Who Excersises at Home?

There is SO much you can do and you don't need a gym or home equipment!

I call these my hotel excercises b/c I can do them anywhere, even if I am staying in a hotel that doesn't have a gym.

Do each excercise according to the weekly schedule. When you get to teh high rep weeks, take a break btwn each excercise and rotate (meaning, after 25 squats, do 25 plies, 25 bend overs, etc before going back to squats). I can do 100 each in about an hour and I do this once every few days - maybe 2 or 3 times a week.

1st week - do 10 reps each day
2nd week - 20 (10 reps 2x)
3rd wk -30 (10 reps 3x)
4th wk - 25 reps
5th wk - (50) 25 reps 2x
6th week - etc.

Legs
Squats - stand feet few inches apart, go all the way down and all the way up 10 reps
Plies - stand feet apart a little past hips, go down until knees bend 90 degrees, come back up
Bend overs - stand feet apart, bend all the way over as if you are sliding a bar down the front of your body, and come back up using just the muscles in the back of your legs (great for your butt!)
Roller blade move - stand feet apart, bend at the knees and push right leg out, bring right leg back and do the same but with the left leg, as if you are on roller blades
Calf raises - stand feet apart and lift ankles, and then come back down
Elbow raises - stand knees bent, and body bent over a little, bend arms and raise elbows to the side to shoulder height (great for your back)
Small arm circles - hold arms straight out to the side and rotate them in small circles. Start w/10 forward, then 10 rotating back (great for flabby arms)
Large arm circles - same as above but make big wide circles w/your arms, 10 forward, and then 10 back
Tricep dips - use heavy chair, coffee table or step, keep legs straight out in front of you as you hold yourself up on the step behind you, dip down and then come back up
Push ups - great for biceps and chest muscles
Sit ups - if you can do a few sit ups, then you are doing great!

Remember, if you burn 500 calories and then shave 500 more calories from your diet, then you just kept 1 lb off you! Good luck! I'd be interested in hearing if this works for you.

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P90X kicks my b.u.t.t. up one side and down the other . . . but it DOES work.

I do the classic version.

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ooh girl!! I feel your pain!!

I work out with my Girl Friend and we push each other - no excuses unless we are sick - fever, vomiting, etc. because otherwise? we would be like...ooohhh!!

We use the Total Gym and love it!! I've been backing it up with Billy Banks Tae Bo...

GOOD LUCK!!!

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I use the Insanity DVD's and love them! They aren't designed for beginner's, but if you can work your way into it, you will get great results.

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I'm riding the bike rght now. I have my laptop next to me on my son's little table. I fly thru 60-90 minutes without even THINKING about it.

I have slowly gotten back to running but I wasn't up for driving to the gym in the rain so this works out great for me today.

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I do Dance, Dance Revolution on the playstation. I also have a bench and some free weights but I currently have tendonitis in my hand so I can not grip the weights. I also like the 10 minute work out DVDs.

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Hire a hot trainer, you will not miss a session :)

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P90X in our basement.

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I walk on the treadmill. ( can't run because of my knee (and because I hate running!) The treadmill is in front of the tv, and i rent tv series dvds from the library to watch, or movies. i also try to walk outside with my daughter when i can.

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Outdoors is a GREAT free gym! Getting a little cold for my liking right now though. I run on the treadmill, stationary bike & free weights. I do have some DVD's but for whatever reason, don't do them. Keep telling myself I will, and I will, it's just a matter of when :) Ton's of things on-line if you're not sure on what to do or how to do them.

Have fun!

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When my kids were infants/toddlers I did a lot of exercise videos (yep, videos, guess how old I am, lol!)
I really liked the shorter (20 to 30 minutes max) ones that were intense cardio or sculpting videos. Trying to work out for longer than that with a nursing infant and active toddler was pretty hard for me. One of my favorites was a kickboxing one, that kicked my butt and it WORKED!
I often rented them from Blockbuster or checked them out from the library before deciding which ones to buy. Also if you get the fitness channel you could record some shows on there, I've seen traditional aerobics, yoga, dance type workouts, etc.
The only equipment I ever used was a set of hand weights for the arm exercises.

I just use my elliptical (which I love) and resistance bands. Occasionally some yoga and light free weights. And walking with the kids and dog.

I'm right there with you except I'm 29 and just had a baby. But my gym membership isn't being used the way I need. So, I just ordered the TRX system. I use at the gym so I know I'll use it at home. Check it out, it suspension bands that you can you in hundreds of different exercises and will tone you up fast. For cardio, I've been running outside since its coming into fall and great running weather. Good luck to you!

