Resistance bands

Question
i live in a small town, and I don't have access to a gym. I'm trying to lose about 20 lbs, and I walk every single day for 45 minutes. I know weight training is equally as important as cardiovascular exercise. I can't afford to buy a home gym, however, I was wondering if those exercise bands or resistance bands are effective. Is it worth buying one to use in conjunction with my regular workout?

Answer
Being an active consumer advocate, I generally don't recommend anything that the diet industry promotes because it's hugely expensive and usually unnecessary, but the bands you mention are fine if that's what you want.

The alternative is a couple empty gallon jugs that milk or water come in. Fill them until you've got about 2 or 3 lbs of water in them (initially use your scale to determine this and then mark the jugs with a water line for that weight so you can easily return to it in the future). These are excellent arm weight-resistent tools that cost you virtually nothing and are easy to add weight to by adding water.  
Just be careful not to add too much. It's better to increase your repetitions first rather than weight.

For leg weights, an old purse with a handle/strap that can loop around your ankle is easy to find in most garages, thrift stores and tag sales for next to nothing. Make sure it can hold an empty bottle of soda/juice/water (not as big as the gallon jug, just a regular, 16 ounce plastic bottle). You'll do the same thing with the water in the bottle, inserted in the purse.
 
 Your final purchase can be a hoola-hoop from any dollar store. No special instructions here, just do it (or try) for 5 minutes a day - increasing to about 15 minutes over time.  

 No gym necessary and no big expenses.  Keeping it simple is the best way to go!

 Take a look here for more  www.GetTheReal.info  

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