At-home Workout Options
Morning friends! Happy Monday <3 What are you excited for this upcoming week?
It’s our anniversary (Thurs) and Friday we leave for the Healthy Living Summit, so it should be a good one 🙂
I busted out the Vitamix for bfast this morning:
-almond milk
-frozen organic cherries
-1/2 frozen banana
-1 T raw cacao powder
-handful of spinach
and am about to head to a class I haven’t taken in forever: spin!
Let’s hope my favorite teacher isn’t still being forced to play lame-o music. We’ll see what happens…
Since I’m going to a *real* gym this morning, it definitely made me think about my workout options in Valdosta, which were rather limited. A la Tim Gunn, I made it work 😉
For weights, I’d hit up a small local gym close by –the one that I worked at- [because the base gym, which is free, was so far away] and for most of my cardio, I’d either use the equipment at the little gym, go for an outdoor run, or workout at home.
We had even transformed one of our guest rooms into my own yoga room, since Valdizzy didn’t have a single yoga studio.
And I loved it.
Before living in Valdosta, I had no idea how to go about working out at home, and it helped me discover an entirely different set of options.
Here are some of my faves:
1) DVDs. Workout DVDs have been around so long for a reason- there are a lot of REALLY good ones out there. My all-time faves: Turbofire, Physique 57 and Insanity, and I also love the Core Fusion and Shiva Rea DVDs. The only bummer is that doing the same ones over and over can get boring (and if you’re like me, you’ll eventually know what the instructor is going to say before they say it), but if you have another fitness DVD fanatic friend, it’s fun to switch and borrow with them. One of my clients in Valdosta, blog nickname: Tinkerbell, was the queen of fitness DVDs- she always lent me some from her stash 🙂
2) Bodyrock or internet workouts. Bodyrock is an incredible resource for at-home workouts. While I wouldn’t recommend Bodyrock everyday, it’s a great way to switch up your routine, for free, with minimal equipment. I also love Cassey’s Pop Pilates videos 🙂
3) Resistance bands and bodyweight exercises. If you don’t want to invest in a set of free weights (which are majorly expensive), resistance bands can be a perfect substitution. They also don’t take up very much space, so you can stash them away when you have guests or take them with you to travel. You can also get in an effective exercise just using your bodyweight: you don’t need anything but yourself to do squats, lunges, burpees, push-ups, planks, mountain climbers, plie squats, etc. etc.
4) The great outdoors. I actually miss my outdoor workouts and runs in Valdosta. The scenery was beautiful, and the lack of gym options really forced me to get outside and fall in love with working out in the fresh air. Find a safe nearby running trail, or hit up a local track. *Here’s* one of my fave track workouts [Day 2 Speed workout] 🙂
The scenery here isn’t too shabby, though 😉
5) Podcasts, which are especially awesome for at-home yoga practice. My all-time fave is YogaDownload.com (the 20 minute podcasts are free!) and I also like Dave Farmar and Yoga to the People. Check out iTunes – there are a ton of yoga podcast options.
Do you have a gym membership? Are at-home workouts in your routine? What’s your fave?
See ya later today, friends <3
xoxo
Gina
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I really enjoy at home workouts and did them all the time for years because the town we lived in didn’t have any gyms. Since then we have moved and we live off a bike path so I have a perfect spot to run but now that we have a YMCA to go to my husband and I have a membership to take advantage of classes, the pool and for extra rainy days.
Love this! I do not have a gym membership, though I am a member of an amazing hot yoga studio. Aside from hot yoga, all of my workouts are done at home or outdoors. I do most of my workouts with resistance bands or my own body weight. I have a bunch of dvds that I never use…I am so easily distracted at home when I do them!
My favorite workouts are running and cycling. There’s nothing better than spending time outside getting sweaty!
