Last year, I completed 122 workouts using a home workout app. That number doesn’t look like much. But if we look at it as a ratio over a 365 days a year, it means roughly 1/3 (one workout every three days). Suddenly, it feels more reasonable. Is it ideal? No. But for someone who’s just starting out, I think it counts.

I want to write this blog post because I know a lot of us struggle to make working out a habit. And honestly, it is really, really hard. For me, it started in 2023. I bought my first gym membership. The first month? I went 3–4 days a week. Second month, 2–3 days a week. Third month, 1–2 days a week. The rest of the year? One day a week, or sometimes I skipped the whole week. Then I tried again in 2024. No gym membership this time, just a mattress and a home workout app. Same story. I didn’t survive past the third month. I tried again in 2025. Same pattern. The first two months were a breeze, but then my spirit faded again. It was September 2025 when something clicked. I realized, this is it. No more restarting. No more excuses. I’m getting old.

The thing about building an exercise habit is that it’s incredibly hard. You always have valid reasons not to do it. You’re tired from commuting. You want to hang out with friends. You want to work on your side projects or hobbies. You’re chasing your goals. Being a responsible adult, staying sane, and maintaining your health at the same time is crazy hard. But then I had a realization. As a man, at my current age (halfway to my thirties) I should be at my peak physical condition. If I can’t do this now, there’s a chance I won’t be able to do it later.

From September to December 2025, I managed to gain around 6 kg. I didn’t change much about my eating habits (I still eat three times a day) but I added one portion of protein shake. I exercised 3–4 times a week. Now I weigh around 53 kg, which is still far from my ideal weight (I’m aiming for 58–60 kg). I plan to complete at least 200 workout this year. The ideal visual for me would be like Tom Holland or like an MMA fighter or like a boxing fighter (lean but strong). But I can confidently say that in my 26 years of life, this is the best shape I’ve ever been in.

I’m still skinny. My abs are there, but not sharp. My upper arms are slightly bigger. My chest has started to take shape. My legs look more proportional. But the most important change is how I feel. I feel more powerful. I feel more confident. I got rid of my lower back pain (yes, I even bought a back support straightener). Working out can decrease your stress level (source: trust me bro). You feel confident not because you look jacked, but because you can feel your body just right.

Regular exercise won’t give you immediate results. The changes are slow and steady. Don’t blindly believe every gym influencer you see online claiming they got huge in two months. Dude, I have a job. You can do that because training is your job. Either that, or it’s just a blatant lie. Believing that two months will get you that far will only make you frustrated. Building your ideal body takes discipline. You don’t need to spend 1.5–2 hours per session. You just need 30–50 minutes, do it consistently 4 to 6 days a week. That’s why, for 90–95% of people, I actually recommend home workouts instead of paying for a gym membership.

Let me explain why the gym might not be for you. First, you save money. Obvious reason. Second, if you need 15–20 minutes just to get to the gym (30–40 minutes round trip), that commute slowly becomes your excuse not to go. Time is precious, especially after work. The only people I truly recommend buying a gym membership are those whose workplace is close to the gym. Third, gyms are full of distractions. Noise, people, mirrors. You don’t realize how much time you spend looking around. You scroll on your phone between sets. You rest too long. It becomes inefficient. And many times, you’re just waiting to use equipment.

Now, here’s why I think home workouts are the best option. First, all you need is a mattress and a decent amount of space. Your bedroom. The living room. Anywhere that fits a mattress. Second, you can start immediately. Just lay down the mattress. No commute. No preparation. No mental load. Just you and the workout. Third, it’s extremely efficient. No distractions, no noise. You simply follow the app, one set at a time. Usually it takes 30–50 minutes to finish 25–35 sets. That’s it. Very efficient.

Now compare gym vs home workout. I believe 90% of people just want to be healthy, not become bodybuilders. I would recommend the gym if you already have 2–3 years of training and want to target specific muscles (that’s my plan too). But if your goal is to burn fat, gain some muscle, and improve flexibility, just do home workouts. Trust me. That’s all most of you need. I should also acknowledge that I have a huge privilege here. I work from home most of the time. Even with this clear advantage, I still struggle with motivation. I honestly can’t imagine how exhausting it must be for those who work in an office, commute back home, and then still have to push themselves to go to the gym. Just thinking about it already makes me tired.

To every guys and gals who read this, please start small. You will get demotivated. You will stop. you will start again. You will get demotivated again. And that’s okay. Just start again, no matter how many days you skipped. If you can work out 2 days a week, that’s already great. To win is to survive. The goal of building an exercise habit is not to lose and not to stop. You keep doing it regardless of your situation. Whether you’re sad, happy, stressed, confused, or lucky, whatever happens during your day, you still work out. The longer you delay this habit, the bigger the impact it will have on your old age. I’m on my third attempt now, I hope this is going to be my last restart.

Doing workouts has been a humbling experience. It’s also a reality check. You learn where your muscles are weak. You hear weird clicking sounds in your joints. You realize you’re not as strong as you thought. Every workout session, I ask myself, Is my body degrading compared to the last session? Can I still do what I did last time? I want to know that I can still do burpees, squats, inchworms. Because who knows? Maybe one day I won’t be able to.

Working out also makes you realize something uncomfortable. You have to do this for the rest of your life. If you still have your parents around, you can see them struggling with basic movements we take for granted. One day, you might not be able to raise your arms, stretch your shoulders, or do a single squat. That’s why I work out, not just to look jacked, but to make sure I can still move. To keep checking in with my body. To hold on to what I have, until maybe, little by little, it’s taken away.