a common struggle among my friends is the ability to squeeze in their workouts between the demands of their professional and personal lives.  like me, they believe that exercise is an important component of healthy living, but sometimes (often) their individual needs fall behind those of kids, spouses, work, and home. 

in my 20s, i managed to hit the gym or run ten miles at least five days a week.  the frequency with which i went to the gym brought the average per workout cost down to a reasonable six dollars.  enter my 30s.  work demands increased, and i got a 4-legged kid who couldn’t accompany me to the gym yet still needed exercise. i found myself hitting the gym less and less, thereby increasing my average per workout cost to an unacceptable $15.

i finally quit the gym and sought cheaper and less time-consuming alternatives to getting a good workout.  i tried a variety of things, including outdoor bootcamps, pure barre, cycling, and at-home weight and elliptical machines.  it took a few years, but i’ve finally found what works for me, and the good news is that it is convenient and fun to do yet requires a monetary investment of only $100 assuming you have 50 square feet of space and a tv/dvd or computer with a dvd player.

first essential purchase: david kirsch’s ultimate fitness bootcamp dvd, which is available for $25 at http://davidkirschwellness.com/store/books-and-videos/boot-camp-video_dvd. the dvd provides a whole-body and core-focused workout utilizing free weights, body resistance, aerobic activity, and yoga principles. if you haven’t done a bootcamp before, i would suggest attending a few with a qualified instructor before trying the dvd at home so that you can reduce the risk of injury by using proper form/technique.

second essential purchase: at least two sets of dumbbells. start light, maybe 3/5 lbs or 5/8 lbs. i know that doesn’t sound like enough, but believe me, the workout is tough even with the light weights.

third essential purchase: a yoga mat. my favorite is the one available from pure barre for $40 (see http://purebarre.com/shop/dvds-equipment/pure-barre-mat.html).

while that’s it for the essentials, i also recommend a stability ball appropriate for your height, a jump rope (one of the BEST and CHEAPEST aerobic activities), flexible tubing, a mirror (just to check form; i intentionally workout without my glasses on or contacts in so i can’t see my body too clearly), and a fan (if you’re giving it 100%, it gets hot even in a basement).

and for accountability, i use these dry-erase calendars from target to keep track of my workouts.

and last but not least, i have a workout buddy. he is not the best spotter or motivator, but his presence makes the workout much more enjoyable.

for those skeptical of home workouts (i counted myself among you by the way), i was able to test the effectiveness of same by attending a $5 drop-in, 60-minute intense boot camp at genesis fitness (www.genesisfitness.com) this past saturday, which as an aside, i would highly recommend.

my swollen and bruised knuckles from the punching bag notwithstanding, i was able to keep up with all of the others in the class, both men and women, some of whom were 20 years my junior. so yes, in addition to being convenient and cheap, the workout works.