I quit my gym a few months ago for a number of reasons, so these days all my workouts consist of running or cycling outside, DVDs, Bodyrock, and the occasional drop in rate at a yoga studio. Whatever gets the job done! It doesn’t matter if you’re at the gym or at home as long as you’re giving it your full effort! 🙂
I’ve had the same gym membership since high school, and I absolutely love my gym! I could probably go there without a membership at this point, considering everyone knows me because my fiance is a trainer there. That’s where we met! Haha. I have some yoga DVDs, but I rarely exercise at home. I’m one of those people who actually love the gym environment. I’m taking spinning this morning too! My favorite cardio.
Love this post! I only workout at home since I have 3 little boys and joining a gym isn’t an option for me. My fave DVD’s are TurboFire, Chalene Extreme, and Insanity. But you are right, it’s getting to the point where I know what Chalene is going to say 😉 I call them “Chalene-isms”…they are in my head all day! I’ll have to check out Bodyrock.
Lately I’ve been trying new workout DVDs on Netflix, it’s fun! Since we get 2 DVDs at a time, I can hang on to one for a while and try it out 🙂
I do have a gym membership, but on some days when it’s hard to get myself out the door I do workout DVDs or free weights at home. It’s better than nothing!
I’m a student, so I get free access to the gyms at school, and there’s also a teeny tiny (think 3 treadmills, 3 ellipticals and free weights) gym in my apartment complex in NC that’s open 24 hours.
My favorite “at-home workouts” are yoga podcasts from my fave teacher back home in New Hampshire, the 100 workout, outside runs by myself or with running clubs and self-led yoga practices. I keep forgetting that I own the 30 day shred and I still haven’t tried Bodyrock. For Bodyrock, would you do JUST bodyrock as a workout for the day or would you also do yoga/running or something?
Not gonna lie, I love my gym membership! It’s included in my fees for grad school, which is a nice perk. I love hiking and being active outdoors (I do live in Colorado after all 🙂 ), but for some reason I just can’t get into the home workout thang at all. Not sure why!
I have a gym membership but I definitely like my at-home workouts every once in a while. Aside from running, when I don’t feel like going to the gym I usually turn on the tv and do an on-demand workout such as Jillian Michael’s 30-day shred or a Jackie Warner one. I like my at-home yoga, too!
i love having a gym to go to, the weather here is so hit and miss and we have freezing weather and snow 6months out of 12, so outdoor workouts aren’t a year round thing here. At home workouts are fun, but it gets boring, and we live in a small apartment so space is very limited. so i count on my gym that is only a couple blocks away to get in my workouts.
fave at home exercise dvd has definitely been Insanity, i did month one not too long ago, and i plan to do the full 60 days in october so that it just ends right before christmas!
Love this too! I have a gym membership to an LA Fitness that I use pretty much only in the winter, so I waste some cash in the summer since I work out outside when it is nice out! But I get a good deal, a better deal than I would get if I cancelled it throughout the summer (blah). Plus, I live in Minnesota, so its pretty much winter here most of the year anyway, ha!
Love the blog 🙂 And of course, congratulations on the little *pink* bundle of joy and good luck on the rest of the journey – it has been so fun to read about it thus far!!
xox-Katie
Lately I have been a workout-at-home kinda girl. I have free weights, bands, a recumbent bike, and videos. My husband and I love a good walk and especially a good hike!
Why do you say not every day for Bodyrock?
This is great! I’m a home workouter about 90% of the time and definitely do all of those you talked about.
I do have a gym membership but in the summer only goes once a week! The rest of the days is spent outside running or doing home workouts with weights or yoga DVDs. I am thinking I will not renew my membership come September and instead buy a treadmill for our home gym, a few more DVDs and then a Yoga drop in pass and I will see how that goes for this winter.
This is the perfect post for me right now– I’m dreading going to the gym! haha 🙂 Thanks Gina
I work at a gym part time as an instructor, so when I’m not teaching, I am usually doing my own workouts there. However, I am really getting curious about trying some DVDs because I rarely ever do!! BodyRock.TV is awesome, but I’d also love to try something like TurboFire or Insanity, just to prove to myself that it’s possible to get as schweaty at home as at the gym! 🙂
Have you heard of TRX? There is a new gym that opened close to home and I noticed that they had this on their class schedule. I’m looking for an idea of what to expect and its benefits.
