Working Out at Home: Exercise Videos or Personal Trainer?

We all know we should be doing some form of exercise don't we? But, most of us really don't want to leave our home and go to a gym.

No matter which way you go, you are going to need exercise equipment and a room in your home to put them. Here are a few choices for the kinds of equipment that you might want to get:

The most popular workout equipment that is sold today is a treadmill. If the weather is cold, or if it's raining or snowing you don't have to worry about freezing. Just go into your exercise room (or space) and walk on your treadmill. Treadmills aren't the heavy, clunky machines that they used to be. Most can now be folded up and stowed away in a closet or behind a screen.

A universal weight set is the next thing that you should think about getting. Universal weight sets can be set up so that you can exercise a wide range of muscles in the body. Pumping iron isn't like it used to be in the old days. This type of exercise equipment can be set up to exercise just about any part of your body, from your legs, to your arms to you back...you name it. Using just these two pieces of exercise equipment, you can improve both your cardio and your body's strength.

The least expensive choice as to learning the correct ways to exercise is by purchasing a fitness video. You don't even have to use special equipment with some of these videos. Some will be for yoga and others just for dancing and aerobic exercise. Here are some things to be aware of when looking for a fitness video:

1. Decide on what kind of fitness that you want to start with and buy a video for that one kind. Don't try to start out with twenty different kinds of exercises. You'll just give up overwhelmed and frustrated.

2. Start slowly by following the video examples one step at a time. Maybe you've decided to do an aerobics dance video first. Begin the routine and then stop when you get overly tired. Take a day off and then start again, going as far as you can without overtaxing yourself. Build up your workout routine time gradually.

3. Only when you can easily do the exercise routine in the aerobics video that you purchased, then go for another type of exercise such as Tai Bo.

Fitness videos are great for those who are shy or think that they are to fat to be seen at the gym. (Why is that? That's what gyms are for!) Once you get a few routines down, you'll start feeling healthier and have more stamina.

Some people may do better with a personal trainer. After all, you can't "cheat" on your exercises if you have someone telling you exactly what, how and why you should do your exercising. A personal trainer will create an exercise routine that matches your fitness level. They are there to push you a bit but not to make you do more than your body will tolerate.

Here are some tips on hiring a personal trainer:

You should be able to find a personal trainer at your local gym. You can hire one of them or ask them for a referral for one for you to use in your home.

This could get a bit expensive. You might just decide that it would be less expensive for you to work out at the gym just to get you started. You could join for just a short time. Some gyms even have a "trial period" so you can test them out. The trainer would show you how to use the exercise equipment and you'll go and apply the same methods at home.

It would probably be better to splurge on a personal trainer to begin with so that he (or she) can start you on the routine that will be best for you level of physical fitness. They are the experts and will guide you in the right direction.

Which ever way you decide to go, fitness video or personal trainer, you must get started. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be. Just do it!

Jude Wright is the owner of "9 Weeks to Weight Loss" at http://9WeekstoWeightLoss.com . Stop by and get your free report, "Losing Weight Without Starving Yourself."