) to Overcoming My Workout Inertia
What finally helped me become more active on a daily basis was joining my first StepBet. Before this I had no idea that making money from exercise was even a thing.
Now, in case you’venever heard of it,StepBet is an app that offers paid challenges with the possibility of earning the entry fee back if you reach the daily and weekly personalized step goals, which are based on your own activity tracker history, until the end of the challenge.
As soon as there was some kind of visibility of my workouts and public accountability for reaching my daily step goal, I had a much easier time getting back into a regular activity habit.
I started joining multiple bets at one time, figuring if I was doing the work for one challenge anyway, I could be winning other challenges simultaneously and tripling my earnings.
Then I thought, if I was already moving, but maxed out on how many StepBets I could participate in at one time, I should find some other apps to earn rewards for the activity I was already doing.
Most Effective Apps Have the Following Features
I tried a LOT of apps. After some trial and error I learned that certain features were more effective than others to motivate me to move. What worked best for the apps that got me up and kept me moving had the following features:
Gamification
These apps celebrate consistent activity with awards, badges , or points when I keep my movement streak going.
Cash and Gift Card Rewards
These are the apps that award points for activity and then give you the option to cash them in for actual cash or e-gift cards.
Loss aversion
The fact that I’d put up some cash (even a small amount!) and I’d only get it back if I met my goal was a surprisingly good motivator. I was surprised how much I was willing to exert myself to NOT lose $10!
Public accountability and activity visibility
Even if it’s just strangers, knowing that someone somewhere was “competing” with me in these challenges got me up and moving
5 Fitness and challenge apps that pay me to work out:
#1 – Evidation
Evidation is a health data collection app that rewards members for tracking their activity through a wearable device and participating in health research studies.
When you join Evidation, you can earn points for tracking actions like walking, sleeping, taking surveys, reading health-related articles, and participating in health programs and research. You can redeem your points for cash or donate to the charity of your choice.
Once you’ve accumulated 10,000 points you can cash in for a $10 reward. I sync the app with my Apple Watch and it tracks my steps and my workouts. Between my activity points and the points awarded for answering short surveys and reading articles, I usually accumulate enough points to earn my $10 reward in 3 to 4 months.
The Reward:$10 every 10,000 points 3 or 4 times per year
This app also awards points for tracking your activity. When I first joined Paceline in 2022, I would earn a $1 Amazon gift card for completing 150 minutes of activity per week.
There was also an option to save up your points and cash in for a higher value gift card at other places, like Starbucks, or redeem them for discounts on the health and wellness products available in the Paceline Marketplace.
It doesn’t sound like a lot, but it was $52 a year to spend on Amazon, which I was going to do anyway.
In 2023 they changed their points and rewards program. Now they award 400 “Pacepoints” if you complete 50 minutes of activity per week, 800 additional “Pacepoints” if you complete 150 minutes of activity per week, and 300 bonus “Pacepoints” if you complete 300 minutes of activity each week. This means the maximum number of points you can earn in one week is 1500 points.
Sadly, they got rid of the $1 Amazon giftcard, and replaced it with a Marketplace where you can cash in your Pacepoints on things like charitable donations, a two month free trial to Barry’s X, mystery gifts, and gift cards.
The gift card options are limited… you can get a $5 Starbucks giftcard for 24,000 points, a $5 Adidas gift card for 24,000 points, or an $8 Spafinder giftcard for 35,000 points.
Do some quick math, you can see this wasn’t a change for the better. I used to be able to earn $52 in Amazon giftcards each year. Now it takes me 16 weeks to earn a $5 giftcard to Starbucks.
Pacepoints expire 24 weeks after the calendar week in which you earned them. Because the app is synced to my watch, I automatically earn these points each week without having to manually track anything, otherwise I probably wouldn’t bother.
The Reward I choose:a $5 Starbucks GC every 4 months.
GOLD – you’re eligible for this level if you spend at least $500 at DSG per year or if you are an active ScoreRewards credit card holder)
ScoreRewards – eligibility is dependent on being a ScoreRewards Credit Card Member
You’ll receive a $10 DSG store credit when you earn 300 points.
On the free tier (SCORECARD), you can earn up 3 points per day (per ScoreCard account) by syncing your wearable tracker with the app and doing any one of the following in one calendar day:
Reach at least 10,000 steps
Complete at least 3 miles
Complete at least 30 minutes of fitness activity
I can usually accrue the 300 points for the $10 reward in about 100 days.
This is the app that started it all for me. This app only has games based on step count. The games vary in intensity and duration. Your step goal for each game is personalized, based on your activity/exercise tracker history so all participants are actually competing with themselves more than anyone else. StepBet has a community feature that allows you to post comments during the bets and cheer each other on.
Some games give out awards at the end for the member who invited the most players to participate or the member who provided the most support to the community. Some games have drawings at the end for health and fitness related items such as a pair of walking shoes.
