How To Get Fit At Home Without Equipment

Are you looking to learn how to get fit at home without any exercise equipment? It’s not as difficult as you may think.

In this article, I’m going to explain how to burn fat while adding lean muscle by addressing two main items. Eating nutritious meals and burning significant calories by working out correctly.

First I’m going to give you the results of three important studies with results that may surprise you; then I’ll give you four proven methods that you can use to burn more fat in your own workouts without making any big equipment investments or spending hours in the gym.

People often get this confused with gaining or losing weight.

This is not what I’m talking about. Weight should not be what your main focus is on. If you want to focus on a number, body fat percentage should be the number you pay attention to.

Be sure to read all the way through and at the bottom, I’ll explain how you can take action.

Scientific Proof #1—Purdue University Study

Strength Training

First up, a study from Purdue University. For 12 weeks, 36 healthy men and women did strength training three times a week. Now before I tell you the results, let me tell you these were not a bunch of athletic college students—the average age in this group was 61, and one of the participants was 80 years old!

In 12 weeks, participants did a simple strength workout routine consisting of three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise.

These people gained an average of 4 pounds of lean mass and lost more than 4 pounds of body fat.

The study proves that without investing in expensive exercise machines or having to join a gym, by doing a simple strength-training program at home you can:

• lose fat
• gain muscle
• get stronger
• lower LDL cholesterol
• improve blood sugar control with a simple strength training workout routine.

Scientific Proof #2—Creatine Study

Supplements

Participants in this eight-week study were divided into two groups.

Both groups worked out six days a week, but one supplemented their diet with a creatine and sugar supplement while the other used a protein and sugar supplement. Both groups reduced their body fat and gained muscle; in fact, the group taking creatine had the most impressive muscle gain I’ve ever seen.

In just eight weeks, they gained over 9 pounds of lean muscle mass.

Scientific Proof #3—The Women Milk Drinkers Study

Protein

Okay, it was actually called “Body Composition and Strength Changes in Women with Milk and Resistance Exercise” 3 But in this study, all the participants were women who drank a liter of milk after each of their strength training workouts, which they performed five days a week.

The results: the ladies gained an average of 4.2 pounds of lean mass and at the same time, they lost 3.5 pounds of fat.

And by the way, they did no cardio whatsoever during this study.

So there you have a brief summary of a few of the studies that have been conducted and then have proven scientifically that you can gain muscle while losing fat.

Now here are some specific techniques to lose fat that have also been proven by scientific research. You can implement these to lose fat and gain muscle yourself!

4 Scientifically Proven Ways How You Can Burn More Fat While Adding Lean Muscle

The great thing about these fat burners is that they not only assist you in losing fat while you work out, but they crank up your metabolism so that you can be burning fat 24/7, 365 days a year.

• Proven Method #1 – Eat Fruits & Vegetables
• Proven Method #2 – Burn More Calories with Fewer Reps
• Proven Method #3 – DITCH the long boring cardio and replace it with HIIT
• Proven Method #4 – Rev up your metabolism with Supersets

Proven Method #1—Eat Fruits & Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are naturally high nutrient, low-fat foods. So what this means for you is that if you want to burn fat, make sure you eat lots of fruits and vegetables.

These foods give you a satisfying feeling of fullness that helps to prevent hunger or low blood sugar from driving you to devour non-nutritious junk foods.

At the same time, they provide vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are necessary to keep your body running at its best.

Fortunately, fresh fruit requires very little preparation so it’s really easy to incorporate it into your daily diet routine.

Vegetables that can be eaten raw are equally easy and even those that have to be cooked can be done so very simply.

During the summer and the fall be sure to check out your local farmers market to get the freshest fruits and vegetables. You’ll find an abundance of watermelon, berries, apples, and cherries to satisfy your sweet tooth, and hopefully, keep you off the sugar.

Proven Method #2—Burn More Calories with Fewer Reps

That’s right, you get to burn more calories with shorter workouts! Here’s what happened in the study: the participants, all-female, were divided into two groups. One group worked out with lighter weights and more repetitions; the other group worked out with heavier weights and only did eight reps per set (This was called the high-intensity group.)

The results of this study showed that AFTER the workout was finished, the high-intensity group continued to burn more calories. The scientists who performed the study, therefore, recommended high-intensity resistance training as being more beneficial than the previously recommended low-intensity workouts consisting of lighter weights at more repetitions.

Proven Method # 3—Less Extended Cardio Sessions

If you’ve been on the fitness bandwagon for any length of time, you’ve doubtlessly been put through a cardio routine at some point.

Many people still subject themselves to hour after hour of jogging, running, stepping or pedaling on exercise machines because they have been told that’s what they have to do to burn fat.

Where did the cardio craze come from?

Well, it started back in the 1960s when a medical doctor by the name of Kenneth Cooper coined the term and wrote a book called Aerobics. Dr. Cooper believed in the maintenance of good health through diet and exercise and wrote the book that started the jogging craze that started in the late 1960s and pretty much continues today.

The North American Association for the study of obesity recently published the results from a study in which adults between the ages of 40 and 75 were instructed to do a full 60 minutes of aerobic exercise, six days per week for an entire year!

How much weight do you think they lost? 20 pounds? 30? Maybe more? I couldn’t believe it when I read the results.

That level of cardio workout only resulted in an average fat loss of 4 pounds for women and 6.6 pounds for men.

By my standards, that’s way too much exercise for such a small weight loss.

Proven Method #4—(The Exception) High-Intensity Cardio & Supersets

There is one exception to the rule about cardio being ineffective, and that’s high-intensity cardio. You may be thinking, “Yeah, my cardio’s pretty intense,” but allow me to clarify what researchers mean when they say high-intensity cardio (HIC).

