Get Fit with 6: Easy, inexpensive items to get you or someone you love on the path to a healthy new year

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) - Exercise and weight loss are usually popular new year’s resolutions. You really don’t have to wait, you can get started now or put a few things on your Christmas wish list.

There are several pieces of equipment under $30 that can help get you started.

Resistance Tubes

“When you’re doing resistance tubes you’re going to stand about shoulder width apart with your feet. You can do curls. This is going to work your arms which is your biceps. You can do little step-outs to the side, which is going to work inner and outer thigh. You can hold the handles to your side and squat and come up so you’re working your glutes, hamstrings, pretty much everything in your lower body,” said Amy Stewart, Back to Basics Personal Training.

Resistance Bands

“If you’re using the resistance bands, you can work your shoulders more. Bring your arms out in front of you just pulse to the side. You’re working more of your deltoid muscles and then if you want to do a little more triceps you can bring this band behind you and then just more of a push back which is going to work more of the back of your arm,” said Stewart.

Stability Ball

“Lying on the ball, chin up toward the ceiling. All of these things come with a manual so you’ll have some instruction. You can also do maybe some leg workout if you lay on the ground, feet up on top working the glutes and the hamstrings or even more of the hamstrings and the glutes this way,” said Stewart.

Workouts can be between 20-30 minutes. If you are just starting an exercise routine, you don’t want to do too much too fast.

“I say start out like 30 minutes. Maybe 20 – 30 minutes. It’s a proven fact that 20 to 30 minutes of exercise a day is going to help with mind and body,” said Stewart.

Keep track of your workouts so you can celebrate your accomplishments and challenge yourself.

“When I first started working out I used a calendar — just a basic calendar. Put it on your refrigerator, mark down everyday that you’ve worked out, what you did that day, how long you did it for and then you can see your improvements daily,” said Stewart.

Remember, you want this to be a life change not just a new year’s resolution so it’s important to pick a fitness routine that you enjoy and something you will continue to do.

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