StepBet membership is $59.99 per year and allows members to play up to 3 games at once and provides access to exclusive member-only games with prizes and unique challenges.
Because the Step Goals in each challenge are based on my own step history, the goals are within the range that I feel comfortable walking on a daily basis. Most games include a Power Day, which is when the daily step goal is about 20% higher than a normal Active Step day.
What does become an issue is that the longer you do these StepBets, the more your Step goals increase with each game. I found it necessary to take breaks every 6 or 7 games or so in order for my average daily step count to drop down to a level that was realistic with my schedule. I usually join the 3-week/$10 bet games and the winnings are usually between $12 and $15 per game, which is a 20-50% return on my investment.
The Reward: I can earn anywhere from $6 to $20 per month when I’m actively participating in games.
From the same folks that offer StepBet, this app offers a much wider variety of games focused on different areas of health such as nutrition and mindset, not just fitness. Games include activities such as running, drinking water, reading books, eating fruits and vegetables, meditating, and strength training.
I don’t love that this app mentions weight loss as a way to promote better health, BUT I will give them credit for branching out beyond DietBets, where they only use the scale to measure progress. It’s several steps in the right direction and I’m hopeful that they’ll continue to shift their focus away from weight as a measure of progress.
What I like most about this app is that they offer a wider variety of games, and they games can be quick and cheap. For example, I can participate in a 2-week game for as little as $10.
How it works:
For each game, the participants’ entry fees go into one big pot.
If you lose the game by failing to meet the requirements for the duration of the game, your money stays in the pot.
If you win the game by meeting all of the game’s criteria you’ll get your money back PLUS your share of the pot left over by the participants who lost the game.
So if I win my game, I not only get my initial investment of $10 back, but I also win a share of the entry fees that were forfeited by participants that lost the game.
Game duration can be from 2 to 8 weeks and cost anywhere from $10 to $100. Personally, I prefer the $10/2 week games because of the quick turnaround.
It does require a 6-month membership fee of $68.99. Members can participate in up to 10 games at a time.
The Reward:My $10 games have ended with anywhere between a $12 – $16 payout and my most recent $25 game had a $32 payout.
Even though I love being active, I’ve come to accept that a little external motivation goes a long way to get me moving. These fitness apps provide that extra nudge I need to stay consistent.
If you’re like me and looking for that push to get you out the door, on a walk, or in the gym, consider giving these apps a try.
Here’s to staying active, staying motivated, and collecting those points (and cash!) along the way!
Favorite anti-diet book: Anti-Diet: Reclaim Your Time, Money, Well-Being, and Happiness Through Intuitive Eatingby Christy Harrison, MPH, RD, CEDS
Favorite size inclusive/fitness-focused social media profile: Healthy with Kelsey
Favorite Results Without Restriction podcast episode:
Get off the Diet Rollercoaster with Certified IE Coach, Brooke Spendlove
Favorite food-positive cookbook author: Leanne Brown Good Enough: A Cookbook: Embracing the Joys of Imperfection and Practicing Self-Care in the Kitchen
Favorite certified Intuitive Eating counselor: Christy Harrison
Favorite size inclusive/anti-diet personal trainer: Ragen Chastain
Meditation can be a life-changing practice if you struggle with stress or anxiety. Meditation has been shown to rewire the brain to return to a calm state and teaches you how to manage your racing thoughts or excessive worries.
You may not know this but 20 years ago I struggled with crippling anxiety and panic attacks. I went to the doctor for anti-anxiety pills but instead got a lesson in meditation. Learning how to quiet my mind has been an invaluable tool in managing my anxiety since then.
If you’re struggling with constant worry or a brain that doesn’t relax, you may want to create your own meditation practice. It doesn’t have to be complicated, you can start right now!
Here are 4 steps to getting started:
1. Create space
Literally and figuratively. Find a place where you’ll be able to sit in peace for a few minutes at a time (to start). Free of noise, distraction, traffic, or anything that will disrupt your meditation. Put a comfortable pillow, chair, blanket in the place where you’ll meditate to designate it your meditation space to help your mind and body transition into your practice.
If you can’t designated one space for meditation, don’t sweat it. The great thing about meditation is it literally can be done ANYWHERE, but most people find that having a designated spot for it helps get into the right mindset for the practice.
Also, carve out a time in the day when it will be convenient for you to meditate. Most people prefer to do it early in the day, that way it doesn’t get postponed or eventually left undone by a busy day or being too tired later on.
2. Pick a style
Figure out what kind of meditation you want to do. I’ve listed some beginner-friendly ones here:
Breathing meditation – focus only on the breath. Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.
Counting meditation – the same number sequence is repeated over and over.
Mantra meditation – focus on a word or phrase for the duration of the session.
Sensation awareness meditation – scan through your body one part at a time and just tune in to the sensations of your body at that time. No judgement, just awareness.
