As we enter the holiday season with many parts of the world experiencing various levels of lockdowns and other COVID-19 related restrictions, it’s easy to be frustrated. The good news is that even without a full gym, you can get fit, build muscle and challenge yourself with very little equipment. 

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During the early days of quarantine and for four solid months, I had one 26 pound dumbbell. My dad had the other one. Along with a few bands, I worked out 5-6 days per week, never getting board or feeling unchallenged. 

I also found creative ways to make things work like filling a small suitcase with books for Zercher squats and using canned food for lighter weight upper body work. 

After long hours scouring websites and waiting in virtual lines for equipment drops, I slowly added to my arsenal of equipment. 

If I had to start over now, here are the piece of home workout equipment I would prioritize.

## Exercise Bands

Invest in three or four different types.

- Small Thin Bands: Great for mobility work and for upper body work where you don’t want a lot of resistance. I found [these](https://amzn.to/2Wbp5LZ) on Amazon. 
- Small Thick Fabric Bands: These are great for lower body work including glute exercises. They will make your average bodyweight squat challenging. I’ve had [these one](https://amzn.to/37ZHJf9) for over a year and love them.
- Resistance Band Kit: These bands can be used in many ways. You can layer them up to create more resistance. Along with a door, you will have many options for exercises. Here is [a solid set](https://amzn.to/3p1cac3) that comes with a variety of resistance options. 
- Long Thin Bands: These are great for banded Romanian Deadlifts (hamstrings), pull aparts (shoulders), banded pushups and much more. They are also great for banded kettlebell workouts if you have some of those. Mine are from [Rogue Fitness](https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-monster-bands). The color has faded over time, but they work just as well as day one. 

## Adjustable Kettlebells

I did not believe adjustable kettlebells could actually work. But when I found [these](https://www.repfitness.com/adjustable-kettlebell) in May 2020, I was more desperate than skeptical and adjustable dumbbells were unavailable. 

I am really impressed the [Rep Fitness Adjustable Kettlebells](https://www.repfitness.com/adjustable-kettlebell). No issues with clanking sounds. They have 5 different settings between 35 - 55 pounds and are sold as singles. 

There are an endless number of exercises you can do with kettlebells: swings, deadlifts, squats, rows, presses, core work and more. 

For inspiration, check out [Marcus Filly](https://www.instagram.com/marcusfilly/?hl=en) on Instagram. 

I also share ideas [in my workouts](https://www.instagram.com/thepleasantbox/). You don’t *need* two kettlebells, but there are fun things you can do with a pair. 

Side Note: Lifting heavy weight is a crucial factor in building muscle. Our bodies respond to the resistance. Of course, it is possible to get fit without lifting weights, but if you want to build muscle and fight back against age-related weakening, weights are key. Sadly, many women are afraid to lift heavy enough. A topic for another day. Just wanted to point out that if you can get your hands on a 25 pound dumbbell or more, don’t pass it up!

One of my favorite fitness professionals, Mrs. Sweendog, just launched [a dumbbell only program](https://sweeneyfitness.com/product/sweeney-fitness-dumbbell-program/), which I am sure you can pull off with kettlebells too. If I was in lockdown with my one dumbbell or my pair of kettlebells, I would scoop that up. 

## Sandbag

A very affordable and accessible way to bring heavier weights into your home training is [a sandbag](https://www.repfitness.com/rep-sandbags). I wish I would have thought of this in March. You can use this versatile apparatus in place of dumbbells, kettlebells or barbells. 

## Pull-up Bar

The nice thing about a pull-up bar is that you can take it down easily when you aren’t using it. I have one built into my rack so I can’t speak to the quality of the door versions, but [this one](https://amzn.to/37ZIGnJ) has great ratings on Amazon and you can use it for dips.

## Jump Rope

I have [a speed rope from RPM](https://rpmtraining.com/) and [a weighted jump rope from Rx Smart Gear](https://www.rxsmartgear.com/heavy-jump-ropes/). These are great for adding cardio to a circuit or giving yourself a break from running.

Great workout equipment for small spaces and budgets.

Fitness Equipment to Prioritize for a Small Home Gym

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A friend of mine has become super consistent with her exercise and food habits. With an upcoming vacation, she asked me how she can maintain her new habits while away. It’s a great question.

If you are trying to make meaningful fitness changes in your life, a vacation can become a set back that takes you weeks or even months to recover from - especially if your healthy habits are new to you.