Researchers qualify a cardio workout as HIC when it is performed above the lactate threshold, which is the point where athletes “feel the burn” and muscles become fatigued.

Instead of doing long drawing out workout routines where you perform the exercise and then wait a couple of minutes, supersets are incorporated.

Supersets have been shown to burn roughly 30% more calories when compared to traditional resistance training.

You’re probably familiar with the concept that the amount of fat you burn is directly proportional to the amount of exercise you do, but now you have the proof that the kind of exercise you do and the way you structure your workout have profound effects on the efficiency of your workouts.

Exercises To Do At Home

So now you need to know what kinds of exercises you can do that will fit into the proven methods above. Below is a list of exercises, that combined will work your entire body. They aren’t in any particular order. Some people like to do upper body and lower body splits, others like to do push/pull muscles, and others have their own methods.

Regardless if you do these exercises, you’ll be working your upper body and lower body. The end goal with most of these is to do 3-5 sets with close to 10 reps per set. Now, everybody is at different levels of strength, so I can’t tell you how many to do. This is something you need to figure out on your own. If 10 is super easy, try 15 or 20. If 10 working reps is difficult, drop down lower and work your way up.

1. Pushups – pushups are a great upper body workout. They also work your core, so they’re functional. If you have trouble doing a standard pushup, you can start with your knees on the floor, or even doing them against a wall. The number of reps and sets will depend on your strength and level of fitness. The goal is to increase the number over time, as your strength increases.
2. Bodyweight squats – squats and deadlifts will be two of the best lower body exercises you can do. Since your legs are stronger than your upper body you should be able to do these relatively easily. Again, this will depend on age, strength, and level of fitness. If your body weight isn’t enough, grab something you can comfortably hold onto, that will provide you some weight.
3. Supermans – if you’re not familiar with this exercise, you start face down on the ground, with your arms extended out in front of you (hence the name of the workout). Using your core muscles, lift your chest off the ground, and your lower legs. Your body should form a slightly concave shape, with your hips as the primary point of contact on the ground. Hold that position for 3-5 seconds and then go back down.
4. Bicep Curls – curls can be done with both hands or individually. Even if you just have light weights (less than 10 lbs) you can still do curls. The biceps are pretty strong, so to get the most out of this workout, you want to go slow on the way down, pause, and then raise the weight back up. If you can slow the eccentric (the downward portion of the lift) to 3-5 seconds, pause at the bottom for one second, and then bring the weight back up, you’ll start to feel it.
5. Calf Raises – you can do these on the flat surface but would be even better on a stair or a step, with your heel hanging off the ledge. Again, you can do these with both calves at the same time, or you can do them individually. If you find it too easy, definitely do them one calf at a time. Like the biceps, do these slow, and don’t worry about holding a rail or steadying yourself as you do these.
6. Abs/Crunches – having a strong core will benefit your entire body. Pick a core workout that challenges you, but one you’ll stick with. Planks are great, crunches are excellent, bicycle kicks, or whatever fits you. The basic crunch or situp is as good as any if you’re just starting out. Make sure you’re engaging your core and not yanking on your neck to accomplish the workout.
7. Wall Sit – You might remember wall-sits from gym class back in the day. And they still burn a bit today, because they’re a great leg workout. Sit with your back against the wall and lower yourself down, like you’re sitting in a chair. Start off with 15-30 seconds and do this a few times. As your strength increases, up the amount of time, you’re holding the position. Also, in the end, be sure you’re standing back up and not going all the way down to the floor. This could cause issues with your knees if you have joint problems.
8. Close-grip pushups – one of the things I love about working out, is the slightest changes can alter the muscles engaged. It makes it really easy to target different muscles, by simply making small adjustments. By putting your hands together forming a triangle or diamond and doing a pushup, you’ll work your triceps (the back of your arms). You’ll also be working your chest a bit, but that is okay. The triceps will be doing the majority of the work.
9. Step-ups – sometimes called box steps, this is great for your butt and legs. You need to find a stable chair, platform, box, or something you can step on. Simply, step up with one leg until your standing, and return back down. You can switch legs if you like or you can keep going with the same leg. If you keep going with the same leg, it will be more difficult. You can do the same thing with a set of stairs. Ideally, you would go slow, and skip every other step to get a full range of motion. You need to consider your level of strength and level of fitness.
10. Burpee – the burpee is really a killer exercise. It not only works your muscles, but it will really elevate your heart rate and burn through some calories. There are different kinds of burpees, so start off with an easier option (maybe just popping up vs jumping up) and work your way up.

Conclusion Getting Fit

Now, I’ve shared with you some proven results backed by scientific studies. It can be a little daunting on how to get started on your path to health and fitness. Reaching your goals will take self-discipline and effort.

If you would like a step by step tutorial on how you can burn fat while adding lean muscle, I would recommend the turbulence training program.

I did a review of this program with all the pros and cons so you can see if it’s right for you.

If you would like to see the program’s website start here, or click the image below.

FAQ on Adding Lean Muscle and Burning Fat

Does muscle burn more calories than fat?

Yes, according to research, since muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue does, muscle mass is a key factor in weight loss.

What is a simple way to burn calories?

Studies show taking a brisk way every day is an easy way to get started in your fitness journey. The longer you walk the more calories you’ll burn.

What foods help with adding muscle.

Nutrition will play the biggest role in adding muscle. Foods that are high in protein like lean meats and fish have high protein content. Adding fiber to your diet with a minimum of healthy fats and carbohydrates will help with adding muscle.

How can I add more protein to my diet?

Be sure you’re adding protein to every meal. Also, try to consume your protein first. Snacking on things like cheese, nuts, and using protein shakes are easy ways to add protein to your daily intake.