I am not really a gym-goer and I hate the idea of paying for a gym membership I won't really use. I saw a great workout in Fitness Magazine in the July/August issue about a workout called "get slim without the gym" -- it has a lot of good ideas for working out at home. Has anyone read about it or tried it? What do you think of it?
I work out at home, and did for all but a year or so of my journey.
When I started, I had cheap equipment....a rebounder, some exercise DVDs, and some basic strength training equipment (dumbbells and resistance bands). Very little investment and I could get my workouts in...cardio with the rebounder, DVDs, and a weekly outdoor walk/run, weights a few times a week. Then I joined a gym for about a year to get a personal trainer (was training my arms for a wedding dress!) and try out different cardio equipment.
Now that I KNOW I'm sticking with exercise and know what I like, I've made the choice to invest in some cardio equipment (I had an elliptical I used for 3 years, at which point it broke fantastically, and I've just purchased a new Incline Trainer to replace it).
I have a home gym...treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, bowflex, free weights, and dvd's Most of the bigger items are from craigslist but in awesome shape. I slowly built it up though. I have 3 kids and the gyms around here want an arm, a leg and a kidney to watch your kids in the daycare section
I've read that issue and have incorporated some of those workouts into my routine....the only thing I don't have is the gliding discs lol those look like fun too
Last edited by TJFitnessDiva; 07-24-2009 at 01:40 PM.
I've been a member of gyms in the past but for this current journey the last 2 years it's been all at home except for the community membership at the local university, but I only use that for pool access.
First it was walking, Then DVDs, Then Running, Then Running and Biking and Swimming.
Best purchase I made last year was my treadmill. If you get a better quality one it's worth it. Lot less excuse potential when it's sitting there staring you in the face every day.
Some people thrive with the gym thing, but for me there are just too many things preventing me from getting out of the house every day.
I haven't tried the workout in the magazine but would love to. Do you know if there is a link to it somewhere? I live in a place where the closest gym is about an hour away so I prefer to do teh home workouts also. I have a few dvd's but am wide open to suggestions of others or workouts that don't require equip that takes up a lot of space (because the baby stuff has taken over our household!). Thanks!
i also use my repertoire i have at home. dumbells, bands, exercise bike. I also have a giselle under my bed, and a rebounder under my son's bed, the bean is in the closet...heh.
I like the gym occasionally. I have a membership to our YMCA. They don't charge to watch my son--it's just all the way across town! I will only go if I have to be in town. really thinking about using the indoor pool again though!
I've been working out at home this time around. I've had gym memberships in the past, mostly student memberships, and enjoyed the classes and swimming pool access they provided. But most of them are a distance from where I'm living now so I'm working out at home, following a video most mornings. I find that besides the distance and expense, there are too many excuses between my bed and the gym and not nearly so many between my bed and the living room.
I only work out at home right now (even though I technically have a membership to my school gym until the end of the summer), but I haven't tried that workout you mentioned.
My cardio consists of workout DVDs and running, and for strength training I have pairs of dumbbells ranging from 5 lb to 25 lb. I've got a few other pieces of equipment but those are the important ones to me.
Check out the Exercise Video forum, there are a lot of people there who only work out at home, and you might find some suggestions for videos to try!
I work out at home, and started out with dvds, walking, and a kickboxing bag from a class I took a few years ago. I have built up a pretty decent list of fitness equipment, now that I know I'm going to stick to using it. I've got a treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, weight bag & gloves, weider max home gym, assorted dumbells, pullup bar, misc. exercise mats & Exercise TV On Demand with my Comcast.
I don't love the gym scene, like being able to be more flexible with my workout time.
I just can't seem to get motivated at home. I had a treadmill that I never used so I sold it.
I joined the gym because it is much easier to work out for me there. Plus the gym has a kids club so I can work out without having to watch my little one at the same time. I am a single mom so that is a HUGE help. Once you are IN the gym it is easy, just getting myself to go is the hard part
I also try to walk the baby in the stroller and take the dog too, but it has just been too hot out lately.
I do have some dumbells here at home that I might start using. My arms are too fat. But again, it is so much easier at the gym because I don't have to watch my son every second.
I'm a homebody, too. I love my DVDs and have been so pleased at my weight loss success because of them. I have two elementary-aged kids so I need to fit "me-time" in the "them-time". For these past six months (my weight loss plan), I woke up earlier and earlier to fit in my exercise. Now, I'm so pleased with the alone time I get from rising early, that it'll be a big motivator to keep me going as I transition over to "maintenance" in the coming weeks.
