The Gym Excuse

When it comes to getting active, people will come up with as many excuses as possible to avoid hitting the gym. Gyms are expensive and not always right around the corner. I have a hectic schedule of working two jobs and going to school full time, so I make sure to get my workout done in the morning. I enjoy the treadmill, but others find machines boring. So what's the alternative? Workouts that can be done at home! Thanks to WebMd, I have listed some ways to build your body on a budget.

Your equipment 
1. Soup cans or jugs of water for weights 
2. Substitute a countertop for a push up bench 
3. Pantyhose for resistance bands: loop a pair of pantyhose around the balls of your feet and pull back with both hands as if you were using a rowing machine.

The exercises
1. Squats: Standing upright, feet wider than shoulders apart, with arms extended forward or hands on hips for balance, squat down. Push knees outward as you descend, until thighs are parallel with the floor. 
2. Partial-body push-ups: Knees on the floor pushing your upper body up from the floor
3. Jumping Jacks: add weights into this exercise to build muscle in your arms 
4. Chair Crunches: Sit on a chair with hands under your behind, arms straight, and fingers facing inward toward one another. Keeping your knees bent at a 90-degree angle, lift your feet off the floor and tuck your knees in toward your chest, bending the upper body slightly toward your knees. 

Here is a video to guide you through an at home workout routine. Make sure to stretch for about five minutes before beginning your workout. Once you get the routine down, add weights (or soup cans!) into your workout to build and sculpt your arms. There is no excuse to not workout when there are cheap and effective ways to sculpt your body at home!