(Akiit.com) At this time of year, it’s natural to reconsider our goals for the coming season, and a lot of us resolve to improve our fitness. There are so many reasons – health benefits, weight loss and a reduction in stress levels. But sometimes the extortionate cost and time investment a gym membership demands can be daunting. And you want to bulk up and look like you should be appearing on aretheyonsteroids. The good news is, there are plenty of ways to get fit without a gym membership. You can improve your fitness without any costly equipment. Just a few easy steps and some commitment, and your new health regime could be just around the corner.
Power Walking
If you haven’t really exercised before, a great way to get started is by introducing power walking into your life. And all you need to get started is to lace on your training shoes and go. You should be 
walking at a pace that leaves you slightly out of breath but still able to hold a conversation. Use your arms to power yourself along. This gives low impact cardio that won’t aggravate the joints. Walking briskly up and down the stairs can also help indoors.
Body weight Exercises
You can get a really effective workout in your living room by learning and repeating a simple body weight workout routine. Performing moves like squats, lunges, jumping jacks, burpees and donkey licks tones muscle and gives a great intensive work out.
Lift Light Weights
You can also do some home weight workouts- and you don’t even need a set of weights. Household items such as litre water bottles or gallon jugs of milk filled or part filled with rice or flour can serve as handy grab weights. If you do want to invest in some kit to keep at home, a simple weights system is inexpensive and can be used to perform lots of different exercises. You can even get sets designed to fit under the bed!
Have a Dance
It’s underrated, but dancing around your kitchen can be a great work out and a mood lifter as well. In fact, it may just become your favourite way to start the day off. Make a playlist of music that makes you want to move those dancing feet or use an app like RockMyRun for dedicated workout playlists. Although it feels fun, the aerobic exercise is also very good for you.
Step Exercises
Learn a set of moves you can do using the stairs in your own home, like lunges, squats and tricep dips and use them as a fitness tool. Start by rapidly climbing up and down the stairs a few times until you’re out of breath. That’s your warm-up! Then continue with some plyometric moves using the staircase as support. Finally, you can finish up by stretching out gently- again using the stairs!
Whatever you choose to do, start out gently and build up the repetitions and intensity slowly. Make sure to stay well hydrated and cool down with some stretches after any exercise. You’ll soon be on your way to a brand new you and all without leaving the house if you don’t want to. Fitness doesn’t have to be about gyms- make it work for you!
Staff Writer; Shelia Fuller