Mom of two at home wants to lift heavy

anna32aries wrote: »

Hi, I'm on mat leave and would like to get back on the wagon with getting in shape. I have two little ones and would like to lift weights at home while they are asleep (it's hard for me to get out of the house to the gym and I don't want to pay for the gym while on mat leave). Can you tell me or point me in the right direction as to what very basic weights/equipment to buy I can use at home and an effective routine I can find online? I'll likely be looking at second hand items. Any other resources such as free weight lifting videos online. I have started at looking at videos of how I can use my babies as weights but I'm a bit nervous about it lol (one is 20 lbs the other 30 lbs). Any advice is much appreciated- i am 194 lbs and 5'5".

I never liked the idea of using babies as weight. Idk, it just seemed like a silly idea since babes usually move a lot and don't want to be moved up and down, side to side, or whatever the heck you see on videos. But if that works for most, then great! I would search for body weight exercises. A girl from high school got fit while staying at home doing body weight exercises only. I assume she also did a bit of cardio. Body weight exercises are hard for me and I like to lift heavy at the gym! This probably doesn't help much but good luck and congrats on your littles.

You may want to consider yoga. A lot of movements using body weight, core work, and improves flexibility. Equipment needed = none

I sure wish I had started lifting back when my kids were very young...think of the shape I would be in now! As it is, I have been lifting progressively heavier for about a year and LOVE it. I was just flexing for my husband this morning, having done an accidental "slow bulk" of a few lbs over the holidays.

First, make sure you are cleared by your OBGYN to lift...since your baby is now 20 lbs, presumably all your parts are in the right place, but best to be safe.

You can get started with probably an initial set of DBs in 5, 10, 15 and 20 lbs, but the last time I priced out DBs at a local sports store, it was about a dollar a pound, so once you start going heavier it's going to get a lot more expensive. You can also get adjustable DBs, but those are kind of a pain to keep switching the weight on and off if you are supersetting/doing complexes. I have a set I just leave at 15 lbs, and stole a full set of heavier DBs from my BIL, although now I am mostly lifting at my work gym.

Although pink weights have their place, especially if you need to start really light, I would recommend a program that has fewer, heavier lifts (such as 3 sets of 12 reps each) rather than higher volume lifts (which have their place, but are not going to be as efficient at building muscle)

As mentioned above, a weight bench is very useful, but you can also do a lot of lifts (chest presses, flys, skullcrushers, etc) on the floor or using a piano or other kind of bench. As your weight gets heavier, your bench will need to be sturdy to support it.

Although I don't recommend benching the children, wearing one or the other in a carrier and going for a long walk or hike provides an excellent functional workout, and is fun for them. Also, pay attention to core work such as planks, push-ups, etc. as this will provide your foundation for good form and help you start to lift heavier.

Finally, keep in mind that you will need to pay close attention to your protein intake: a good ballpark is 1 gram of protein per lb of lean mass, or .8 g protein per lb of bodyweight. You need this to preserve your current muscle while eating at a deficit (I assume you are also tracking your calories in order to lose weight since you are on MFP).

Here is one of the most useful threads on the topic to see which program is right for you:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1