One of the keys to a healthy lifestyle is exercise. Sure, exercise is good for weight loss and a strong heart, but exercise reduces stress, improves emotional and mental health, can reduce the need for medication for some health conditions, and even spice things up in the bedroom.

The recommended level of exercise is thirty to sixty minutes per day, ninety to one hundred and twenty minutes for steady weight loss. Any movement that elevates heart rate is considered exercise, including cleaning the house, working in the garden, and walking the dog. Most people like to follow some sort of exercise routine, however, only when their heart rate is elevated are they are getting a good healthy work out. The question becomes, where to exercise.

Working Out at the Gym

There are two excuses most people give for not working out: no time and boredom. A gym membership can help provide motivation for regular exercise.

Gyms offer a variety of equipment and classes so it is hard to get bored. Working out at the gym also provides the chance to try different types of exercise and machines. Today, many gyms provide classes in aerobics, body sculpting, pilates, yoga, and spinning. Popular cardio machines are elliptical machines, steppers, treadmills, and recumbent bikes. Because it is recommended that strength training be part of a regular exercise routine, a gym will also have weight rooms or strength-training machines. Many gyms have personal trainers for an added fee, but often provide a session or two for free with a new or renewed membership.

Getting to the gym regularly is another issue. When looking for a gym, it makes sense to find one that affords easy access to home or work because it’s easier to fit in regular workouts if you do not have to go out of your way to get there. Make sure the gym offers equipment and activities that will hold your interest. For example, many women get excited about the idea of the women’s only gyms that have grown in popularity, only to quit going after a month because the workout gets dull. Putting the gym on the schedule at the same time each day will turn it into a routine.

Working Out at Home

The benefit to working out at home is that it can be done in privacy and at one’s convenience. There are no worries about the gym being crowded or not being open if one is working out in the basement at home.

The cost of exercise equipment is reasonable enough that the average family can afford one or two pieces for a home gym. But equipment is not necessary. There are plenty of exercise videos on the market to provide instruction on anything from getting rock hard buns to putting yoga to work on abs. Strength training can be done with inexpensive dumb bells or, even with jugs filled with water.