10 Antisocial Reasons to Work Out from Home

I am an antisocial person. I don’t like crowds, or people for that matter. I don’t like group activities, and I absolutely detest making small talk. Before you start tsk tsking or feeling sorry for me, read the first line again. I prefer being this way. Having said that, it not that I never interact with people; I just prefer to avoid social interaction if I can help it. I am sure I am not alone in this, or at least I would know for sure if I went out to meet people.

People ask me how I survive this lifestyle, it’s easy. I work from home, get my groceries and other essentials delivered, and get my exercise at home. A healthy lifestyle and exercise are important to me, and once you form the habit, working out from home rocks… it’s better than going to the gym!

Here are my top ten reasons why working out from home is better than going to the gym.

You don’t have to pay anything!

I used to have a gym membership, one that I didn’t utilize as much as I should have. The monthly membership fee felt like an unnecessary burden, plus the gym triggered my social anxiety so I nixed it. When I first considered working out from home, I looked up a whole lot of expensive equipment and told myself it would be a onetime investment. Luckily, before I committed to them, I discovered body weight exercises. I found several channels on YouTube and other free platforms and made my own routine. There is nothing you can do on a machine that you can’t achieve with burpees, planks, situps, squats, and a reverse crunch or two thrown in the mix.

You don’t have to worry about anyone judging you

As a hermit, it makes me uncomfortable when I feel people looking at me, judging me on the way I look as I work out. When I work out at home, there is none of that; nobody around to make me feel self-conscious about how I look or how fit I am. Plus, no one comes up to you to make small talk or strike up a conversation, which is one of my least favourite aspects of public interaction, people who want to talk to you without any reason.

You don’t have to worry about the commute or finding parking

If you have ever joined a Zumba class, or any other exercise class, you know what a hassle it is to find adequate street parking. More often than not, one has to park some ways away. Then there is the commute itself. Few are lucky enough to find a good gym or exercise studio within walking distance of their home, and getting stuck in traffic on a weekday evening, which is more likely than not, is not my favourite thing to do either. When you work out at home, you don’t need to do either.

You don’t have to worry about stashing your stuff in some gross locker

When you leave home to go anywhere, you grab your keys, your purse, your phone, your sunglasses, and any other odds and ends you need. You reach the gym and since you obviously can’t go around with all this paraphernalia, you get a locker to lock your stuff up while you working out. You don’t know whose smelly socks have been in the locker. When you’re working out from home, all you need to worry about is locking the front door.

You don’t have to worry about changing and showering in front of strangers

Let’s face it. Gym showers don’t really provide a whole lot of privacy. It can be uncomfortable, especially if you suffer from body image issues. While I am lucky in that I don’t worry about the way I look, but I am a deeply private person. A community shower type of scene makes me terribly uncomfortable.

I am also a clean freak, and the idea of getting into my car all soaked in sweat wasn’t terribly appealing either. I would forever debate with myself whether to use the showers at the gym or get my sweaty self into the car and shower at home. Working out at home takes care of that problem, since your shower is only a few steps away, and totally yours.

You don’t have to worry about packing a gym bag or other paraphernalia

Many people go to the gym on their way home from work. When you are in a rush to get to work, college or university in the morning, packing an extra gym bag is an added chore. Not to mention having to lug it around all day if you don’t have your own car to stash it in, and having to carry your sneakers, gym clothes, your water bottle and anything else you might need all day long. Working out from home means you have everything you need right there.

You don’t have to worry about dressing for extreme weather

Working out from home also allows you to hide out from extreme weather, be it too-hot, too-cold, or too-rainy. This means there are no more excuses for you not to work out no matter what the weather. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about layering up to go to the gym, only to have to stash your coats and scarves in the lockers and then repeating the process to go back home.

You don’t have to suffer through someone else’s taste in music

Gyms are always playing loud, upbeat, music to get you moving. This music may not be what you prefer, and it is almost always the same crappy playlist on repeat every day. In my case the gym selection was something I never enjoyed and I’d come home with a headache to boot. When you work out at home you get to pick the music you want to listen to. I have a few workout playlists made on my YouTube, Spotify, and on my phone. I switch these up depending on what I am doing that day and what I feel like.

What are some reasons you like to work out at home? Or do you prefer the gym?