This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your break! In fact, I would argue that by enjoying vacation in moderation, you will actually be happier because you will have the break without totally falling off the wagon.

Here's the advice I shared with her split between nutrition and exercise.

## Nutrition

### Avoid treating every moment like a free-for-all

There is a difference between eating extravagant meals three times per day compared to once per day. A week-long vacation equates to 21 main meals. It’s easy to say, “I’m on vacation, I’ll eat whatever I want.” But that means 21 splurges versus seven.

Here’s some back-of-the-napkin estimation.

Eating whatever you want for three meals a day could **easily lead to 1500-2000 extra calories per day**. Splurging once per day could bring that down to ~500 calories. In a week, that’s potentially 14,000 extra calories compared to a 3500 calories surplus.

For my vacations, I aim to eat as simply and plainly as possible for breakfast and lunch and have fun with dinner. **The point is you can enjoy yourself, not worry about it too much, but pace yourself.**

### Pack snacks

There will be so many moments when you are hungry and you don’t have a lot of options. Plus, whatever options you do have are likely expensive. Bring your favorite protein bars or jerky. If you are vegetarian, try the [No Cow bars](https://amzn.to/3lT3FPf).

### Save your treats for the exciting places

If you’re traveling, you’re spending days on the road or hours in an airport with only fast food to sustain you. Minimize the impact of this nutritional wasteland by [choosing the most balanced and least caloric options](https://thepleasantbox.com/a-short-guide-to-healthy-takeout-choices/). Treat yourself when you get to your destination and discover the homemade ice cream joint, local delicacy, or craft brewery.

### Do some reconnaissance in advance

Check out the food options near your hotel and the places you will be visiting. If possible, review the nutrition facts online. Here is a list of healthier meal choices I use when [on the road](https://thepleasantbox.com/how-to-navigate-nutrition-on-a-road-trip/) or [ordering takeout](https://thepleasantbox.com/a-short-guide-to-healthy-takeout-choices/).

### Get a (empty) mini refrigerator in your hotel room

A lot of hotels will provide an empty mini refrigerator for your room if you ask. This way you can keep fresh food like yogurts, cheese, etc. in your room. Not only will this cut down on expenses because you don’t have to eat an overpriced, boring hotel breakfast everyday, but you will also be able to master at least one meal everyday.

What might this look like in a day?

- **Breakfast**: Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap with black coffee from Starbucks
- **Mid-Morning**: Quest Bar
- **Lunch**: Modified Cobb Salad (I’d remove bacon and cheese with dressing on the side)
- **Mid-Afternoon**: Protein shake, yogurt, or apple and cheese.
- **Dinner**: Steak with vegetables, a glass of wine and share a dessert

## Exercise
Give yourself permission to take it easy. You might not have access to a gym or equipment. You might not have an extra hour to spare.

**The intensity you know at home may not be there, but you can move everyday even in a small space without equipment.**

There is nothing like a global pandemic shutting down the world, including my beloved gyms, to teach me that there is always a way to get a decent workout. One of my more humbling moments this year was doing a workout in a tiny motel room that pushed me to my max. I had only one dumbbell and an 8 x 4 foot patch of carpet between a bed and a wall.

The key on vacation is to find a balance between the excitement of being out of your daily routine while maintaining a few rituals so that a) you’ll feel better in general and b) getting back into your regular routine won’t be as hard because you won’t be starting from a week-long stretch of doing “nothing”.

What might this look like?

### 5 minutes of Pick-an-Exercise

Set a timer for 5 minutes (or more if you have it), pick one exercise (such as burpees or mountain climbers) and just work at it. You don’t have to go fast, but try to move consistently. Take short rest breaks if needed.

### 8-Minute Full Body Tabata

- Burpees
- Lunges

Do 20 seconds of burpees, rest for 10 seconds. Do 20 seconds of lunges, rest for 10 seconds. Repeat for a total of 8 rounds. If you have 16 minutes, repeat for a total of 16 rounds or add a second set with two more exercises. You could do this every day and switch out the movements.

### 10-Minute Cardio Circuit

- 1 min of jumping jacks
- 1 min of high knees
- 1 min of walk out to plank (with a push up if you want)
- 1 min of air squats
- 1 minute of high low planks

If you have 10 minutes, do it twice. If you have 15, do it three times. If you have 20 minutes, do it four times.