I work out at home every single day for 30 to 45 min. I rotate 12 different dvds depending on my mood. I have every single video Jillian Micheals does, Im huge fan of her stuff because she is honest and not sickeningly sweet. My favorites by Jillian are "yoga meltdown" , "6 week 6 pack" and "shred it with weights" I also have official yoga dvds, one is prenatal and the other is a slow moving high endurance, strictly official yoga. I have two pilates videos. One stability ball with resistance band workout, a stability ball ab workout. My only equipment is two sets of hand weights 2 and 3 lbs, a stability ball, 2 resistance bands, ankle weights, kettle balls 5, 10 and 15 lbs and two yoga mats.

I have a lot of extra stuff because i try to convince friends to join me and leave them with no excuses since i have all the equipment, all of this stuff stores away very easily behind 1 couch.

Im thinking of adding a medicine ball to my collection.

My best advice is to mix it up and invest in many different types of fitness routines so that you wont get bored and span the spectrum of your abilities. Youll find something you are passionate about in your journey and nothing is easier to do than something you actually WANT to do.

treadmill
weights
yoga videos

Jillian Michaels and The Firm. You won't need anything else. I have been doing the The Firm since 1987 and started with Jillian Michaels for about 8 months. Love them.

I do the Gillian Micheals 30 day shred. Its intense 20 min workouts and because its only 20 minutes I make myself do it most days. However I have a baby and 20 min is all I can commit to. Since I see you have one I'd go up to a 40 min work out. Look into Insanity. Same idea of circuits, plio jump training, and minimal equipment (a mat and 5 lbs weight). As for motivation, don't count on having much of it. Rather, treat excersise like an appointment. Don't over think it. Show up to your living room DVD player and start up the DVD even if you don't want to. Also, I find it helps if I just put my work out clothes on before I even go downstairs for the morning. Then I have no obsticals or delays and can get to it right after the breakfast routine and before the babies nap. My kids love to hang with me while i do my work outs. and I've never been one to be willing to give up my peaceful me time during kids' naps to work out. I also have an elliptical trainer which is great in the evening while I watch some TV if i"m not up for a hard core DVD workout. I also keep a pilaties work out handy for days I just can't make myself do the hard stuff.

treadmill (30 min each day), I also used to use wii fit and I want to use the X-Box Kinect more.

It is easiest to do if you have a "partner".... for me I am lucky that it is my husband. We keep each other going. In the summer we go on walks outside together (I wear the baby and he pushes the stroller with my toddler in it).

On the treadmill I listen to music, watch TV, or read. I actually don't "just love" to exercise... so distraction makes it go by faster. The only time I like it is when i can go on a long, leisurely walk... NOT a real workout.

I LOVE zumba. I did it all the time before I was pregnant. There are DVD's, Video Games, and Classes. If you can afford the time and money, a Zumba class is SO worth it... but the other two are great options also.

The trick to keeping exercise is staying with it. Everyone will have days when they "fall of the wagon" and just don't get to exercising. We always make up an excuse for why we didn't... and sometimes the excuses are really valid (I probably wont have time to run on christmas day). THE trick is that the next day, you hop back ON the wagon and exercise again! Don't ever LET yourself fall into the trap of taking several days off that turns into weeks, months --- years.

Also, keep pushing yourself harder! If exercising is getting "easy" it is time to amp up your workout. When i am walking I want to be tired and breaking a sweat at about 50% of the way through... near the end I am truly exhausted. after a week or so of working at that level... it gets easier... SO I make it harder again!

Last note; if you are dieting, exercise is your freind AND your enemy when it comes tp the scales. As you excercise you build muscle, and muscle is heavier than fat... So, especially as you near your goal weight, you might find that weigh ins go like this: up one pound, down 2, up again one, down one, up .5, down one.... and so on... Don't let yourself be discouraged when the "downward slope" isn't always perfect. There can be several reasons... but one of them is probably that you are building muscle... which will make you LOOK so much better!

Good luck!
-M.

I prefer to workout at home rather than at a gym. I have 2 young kids (20 mo. and 3) and really don't have the time to drive to and from the gym, workout and get everything else I need done around the house.

Great times to workout are in the morning before the baby wakes or during nap time. I have a few different workout dvd's that I rotate. I like Jillian Micheal's 30 day shred and Lindsey Brin's Post Natal bootcamp. I also have a treadmill that I'll run on for 30-60 minutes along with some 5,8 and 10 lb free weights.

You can also get a good workout just by playing with your kids or pushing them in a jogging stroller.

