Starting out exercises from home?

Fitness blender

bonsai89 wrote: »

Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds is amazing...... I don't know if it has a reputation or not but the only thing I know is that I bought it on Amazon for like 15 bucks or around there, that it has a one mile walk for 20 minutes and a 2 mile brisk walk that are both awesome depending on how much time you have. It's easy on your joints, repetitive without any crazy moves and you only need a small area for the moves she has you do, and it seriously makes me sweat. Even the 20 minute one. You just need some stretchy bands from Walmart and you're set. You'll burn tons of calories, fat, and tone up (not as much as you would from weight training obviously)...but if you're just beginning... it's perfect! Good Luck!!!!

Agree with using Walk Away the Pounds, especially as a first home exercise. I had it on vhs and now DVDs, and just got a newer version. When I first started doing home videos, I would go to the library and try videos to see if I liked them before I would buy them. It really help me determine which instructors I liked and what kind of videos would keep me motivated. Now I have been doing the same series (Rockin Body) for the third month in a row and I've had really good results.

KristiFuder2016 wrote: »

I Would love to take a walk outside but it's below zero here in Minnesota lol. .
I used the gym this summer but got to be just to expensive! I usually go for walks but can't really do that in the winter! I'm thinking about getting a work out DVD set but mitt sure which one helps with beginners!

Walk At Home DVDs are great for bad weather, late night, etc.

Youtube has a few workouts, or they are DVD too. Jessica Smith TV is great for low impact - beginner & intermediate.

Fitness blender fitness blender fitness blender!! You won't be sorry.

Fitness Blender, Gymra, Yoga With Adriene, BeFit, Blogilates, Body Fit By Amy, Body Rock, are all great youtube channels. I have resistance bands, a TRX (that I'm thinking of selling b/c I don't really use it anymore), kettlebells, and a plethora of dvds.

If you want a more structured thing, then you can try T25 or something like that.

I now have a pole installed in my house, so I use that for majority of my workouts. I go to 1 class a week, which is a personal training session at my local pole fitness studio.

You can invest as much as you want to workout at home or you can be as cheap as you want. As long as you commit yourself to working out a few times a week and eat at a deficit you'll see the changes.

Some people find it harder to workout at home b/c they don't have the motivation for it, a few of my coworkers and my sisters are like this. They cannot workout at home. I'm the opposite. I've never been able to get motivated to go to a gym. The most I've ever been able to do is go to a spinning studio and my local pole studio.

I love the Jillian Michaels videos for when I'm just starting out. Here is level 1 on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Pc-NizMgg8 They also have Level 2 and 3 and some of her other videos on youtube. 30 day shred is best if you're very new to working out or it's been years like me!

Also Bob Harper's Pure Burn Super Strength is fantastic. The hour workout was kicking my butt.

I keep hearing about You Are Your Own Gym, so I think I'll get that soon.

Good luck!! And if you'd like feel free to add me as a friend I love having a lot of fitness buddies to support/get support from.

EDIT: I didn't intend to embed that video, I just posted a link. Hope that's ok with the admins

Even when I have access to a gym, the bulk of exercise in my lifetime has been at home. Walking, push ups, triceps dips using the counter or two chairs, sit ups or crunches and other "mat" exercises are free with videos online in case you need help seeing proper form or developing a program. Pinterest is one of my favorite things as so many people have already done research and assembled boards with great information.

Dancing off weight or just for fitness is pretty popular whether through Zumba, other dance DVDs, Just Dance on a game system or just playing favorite music and dancing for a sustained period. I have figured out some play lists with songs at a good pace that I saved to my phone and use for water aerobics, spinning or just dancing. By the way, a big Ziploc bag to protect your phone from splashes and a cheap portable speaker connected to the earbud jack are great to take the workout anywhere even for a small group by the pool. (Altec battery powered speaker on Amazon about $20 has been great for sound and sound quality. It's about the size of 1/2 soda can.)

Resistance training is great for women. If you can't afford a gym to access weight machines or free weights, perhaps you can get dumb bells or kettle bells in a few sizes. I found kettle bells in 3 sizes per set at ALDI, a small discount grocer for very little. You could improvise with food cans, water or sand filled containers/jugs, strength bands, etc. Goodwill and other charity shops always seem to have some cheap exercise equipment as do yard sales and Craigslist. Heavier weights 10 pounds and up per arm to start with regular increases give the faster and more noticeable results.

Some cities have free or very inexpensive community recreation centers that include exercise equipment even if they don't have an indoor pool. For instance, my school district has a fantastic indoor swim complex that is shared by the high schools in our two cities. However, when there are not closed team practices or swim meets, anyone can use the pool for very little. Residents pay $2 and others $3. Our little city exercise area is cheaper than a commercial gym too, so look around.

I belonged to a large church in college which had its own fitness facility that included bowling and basketball/volleyball courts. They hosted league play that was another super cheap way to get in more exercise with friends. Where I live now there are several large churches with fitness facilities on site, but they don't advertise even if nonmembers can join or visit.

Depending on your budget, buying a versatile piece of equipment for home use on flexible payments through QVC or HSN might be an option. I got a Pilates reformer on 6 months flex pay and later a Malibu Pilates chair the same way. They send the item after the first payment and shipping is paid, then charge your credit card monthly until it's all paid. Shipping was free on my big items.

Insanity

There is a site called Ideal Shape and they have a 12 week challenge and I do their free 20 minutes of workouts 6 days a week, a great thing for free, they truly care. You can buy shakes, bars etc. also if you want but you don't have to. They even give you a plan with the 12 week challenge, all free.

I've started to do C25K three times a week and doing a beginner dumbbell routine I found on bodybuilding.com. I'll complete my first week of this, and am riding on the exercise high (more energy, better focus and productivity, not falling asleep on the ride to work).