I never thought I’d have to work out at home. EVER. But now I have no choice. I’m a stay-at-home mom with limited resources and a real need to stay healthy and fit. I’ve worked out since I was about 15 years old. I’ve always felt better when I worked out — not only physically, but mentally as well. And after becoming a mom, this has never been more true. I need to work out now for my sanity!

Here are a few resources I’ve found helpful in setting up a decent at-home workout program.

Online workouts

I use mostly free workouts I’ve found online. There are also a few paid programs that are worth checking out:

Fitness Blender

You’ll find a plethora of free workouts here that are legitimately really good. Hosted by Daniel and Kelly, you’ll be doing mostly HIIT (high intensity interval training), yoga, pilates, and boxing. They use free weights in their program — more on that below.

Kayla Itsines

This is a paid program, and I started with the seven-day free trial to test it out. It was tough, but very good. And quick. And time is of the essence, isn’t it?

Crunch Live

After reading an article right here on BMB, I decided to try it out. There were some really great barre workouts that left my legs and butt aching (a good ache) — a great way to change it up if you’re getting bored with your usual workouts.

Jillian Michaels

OK, so I haven’t actually done her workouts, but I’ve seen the results on my sister, and wowza! She looks amazing. So there’s gotta be something to that. You can even get her DVDs at the library.

Equipment

I always have two things on hand. One is an elastic band (versa loop), the other is a classic exercise band. You can get a pretty good workout with these two things.

Portable and inexpensive.
Portable and inexpensive.
Try a travelling squat with this around your ankles. Ouch!
Try a traveling squat with this around your ankles. Ouch!

If you want more, or are used to lifting heavier weight, you can splurge and get power block weights. They’re amazing because they take up minimal space, they’re easy to use, and they’ll give you a really good workout — just like at the gym!

Doesn't take up much space...love these!

Cardio is my other problem. I’m not a runner. Some people look like gazelles when they run. I look like a large elephant, lumbering along, trying to look like a gazelle. I wish I was a runner, because I could then get a cheap running stroller, throw the kids in, and go. But I loathe it. So, time for another solution. A treadmill would be nice, but they take so much space and can be costly. What I’ve found to be effective and relatively cost efficient, is a spin bike. After plenty of research I found one that was fairly inexpensive (half the cost of the average yearly gym membership) and had it shipped. It has a fairly small footprint and fits nicely in our walk-in closet (space is at a premium at our place). Put on some really good music, and off you go — in 30 minutes you’re drenched in sweat and ready to start your day.

Great for working out at home.
Great for working out at home.

So there you have it! A few ideas for you to kickstart your at-home workout program — no excuses! Has anyone else discovered other programs or workout gear that’s effective? Let me know!