Variety is key! I have MANY DVDs. therefore, I don't get in a rut. I ALSO have a gym membership. So there is ALWAYS an OPTION. If' I'm burned out on the gym, I stay home and do a DVD, if I'm tired of DVDs or my house is too hot, I go to the gym. I have super work out DVDs like Turbo Jam and Brizilian Butt Lift, and several pilates and abs ones for when I need muscle work and cardio and the whole shebang. I also have lots of yoga DVDs of various lengths depending what I can fit in. This way, no matter what the weather, if you can't make it to the gym, you can do "something". If I don't work out at least 3 times a week, I grow huge immediately.
I'll be jealous if you get Chaline's Turbo Fire, I don't have it yet, and I hear it's better than Turbo Jam.

I just started back doing the slim n six weeks DVD in my basement.
I keep a 8 lb wieght in my bathroom and everytime I take a showere I do 3 sets of 8 reps for my arms. I do it before I get in and when I get out and it takes no time to see a difference.

I get up at 5:20 and work out every weekday before anyone else gets up. Roll out of bed, change into the clothes I've already laid out, then it's just one shower a day and I'm done quicker than I would be if I had to drive to the gym. I started with Jillian's 30 Day Shred and got great results and just kept going from there. I have quite the collection of DVDs now! They are addicting. If I miss a workout I get crabby! I've stuck with it for over a year.

I always go back to Jillian DVDs, but I also like Tracey Mallett (she has a great post pregnancy video that targets your abs and legs), and some of the 10 minute solution DVDs. Check out the reviews on Amazon...it's important to get something that you'll like and stick with. Also Collagevideo has reviews and lots of clips from the videos.

I have a little workout area in the basement. An old TV and DVD player, some "puzzle mats" (we have a cement floor), some handweights (3 and 5 lb.) and an yoga mat. Good luck!

I love it. I would never work out if I had to go to a gym. My husband was doing the treadmill until ours took a dump so we're contemplating between another treadmill or an eliptical. Personally I love workout videos. Chris Freytag from Kare11 has some good ones and for more intensity I like Jillian Michaels.

I am also 30 and have 2 children. I work out at home 6 days a week. :0) I am currently doing a beachbody program called insanity (requires no equipment). I am really happy with the results, I have lost 11 inches in a month! I was so happy with the results after 3 weeks I decided to become a beachbody coach to help other people. For more information on the different at home workout programs they offer (Slim in 6, Power 90, Insanity, P90X, TurboJam, Turbo Fire, etc.), check out www.GetFitGainLife.com.

We have netflix hooked up to our tv, so I am able to do the workout videos that play instantly. I really enjoy them and they have a decent selection so I don't get bored. My husband laughs at me when I talk back to the instructors . . . its the only downside! I've also heard great stuff about the individual trampoline exercise programs, though I have not personally tried them.

What works best? Find a partner! You will be more motivated to keep up a routine, and the friendly competition may help you work harder!

I JUST canceled my gym membership. Not b/c I don't use it but b/c we can no longer afford it. So back to my dvds. Actually, they have a lot streaming on netflix now too. A lot of my friends are doing the 'couch to 5k' program or the p90x.

http://www.thehappyrock.com/2010/08/04/couch-to-5k-free-r...

I workout at home, and I use this exercise routine that i found on Fitness Magazine's website, called The Celebrity Workout. It's one of the videos on there.

Ugh - time for me to get on the treadmill. A half hour into that, I lay on the floor to cool off and do my stretches. About a dozen times during all that, I have to go pee. Two kids pushing on my bladder did that!

I SHOULD go to the gym to work on the eliptical and lift weights, but I'm writing on Mamapedia instead of leaving the house. It's kind of like going back and forth to the bathroom, going back and forth to the computer! LOL!

D.

I tried gym memberships, but it's just not my thing. I've been exercising at home now since the end of December and rarely miss a day. The biggest help has been finding a friend who was interested in working out with me. I know this isn't always possible, but it has truly been the biggest motivation. I never call and cancel on her no matter how tired or how unmotivated I feel because I know she depends on our workouts as much as I do (for exercise and visiting).

As far as equipment, I've kept it simple. I have hand weights (3, 5, 8, and 10 lbs.) and an awesome program called My Fitness Coach (plays on the Wii but is NOT a video game). The program allows you to input information like what equipment you own, your weight and other information (measurements and so forth), and lets you decide what your focus is (weight loss, toning, etc.). We literally never do the same workout twice, and it incorporates weights and a variety of exercises including cardio, yoga, pilates. And it gives you the option of increasing/decreasing the difficulty by asking for feedback during the workout. So basically it's like a whole lot of DVD's in one program. I get bored easily once I memorize a routine, so this works nicely for me. Good luck! It's definitely worth it.