Thanks!
here ya go!
http://fitnessista.com/2011/04/focus-on-trx/
Happy almost anniversary! Mine is Monday, so I’m taking two days off work for a nice long weekend 🙂 Should be fun! I have a gym membership through my apartment, but it’s just some machinery – no classes. I try to hit up the yoga studio as often as possible, plus I just found a groupon for a month’s worth of bootcamp – once it cools down a bit here I’ll be all over that mess!
One more question that I just thought of (sorry). Why would you not recommend using bodyrock as your daily workout?
While I prefer the gym, I love having at home workout options. I use DVDs – mostly Cathe Friedrich, Turbo Jam / Turbo Fire.
Like others mentioned before, I turn to a Jillian Michaels DVD or some on demand workouts when stuck at home or short on time.
This is so helpful! I’m in college right now, and unfortunately the gym is very busy and kinda gross, so I try to stay clear. I’m hoping to do a lot of apartment working out this year!
I’ve been struggling with getting into a workout routine, feeling like my only option was to join the very expensive gym near my home (I love group classes!). This post gave me the kick in the tush I need to get over it and create an at home program – thanks!
I’m a student on a budget, so I sure know my way around the fitness DVD’s 🙂 I even moved to a bigger room, so I have some space to get it on with Jillian Michaels, some crazy Tracy Anderson’s Mat Method, Yoga Downloads, Bodyrockin’, POP-pilates, Women’s Health workouts and whatever else I can find to do at home. I do love the motivation you get when you work out in a group, but I just can’t afford it – yet 🙂
That is why I really appreciate all the expert advice and the ideas I find on your blog. How can I seriously think of sitting on my ass and being lazy, after I read of all the fun you’re having with your Zumba? 😉
🙂
I’ve been avoiding the base gym recently. It’s way way way too hot in there (they’ve turned the AC off). So I’ve been sticking to body weight exercises at home and running outside. I think I like it better too. I hate trying to work around people some days.
they’re definitely skimpy on ac… i’ve taught zuma at the moody base gym many times with no ac!
Currently I dont have the room to do at home stuff other than yoga poses so I do those to stretch out but havent really done any at home true workouts. I did Jillians yoga dvd a couple of times and Hip Hop Abs but just wasnt enough room for me! Once I move I will be able to though! less than a month!!!!!!!
i love the at home options, but i noticed that when i do that, i tend to work out less. for me, i have to go somewhere in order to workout or go run outside. hence i shy away from at home dvd’s. i work at a a nearby yoga studio so i get my yoga there. and i joined a gym for weights/other cardio machines with my boyfriend (no classes though hence only $10 monthly!). works for me! i do miss going to a class! that’s one of my all time fave! but right now, this works for me with my budget.
I’ve STILL gotta try bodyrock!
and girl, killer pose picture. you’re a champ!
I do have a gym membership, but have some fall back options in case it’s one of those days where ya just don’t feel like going to the gym! I have a couple of yoga DVDs and Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred which I love. I also have a few sets of free weights and a Body Bar that I use for at home strength exercises. However I also find that there are tons of ways you can workout at home without any equipment at all!
No gym anywhere close to where we are living. So at home workout for me. And sometimes, we girlfriends do it together to make it a little more fun and motivating for each other 🙂
I don’t have a gym membership, but I do have access to my community college gym since I’m a student. I’ll take advantage of it if I have off time between classes but most of the time I pass up on it. I’m more of an at home workout girl 🙂 I love my p90x, insanity, bodyrock, tone it up girls, and pop pilates all so so much <3
I am a member of a gym, which I love – I love using the elliptical trainer and the weights machines – but also use lots and lots of yoga DVDs and CDs at home, as well as free weights and body weight strength training exercises. I also love biking outisde. So much fun! I think it’s great to work out at home, and I’d say about 50% of my workouts, or sometimes more, are done outside of a gym environment – either at home, or outdoors. I also have a spin bike at home, which I love to do spinning intervals on… it’s been invaluable for me when money has been tight and a gym membership is off the cards! <3 xyx
PS: Happy anniversary for Thursday! <3 Is it your wedding anniversary? I always wonder if when you (by you I mean "one") get married you stop celebrating your dating anniversary (ie: when you began your relationship) because that is what me and the Kiwi celebrate now…or if you still celebrate both? I like the idea of celebrating both…lots of love milestones that are special! <3 xyx
I didn’t know you were going to HLS!
