Every year, you set the same goal: this time, I'm going to start exercising. And every year, it doesn't happen. Maybe you get a gym membership, but your schedule is too full to actually go. Or, maybe you're too tired to walk there during your lunch breaks, or you hate that sore feeling after a workout. Now, you have a three-year membership draining $40 out of your savings per month, taunting you with the idea that you could cancel at any time.

So now what? You could forget about it and become a permanent fixture on the sofa, or you could realize it's not you, it is the very industry itself. Fitness clubs are business enterprises, and they want to turn a profit. If you are one of those super-motivated individuals, health fitness clubs have tons of great (and not-so-great) gym equipment. For the majority of people, the idea is to get them to spend a lot and yet not come to the facility. After all, the gym equipment and the space for it are not free.

You are probably wondering how these super motivated people get to this level? The more success you see the more you will be motivated and the more confident you will become. You can begin this in your home; a gym can be set up in most any room of your house. It is important not to go overboard when just beginning and only get what you need and do a little each day.

I have already tried using a home gym. The equipment comes with a cable and pulley and looks more like a medieval torture device than gym equipment. I have now turned it into a clothes rack and the same treatment was meted out to an exercise bike with the moving handlebars, the great whacking fan for the front wheel, and no rear wheel. I now use it to dry towels after a shower.

Fitness equipment doesn't have to be expensive or fancy to work. Because you need to start slow and work up to the harder exercises, a large bag of playground sand and an army duffel bag will do the trick. Begin by chunking the sand into 5 pound bags. Use duct tape to secure them. Now, you can use as many or as few to put into the duffel bag. With the bag on, do a few deep knee bends and pushups. Of course, consult a manual, the internet or other source to be sure you use correct form with your exercises.

When you feel you're making progress, then add a cheap barbell set, and maybe a way to get the bar off the floor so you can do barbell squats and standing military presses. Skip the dedicated bench press things, they're not really worth it. Whatever you ultimately do, though, be sure to have your doctor check you out before you start (oh, look, another excuse to use to put off that workout!).