I know a lot of people start fitness/weight loss journeys in the new year.  However everyone does not have the means to hire a trainer or to join a gym.  I am a firm believer thatyou don’t need either of those to get in a great work out.  I occasionally still work out at home when I don’t feel like fighting thecrowds at the gym or I just prefer to be outdoors.  Over time I have put together quite the collection of at home exercise equipment.  I am not saying you need to purchase any of these items you could simple rely on body-weight exercises with are just as effective.  I just want to share with you guys what I use when I workout at home and outdoors.  These are my absolute favorite workout DVDs! Jillian will get you going, lots of work in short amount of time.  I don’t use these as much anymore but a few years ago I dedicated at least thirty minutes to Jillian everyday.

Weighted Bar/Body Bar

This is great for squats and dead lifts.  I was actually gifted a weighted bar but I have my eye on a heavier one.

Dumbbells

Dumbbells are great for combination exercises like bicep curls with a lunge. I have 10lb dumbbells and will be purchasing 15lb next.

Ankle Weights

These will seriously kick your butt when doing leg lifts and donkey kicks!  The extra 10lbs on my legs make a huge difference.

Jump Rope

I love to jump rope it’s a quick and easy way to get your heart rate up.  I always incorporate a minute to three minutes in between exercise sets when I work out at home, it’s a great way to get in cardio.

Stability Ball

Abs! Abs! Abs! The ab exercises you can do with this thing is endless.  Of course there are other uses for it also but I love this for working my core.

 

 

 

In addition to these items I use fitness apps on my iPhone:

Fitness Buddy (Paid Version)

 

I freaking love this app! I use it everyday to plan my workouts.  In addition to being able to plan your workout this app features actual animations of how exercises should be performed, which is huge for me because sometimes I forget what to do.  You can also search exercises by body part/muscle and by equipment: body weight, dumbbell, barbell, machine, kettle bell, plate, resistance band, stability ball,  medicine ball, and foam roller.  There are also well over 50 built-in workouts or you can also add custom workouts which is what I usually do.  The last picture is my shoulders and abs workout from last night.

Seconds Pro (Paid Version)

 

I also use anninterval timer when I am at home or outside.  This one is pretty awesome it has lost of bells and whistles but for $4.99 is should be all that and more! lol.  It’s pretty straight forward and comes pre-load with HIIT, Tabata, Calisthenics, Stretching and MMA timers/circuits.

Lastly, I use my good ole’ notes on my phone.

When I am feeling super lazy and just want to get it done, I type up my workout in my notes and use my phone stopwatch.  This is Mondays at home chest and back workout.

I know this post is long but I wanted to show you guys that going to gym is not your only option when it comes to fitness.  I hope this post helps anyone that doesn’t know where to or how to start, any questions leave them below.

8 Comments

  1. Ms. J Rivers Reply

    Yes! You definitely don't have to go to a gym to work out. I purchased a gym membership last year and after so long wasn't able to afford it, so I quickly gained back the weight I had lost. My boyfriend and I started the Insanity workout and I am more motivated than ever before. This workout is great example of body-weight exercise. I love Jillian. After I finish Insanity and T25 I'm going to do her workouts to maintain my weight loss. Great post!

  2. This is confirmation and I thank you. I have been with a trainer for a long time and I am quite in shape but you know sometimes someone just becomes your crutch? Well I've been thinking of giving up that crutch to gain my independence and save a my 50 bucks per session 3x weekly. I was afraid that I would regress if I don't have him but the truth of the matter is, I know what to do, there is pinterest and youtube and I love writing down what I do in my notes too. Thanks again for the confirmation. You've made a difference.

  3. I started out with a trainer but after about three months I was over it. It was a great start but as I continued to educate myself on exercise and look up different workouts I was like "I got this" lol. I feel like you can never fail if you have a plan and I'm so glad I could help ?

  4. Great tips! I love the Nike Training app (free). Love the 15 min target area exercises. The have beginner, intermediate and advanced levels too.

  5. Great post! Thanks for pointing out some equipment to use at home,I definitely want that weighted bar and ankle weights. I will be checking out the apps you listed as well.

  6. I've heard great things about T25, I was thinking about adding it to my evening cardio, my shins and knees can't take all the running I've been doing lately.

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