The point with these mini-workouts is to maintain your commitment to working out regularly even when you are on vacation. If you do one of these options every day, when you get home it won’t seem as challenging to get back into the routine of working out because you will have maintained your daily winning streak.

**It is 100 percent possible to go on vacation, enjoy yourself and not destroy your healthy habits.** Choose to embrace a simple mindset that not every moment is a free-for-all and even five minutes of exercise a day will make a difference.

There are simple things you can do to minimize the impacts of vacation of your nutrition and fitness goals. Here's a few concrete steps you can take to enjoy vacation and come back feeling great.

How to Maintain Healthy Eating & Fitness Routines on Vacation

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There is a lot of nutritional bullshit out there.

There seems to be a disproportionate amount of it on Instagram too.

It is heartbreaking that so many people in the world (especially the U.S) suffer from diseases tied to improper nutrition. It’s also no wonder why people feel helpless, confused or frustrated when they try to find answers to their nutrition questions.

Especially when there is a great deal of fantastic information and support available out there.  

It’s normal to want to feel good and move well in your skin. It’s also normal to want a quick fix and spend a lot of time looking for the fastest path to your goals. But the reality is the fastest path to success is probably what appears, at first, as the slowest one. More on that in a future post.

On Instagram, you can scroll endlessly through a sea of starving bodies, sharing their diet “secrets” or implying that certain products are the keys to success. While scrolling, you may be targeted with products claiming to be “healthy” strategies to meet your weight loss goals. Or some high protein dessert that you can apparently eat as much as you want because there is only 1 gram of added sugar. More on the fallacy of food marketing later too.

The bad news is that there is no quick fix. The good news is that the “slow fix” isn’t as hard as you think.

If you’re looking to make changes in your relationship to food, consider cleaning out your “social pantry”. Stop following accounts that seem too good to be true and tune into people and organizations with real solutions.

Here are four Instagram accounts that share evidenced-based, scientific nutritional knowledge. By introducing them into your feed, you may be surprised to learn that the path to results is easier and less painful than you think.

## OptimzeMeNutrition

I’m a huge fan of [OptimizeMeNutrition](https://www.instagram.com/optimizemenutrition/), an Instagram account run by EC Synkowski. Among other credentials, she holds an MS in Nutrition and Functional Medicine. She also created something called the 800 Gram Challenge, whereby you aim to eat… 800 grams of fruits and vegetables every day. That’s it - no restrictions. Just eat those 800 grams every day along with whatever else you want to eat. You’ll basically find yourself eating better in general and (not so shockingly) you’ll see improvements in your weight and / or performance in the gym. Follow her [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/optimizemenutrition/) for daily straight talk on nutrition fundamentals.

## Dr. Spencer Nadolsky

For a daily dose of insight and humor, I enjoy [Dr. Spencer Nadolsky](https://www.instagram.com/drnadolsky/), who is an obesity specialist physician, weightlifter and self proclaimed “memologist”. Follow his Instagram feed for regular memes debunking various fad diets and other nutritional shortcuts.  

## Pursuing Health

The [Pursuing Health](https://www.instagram.com/pursuinghealth/) account is run by wife-husband team, Julie Foucher and Dani Urcuyo. Foucher is a former competitive CrossFit athlete and they are both family medicine doctors. Their [newsletter and podcast](https://pursuing-health.com/) focus on the intersection of fitness and medicine. What appeals to me most about Pursing Health is their extremely approachable advice and simple actions. As doctors, they share researched-backed knowledge. As busy humans, they share very doable solutions.

## Precision Nutrition

Precision Nutrition has trained tens of thousands of nutrition coaches and coached over 100,000 individuals. They don’t believe there is one right diet. Rather the diet that is right for you is the one you can stick with consistently. It’s an empowering and effective perspective.

I’m working through the Precision Nutrition Level 1 coursework right now. One of the most surprising things I learned in the early part of the course is that perfection isn’t required. In fact, in a [study](https://www.precisionnutrition.com/body-transformation-research) of 1,000 people, they found that even those who were less than 50% consistent with their nutrition plans, still made meaningful improvements in weight and inches lost.


If perfection is holding you back, as it often has for me, science says, let it go!

Follow [Precision Nutrition](https://www.instagram.com/precisionnutrition/) on Instagram to reset your nutritional knowledge, master the basics and gain confidence that results are not as complicated or arduous as you may think.


Hunting for nutrition truth on Instagram? Consider following these four accounts to reset or refresh your knowledge.

THE PLEASANT BOX #fitness