I had joined a boxing gym (surprisingly across the street from my house-next to the grocery store). I did like the atmosphere and the real community feeling folks had--guys all came up and pointed out better ways to practise, reminded to keep elbows up, etc. But I couldn't commit because I wasn't able to leave the kids alone. As they age up, I am now really enjoying the home dvd.
I did pick up a new book (something by Prevention with a title like 321 Prevention). I just love every page but especially the exercise guide with pictures. I have two dvds that have the exercises in such a way that I feel like I can do at my own speed during the dvd (like jumping jacks, squats, etc). It's not so "jazzercize" where you have to follow exactly what the instructor is doing or get screwed up with the routine. So, I love the 321 routine (it's 3 minutes aerobics, 2 minutes strengthening, 1 minute abs in a rotational sequence over and over).
I'm gearing up for vacation and trying to figure out how to keep up my intensive aerobic needs and keep up strengthening. So, I'm looking at elastic bands for the suit case. I'll be able to keep toning and working out all vacation (hopefully).
I workout at home. I have a treadmill for the winter (generally). I have a barbell/weights, a set of adjustable dumbbells, a swiss ball, a step, a pull-up / chin-up bar (with bands), and a big rubber mat that I put down when using the weights. I was going to say that I don't have much, but writing it out makes it seem like more. During better weather I walk a lot, jog a little, and swim most days in the backyard. I have a couple of DVDs/tapes, none of which I've used in ages. I have a friend offering to loan me his P90X DVDs, but I just don't see me using them at the moment.
I still live with my parents (which can be fortunate or unfortunate - depends how you look at it) and we have a treadmill, a broken stationary bike, and a Giselle. We also have something similar to a Bowflex, but it was cheaper and it's really hard to use and very user unfriendly. We have DVDs, dumbbells, and stretchy bands.
My mom has offered to get me a gym membership in the past, and I have decided to take her up on it. There's a church-run gym about an hour away, which is in the same town my (community) college is, which I had planned on joining ($35 A YEAR) but all my classes are online this semester. There's a gym about 10 minutes away, but it's $30 a month, and you have to sign a six month contract. Boooo.
I'm still going to join.
I have a bum knee and can use the treadmill if I be really careful, which I usually am, but I know that I can bike and do other things with less pain, so it's worth it. It also changes it up a bit.
And I agree with the person who said it is SO MUCH EASIER to be motivated at the gym. Totally.
I'm a homebody, too. I love my DVDs and have been so pleased at my weight loss success because of them. I have two elementary-aged kids so I need to fit "me-time" in the "them-time". For these past six months (my weight loss plan), I woke up earlier and earlier to fit in my exercise. Now, I'm so pleased with the alone time I get from rising early, that it'll be a big motivator to keep me going as I transition over to "maintenance" in the coming weeks.
I had joined a boxing gym (surprisingly across the street from my house-next to the grocery store). I did like the atmosphere and the real community feeling folks had--guys all came up and pointed out better ways to practise, reminded to keep elbows up, etc. But I couldn't commit because I wasn't able to leave the kids alone. As they age up, I am now really enjoying the home dvd.
I did pick up a new book (something by Prevention with a title like 321 Prevention). I just love every page but especially the exercise guide with pictures. I have two dvds that have the exercises in such a way that I feel like I can do at my own speed during the dvd (like jumping jacks, squats, etc). It's not so "jazzercize" where you have to follow exactly what the instructor is doing or get screwed up with the routine. So, I love the 321 routine (it's 3 minutes aerobics, 2 minutes strengthening, 1 minute abs in a rotational sequence over and over).
I'm gearing up for vacation and trying to figure out how to keep up my intensive aerobic needs and keep up strengthening. So, I'm looking at elastic bands for the suit case. I'll be able to keep toning and working out all vacation (hopefully).
I totally love Prevention. Denise Austin is one of my favorites and they list her in there quite a few times with their routines. I have found my favorite routines in prevention.
I got started working out again on the "Fast-track your fatloss. 10 minute workouts" article.
The other issue I have kept that is dear to me. "Go from Fat to Firm with Denise" The issue has routine for strength, flexiblilty and toning trouble spots.
i grap a book at the checkout line, and if it has an interesting article, i buy it.
I a VIDOIOT I have about 100 different ones I have collected oled vcr from the thrift store that I have converted to dvd and new dvd. I have exercise ball, medicine ball, bosu ball, weights, ellipticals {in both my homes}I know I am spoiled. We have always lived rually too far from gyms so never was able to go. And I love the freedom of working out at 3:30 am or 4:00pm It has served me well. Ilive in areas that NO ONE and I mean NO ONE I know exercises they think I am CRAZY AND NOW WITH P90X!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you go to the gym or workout at home?
