This entire year has been devoted to personal development. Loving and caring for my body has been crucial.
But can you get fit on a small budget and minimal time? Absolutely! In fact, as a homesteader, you have everything you need on your property! Think about all of the work you do to tend the land, care for the animals, upkeep the property, and haul supplies. Who needs a gym?
In fact, I’ve had gym memberships and worked out at home. I find that gym memberships take out so much time from my day that I am not consistent with them. Home workouts allow me to work out every day, on my schedule.
Here are 5 ways to jump start your fitness journey, in addition to all the exercise you get homesteading:
- Decide your goal. Are you trying to tone up, lose weight, or develop a positive daily routine? Is there a specific goal in mind, for example, “I will learn to love running”. Develop your “why”. Is it to prove to yourself that you can do it or to increase your energy levels so that you can be an energetic parent? Write out an affirmation stating it “I am a runner. I love achieving goals and pushing my body to do the things I want it to. I gain energy, reduce stress, and gain confidence by running”. Then take small, manageable steps towards your goal. This program the Couch to 5K is a great, free program to learn to love running. Well, that is for everyone besides me!
- Brainstorm activities that you took part in as a child or that you enjoy now and incorporate them into your daily life. Fitness doesn’t need to feel like a chore! It can be fun. You can play basketball or have sprinting race with your kids. Go on hikes or garden together. Create intentional movement while you are working on the property, such as doing lunges while pushing the wheelbarrow or lifting rocks over your head.
- Start small. There are a few apps that I use that allow me to do daily, short workouts that allow me to incorporate daily exercise to stay toned, but that don’t require a ton of time. I like these appsFeel the Burnand7 Women
- Diet. My belief is that everyone needs different things to be at optimum health and if you are in tune with your intuition, you will know what your body needs. Eat as clean and simply as possible. Fresh fruits and vegetables that you grow yourself of from the farmer’s market. If you eat meat or dairy, make sure that it is humanely sourced and grass-fed.
- Mindset. Remember why you want to achieve health and fitness. It’s not about having a good body...it is much more than that. Do you want more energy? Better endurance? Do you want to reduce your stress levels? Or have more confidence?