Walking meditation – Sitting meditation usually provides the greatest benefits, but you may need to start with small steps. Walking meditation is useful for beginners or as an alternative on days when a regular session isn’t feasible. Walk around your own living room or backyard. Walking automatically puts you in touch with your body. Observe your posture from foot to head. Align your breath with your steps. Pause frequently to create a slow and restful state of mind. Take a moment to stand up straight. Lift each foot gently, and roll from heel to toe as you place it down in front of you.
To start, just pick one type and see if it resonates with you. if not, you can move on to another type. Most beginners start with a guided mediation.
3. Start Small
For most people, one of the most difficult things about meditation can be finding the time to squeeze a session into your busy schedule. You can start by meditating for five minutes or less!
Stop on red. You may start looking forward to red lights if you use them for a refreshing break. Focus on your breath and appreciate the world around you.
Take advantage of routine tasks. Empty your mind and your dishwasher at the same time. As you remove forks and plates, clear out nagging resentments and doubts.
Ease stressful moments. Meditate on whatever disturbs you. Being annoyed with a salesclerk who rang up your purchase without putting down their phone could remind you to listen more attentively to family and friends. Let it be a teachable moment that creates more harmony.
Express gratitude. Happy events are also worth pondering. Stop to give thanks for hot chocolate or spring flowers
4. Join a Guided Meditation Group
Guided meditation sessions with a group leader take care of the agenda for you.
Find a community. Yoga studios, public libraries, and local hospitals may offer programs. Browse online or check bulletin boards in grocery stores and coffee shops. Start your own group through Meetup.
Locate a meditation instructor. Effective instructors come in many shapes and sizes. Ask about why they teach meditation and how they lead a session. As long as you feel comfortable with them it may be a good fit.
Work with distractions. Meditating in a crowded room may feel different than sitting down alone in your bedroom. If trying to screen out distractions makes it difficult to concentrate, try accepting them instead. Remain aware of your surroundings. If a door slams or a phone rings, gently bring your focus back when you’re ready to resume.
Go at your own pace. Meditation comes more easily for some practitioners, and your powers of concentration will probably rise and fall from day to day. Listen to the instructor when you need more guidance. If you already feel clear and connected, you may want to follow your own thoughts instead.
You can start a meditation practice today even if you’re short on time and juggling many responsibilities. Practical meditation techniques can put you on the path to managing stress and enjoying greater peace of mind.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor or Registered Dietitian. The information presented is purely to share my experience and for entertainment purposes. As always, check with a doctor before making any fitness or nutrition changes. The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any activities or ideas from this site.
Well…yes, they do really work. The fact is, science shows definite health benefits for people who use mindfulness and meditation.
Before we dive in, let’s just make sure we’re on the same page when we use the words mindfulness and meditation.
Meditation is the ancient practice of connecting the body and mind to become more self-aware and present. It’s often used to calm the mind, ease stress, and relax the body.
Practicing mindfulness is one of the most popular ways to meditate. It’s defined as ‘paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.’
Mindfulness meditation is well studied in terms of its health benefits. I’m going to talk about a few of them below, and refer to it as mindfulness for the rest of the post.
The link between mindfulness and health = stress reduction
Have you heard the staggering statistics on how many doctors’ visits are due to stress? Seventy-five to ninety percent!
So, if you ask me, it makes a lot of sense that anything that can reduce stress can reduce health issues, too.
Mindfulness reduces inflammation, it reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and improves sleep. All of these can have massive effects on your physical and mental health.
I’ll briefly go over the research in three main areas: mood, weight, and gut health. But know that the research on the health benefits of mindfulness is branching into many other exciting new areas too.
Mindfulness for mood
The most immediate health benefit of mindfulness is improved mood.
In one study, people who took an 8-week mindfulness program had greater improvement in symptoms according to the “Hamilton Anxiety Scale.” They were compared with people who took a stress management program that did not include mindfulness. It seems that the mindfulness training was key to lowering symptoms.
Other studies show that mindfulness has similar effects as antidepressant medications for some people with mild to moderate symptoms of depression.
While mindfulness isn’t a full-fledged cure, it can certainly help to improve moods.
Mindfulness for gut health
Recent studies show a link between stress, stress hormones, and changes in gut microbes (your friendly bacteria and other critters that help your digestion).In theory, mindfulness-based stress reduction could be a way to help prevent negative changes in the gut’s microbes.
Also, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) seems to be linked with both stress and problems with gut microbes. In one study, people with IBS who received mindfulness training showed greater reductions in IBS symptoms than the group who received standard medical care.
The research here is just starting to show us the important link between stress, gut health, and how mindfulness can help.
TL;DR –
Science is confirming some amazing health benefits of the ancient practice of mindfulness meditation. For moods, weight, gut health, and more. Do you regularly include it in your life? If so, have you seen benefits? If not, would you consider trying it?
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Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor or Registered Dietitian. The information presented is purely to share my experience and for entertainment purposes. As always, check with a doctor before making any fitness or nutrition changes. The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any activities or ideas from this site.
