Train at Home - With Little Equipment

Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. I have a question for you. A while back you answered a question from a man who had been slacking off and needed to shape up fast for a beach trip. I printed out your advice, and started doing it (lots of push-ups, pull-ups, lunges, squats and cardio). But then I wondered if you would give different advice to a woman. So, what's a fast shape-up program for a relatively thin and healthy woman? And especially one that can be done at home with a minimum of equipment. Thanks! Judy

A. Thanks for the great question, Judy. I'm so happy to hear that you've printed out my advice and have been using it. Makes me feel worthy! I don't, however, have a more "female" workout for you. Look, everyone is different and often a woman's needs are different than a man's. But usually, they're only different when dealing with pregnancy, postpartum or menopause-type issues.

I train tons of men and women of all ages on a regular basis, and quite honestly, gender rarely enters into the equation. Those "body weight" exercises I gave you before are definitely appropriate for both men and women. I love them because they're challenging and require little to no equipment. Since you've been doing that, though, I'm going to recommend you change things up with a challenge like pilates. Of course, this will require you to rent or buy a video, but it would offer you greater range of motion in your training and keep it interesting.

And yes! If you were a man who asked me this question, my answer would be exactly the same. Now get to work!

Punches & Kicks,

Fitz

Fitzness.com

Note: The content presented in this Q. & A section is for informational purposes only and should not be viewed as medical advice or substitute for professional medical care.