Why I Ditched My $200/Month Gym for My Living Room Floor
The Great Gym Breakup of 2020
Let me tell you something embarrassing. I used to pay $200 a month for a gym membership that I used maybe... twice? The place had eucalyptus towels and fancy smoothie bars, but somehow I still couldn't drag myself there after 10-hour workdays. Sound familiar?
Then the pandemic hit, and suddenly my living room became my fitness studio. Plot twist: it was the best thing that ever happened to my workout routine.
Here's what nobody talks about—home workouts aren't just a backup plan for when life gets messy. They're actually better for most of us. And I'm about to tell you exactly why, plus share the exercises that actually work (spoiler: you don't need to become a pretzel).
The Uncomfortable Truth About Exercise
The fitness industry wants you to believe you need special equipment, perfect form, and Instagram-worthy activewear to get results. Bullshit.
You know what you actually need? Consistency. And consistency happens when you remove every possible excuse between you and movement.
Can't make it to the gym because of traffic? Nope. Forgot your workout clothes? Try again. Feeling self-conscious about that guy who grunts too loud? Not today.
Your living room doesn't judge. Your living room is always open. Your living room doesn't care if you're wearing yesterday's pajamas.
The Real MVP Exercises (That Don't Suck)
I've tried every trendy workout program out there. Most are garbage designed to make you feel inadequate so you'll buy more stuff. But these 10 exercises? They're the ones I actually do when nobody's watching.
1. The Bridge (AKA The Booty Awakener)
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips up. Lower down slowly.
Why it works: Your glutes are probably asleep from sitting all day. This wakes them up without requiring you to figure out complicated gym machines.
Start with 2 sets of 10, but honestly? Do what feels right. Some days I do 5, some days I do 20. Life's messy like that.
2. Knee Push-Ups (No Shame Edition)
Get on your knees, hands on the floor, lower your chest toward the ground. Push back up.
Can we please stop calling these "girl push-ups"? They're push-ups. From your knees. They work your chest, shoulders, and arms just fine, thank you very much.
Work up to regular push-ups if you want, or don't. I know women who've been doing knee push-ups for years and have arms I'm genuinely envious of.
3. Lunges (The Humbling Experience)
Step forward with one leg, lower your hips until both knees are at 90 degrees. Step back. Repeat with the other leg.
Fair warning: lunges will make you feel uncoordinated at first. I once fell over doing these in front of my cat, who gave me the most judgmental look I've ever received.
But they work your entire lower body and improve your balance. Plus, they're weirdly satisfying once you get the hang of them.
4. Squats (The OG)
Feet shoulder-width apart, lower your body like you're sitting in a chair. Stand back up.
Everyone knows squats, but let me share something revolutionary: your squat doesn't have to look like anyone else's. Some people squat deep, some people squat shallow. Some people's feet turn out, some people's feet point forward.
Do what feels natural for your body. Your hip anatomy is unique—embrace it.
5. Crunches (But Make Them Smart)
Lie on your back, knees bent, hands behind your head. Lift your shoulders off the ground using your abs, not your neck.
I used to hate crunches because I thought I had to do 100 of them to "earn" results. Turns out, 15 good ones beat 50 sloppy ones every single time.
Focus on the quality of the movement, not hitting some arbitrary number you saw in a magazine.
6. The Plank (Mental Warfare)
Get in a push-up position, but rest on your forearms. Hold it.
Planks are 90% mental. Your body can usually hold longer than your brain thinks it can. I like to distract myself by planning what I'm going to eat for lunch or composing angry emails I'll never send.
Start with 20 seconds. Add 5 seconds when it feels easy. There's no rush.
7. Bird Dog (Coordination Challenge)
Start on your hands and knees. Extend your right arm forward and left leg back simultaneously. Hold, then switch sides.
This one makes you feel like you're playing a weird game of Twister with yourself. It's excellent for your core and back, plus it's humbling enough to keep your ego in check.
8. Hip Abduction (Side-Lying Leg Lifts)
Lie on your side, lift your top leg up and lower it slowly.
These target the smaller muscles on the sides of your hips that desk jobs love to deactivate. Don't expect to feel "the burn"—this is more about waking up sleepy muscles than creating drama.
9. Side Planks (The Wobble Fest)
Lie on your side, prop yourself up on your forearm, lift your hips off the ground.
Side planks are basically regular planks but with an added balance challenge. I still wobble doing these, and I've been at it for three years. Wobbling is part of the process.
10. Russian Twists (With a Plot Twist)
Sit on the floor, lean back slightly, lift your feet off the ground, and twist your torso from side to side.
You can hold a water bottle, a book, or nothing at all. I sometimes hold my coffee mug (carefully) because I'm an adult and I make my own rules.
Let's Talk About the Excuses
"I don't have time." These exercises take 20 minutes max. You spend longer scrolling Instagram. I know because I've timed both.
"I don't have space." You need about 6 feet by 3 feet of floor. If you can lie down, you have enough space.
"I don't know if I'm doing them right." Perfect form is overrated. Good enough form that doesn't hurt is underrated. Start there, improve gradually.
"I need equipment to get real results." Your body is equipment. Gravity is resistance. You're already carrying around everything you need for an effective workout.
The Implementation Reality Check
Here's how this actually works in real life:
Week 1-2: You'll be motivated and do everything perfectly. Enjoy this phase.
Week 3-4: Motivation fades. You'll skip days. This is normal, not failure.
Week 5-8: If you keep showing up (imperfectly), it starts becoming automatic.
Month 2+: You'll notice you feel different. Not necessarily look different—feel different. Stronger, more energetic, less creaky.
I'm not going to lie and say you'll transform your entire life in 30 days. But you will probably sleep better, feel more confident, and stop feeling guilty about that expensive gym membership you never use.
Your Next Move
Pick three exercises from this list. Just three. Do them tomorrow. It doesn't matter if you do 5 reps or 50, if you do them perfectly or sloppily, if you wear workout clothes or your pajamas.
What matters is that you do them.
Then do them again the day after that. And maybe skip a day, then do them again.
Before you know it, you'll be that person who works out at home. Not because you have perfect discipline or unlimited motivation, but because you figured out how to make it stupidly simple.
Your living room is waiting. It's got everything you need—floor space, gravity, and zero judgment.
What's your excuse now?
What's your biggest home workout obstacle? Drop a comment below—I promise to give you brutally honest advice (with a side of encouragement).
