No Gym Required

While nutrition has been central to my health and fitness journey, working out has also been meaningful. With my improved nutrition I saw increased value in my physical activity from walking to biking to muscle building exercises. I haven’t owned a gym membership since July 2020 as I discovered that a gym or fitness center wasn’t required for me to become fit!

In the fall of 2020, my schedule picked up as I started a new gig which required more time at my home desk. Plus, my eldest began the school year at home and we didn’t have a sitter for our growing toddler. Hence, outdoor activity time became a little tight. My walking/biking routine declined from two hours a day to roughly one hour. I needed another form of physical activity to augment my new approach to nutrition, which was really beginning to thrive at that point.

So, I checked out YouTube channels like Chris Heria’s for push-up variation ideas. The guy is amazing! I also stumbled on the channel, Rowan Row, with videos for all sorts of bodyweight workouts. Admittedly, I became a huge fan, but couldn’t keep up with some of the workouts. I did what I could, which was a lot as the movement more than supplemented for my loss of outdoor time. Also, my outdoor time now involved chasing around the growing toddler whereas I previously pushing the stroller everywhere.

The stars and planets seemed to align for me when I searched YouTube for “workouts for 40+” as I’m well into my 40s. This is when I discovered Funk Roberts and his Over 40 Alpha community! Wow! This guy’s channel blew me away. I loved how he talked/coached through each workout. And there were so many full body workouts that didn’t require equipment! I barely followed along, but it was fun. It was actually fun working out with this black Canadian fitness buff! I became hooked, waiting each evening to roll out the mat in the tiny corner of my kid-centric living room to do my 20-30-minute workout! By the end of 2020, the combination of home workouts and improved nutrition gave me a new vitality.

In early 2021 I purchased dumbbells and was all in to keep going! I followed along with Funk’s combo workouts for dumbbells, bodyweight, etc. I also continued to check out other YouTube fitness channels for variation of exercises and health education. It’s amazing how much information is readily available thanks to a community of committed and talented fitness influencers. There is a lifetime’s worth of content on YouTube that can be transformative.

The combination of dumbbells, bodyweight workouts and outdoor activity has been great for my fitness and mental health. And yes, there have been tangible gains throughout this process. I’ve seen more muscle development and abs than at any point other point in my life. I don’t consider myself to have an IG model physique, but I definitely acquired some gains from complimenting my nutrition with these workouts. Most importantly, I just feel really good as a result. It hasn’t made all in my life perfect, but I do live with this sense of fulfilment that stems from the steady incorporation of different workouts into weekly routine.

Now, this post is not advocating the cancellation gym memberships. In fact, having a gym membership can be an asset depending on one’s goals and specific needs. Just as being part of certain online health and fitness communities can benefit one’s holistic health. For me, no gym required means I discovered fitness opportunities that I enjoy from my residence. This seemed to really work for me in an unprecedented way. Perhaps I’ll join another gym in the future. Or not. 😉

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