yep- i’ll be there! 🙂
I miss hitting the gym. When money got tight for us, our gym memberships were the first things to go. At the time, we had a huge lake to run around. Now, working out is a little harder where we live. Not a lot of outdoor options for us. It’s forced us to get creative.
I am an at-home worker-outer. 🙂
I did have a gym membership for a few years, and enjoyed it, but when I switched jobs and it was no longer convenient I gave it. I can work just as hard at home (though I do sometimes miss the classes and variety of equipment).
We have a workout room in our building that has all the basics, but I still have a gym membership because I love taking the classes. I need the extra motivation they provide. If I can’t make it to a class, I’ll either run outside, workout in the workout room, or do an on demand exercise video.
I used work-out DVD’s all the time in college when I didn’t have a good gym nearby. I checked them out from my local library, which was awesome for my budget and allowed me to try a lot of different DVD’s and workouts. I even requested Jillian Michaels’ No More Trouble Zones, and the library ordered it for me! It never hurts to ask! 🙂
Since having a little one, I have totally embraced at-home workouts. I love my gym, but getting there isn’t always feasible. Nap time is a great time to get my strength workout in. Also, our jogging stroller is probably my favorite piece of workout equipment! We run with it almost every day, in the sun, rain or snow. It has made me a much stronger runner and it’s great to have the time to bond with my almost two-year-old. He now gets upset if he sees me getting ready to go for a run without him!
When we lived in PA, I worked out at home a lot, especially in the winter. DVDs and resistance bands were lifesavers!
I love home workouts… you just have to stick with them & not lay down on the couch 😉
The only workouts I’ve ever really done at home are yours. You are the best at putting together the most kick butt at home workouts. I have a gym pass (my gym is a 7 min walk from the front door – I am a lucky girl), but sometimes I just want to workout at home with crazy, weird hair .. dressed like I just crawled out of bed & glasses. I have to admit, I just can’t get into DVD workouts. This probably has something to do with the fact that our little living room has no room for me to spead out and actually do them…
Great tips!!! I just got my first apartment, and I’ve been debating a gym membership, but I think I can work out just as well in the comfort of my own, well, bedroom, and save a lot of money!
I do have a gym membership, but I mainly use it for the school year when I’m teaching – only because I have to get up at 4:15 in the morning and it’s too dark out to run at that time!
Great suggestion! I make at home workouts work when it’s too cold or rainy outside 🙂 I lurveeee yoga podcasts, my recent fav one being Nikki Wong’s power yoga. I don’t belong to a gym, but I enjoy running, walking, and biking outdoors.
Ohh that smoothie looks delicious! I’m dying for a vitamix! Thank you for such a great post on at-home workouts! I’m a member of a yoga studio which is wonderful, but since I’m always in such a hurry, my workouts usually have to wait until late at night… maybe if I start incorporating some of the above, I could do it at home before work!
Yeah there are tons of workouts that can be done at home. I have tried doing both gym and home workouts and home workouts triumph.
I haven’t been able to work out much since I don’t have a gym membership, my running gear OR a yoga mat. Sad times. 🙁
I’m not sure what ‘bodyrock’ is… it looks like online thing to follow of like 10 mins of a blog of this girl w/ amazing abs. But it’s nothing to buy and do at home, you just get her program and watch the online clip for the movements? Am I missing something?
you don’t have to buy anything, except for the equipment. the workouts are short and in her videos, she goes over the moves but you do the workouts on your own and time yourself.