At home workouts can be beneficial to just about anyone, even avid gym-goers! Whether you’re a mom who feels like she has no time for fitness or someone who goes to the gym religiously, I hope this guide inspires you to fit some at home workouts into your life.
I am very passionate about at home workouts. I haven’t been to the gym in years! The best part about working out at home? Consistency – which can be really, really hard when you become a mom.
I had a mom friend recently tell me that she feels the worst she has in years because she has been unable to get to the gym. Her son has been sick and life has gotten in the way. However, when I suggested working out at home, that was met with many reasons why she couldn’t.
So, as someone who has been working out at home for over 15 years, I decided to make this post sharing my best tips for at home workouts, all the benefits, my favorite workout trainers and advice on working out with children. I hope this helps your crush your fitness goals in the comforting of your own living room!
Why At-Home Workouts are So Beneficial
- With no need to travel to the gym, it can save you time on busy days.
- Helps boost energy, mental health, and overall well-being. I notice a big difference in my mood on the days where I don’t workout. If you feel like you won’t get as many benefits working out at home as compared to the gym, you’re wrong! Even short workouts can make a difference.
- More flexibility – workouts can fit into nap time, early mornings, or while kids play.
- Consistency is more likely due to the flexibility of at home workouts. Even if you go to the gym, supplementing the days you can’t make it there with an at-home workout might just tip the scale in your favor.
- No need to pay for a gym membership! There are so many free workouts available on YouTube that are very effective – even with very little gym equipment.
Whether your goal is to improve your mental health, lose weight, get more toned, or just maintain your weight: working out at home can at the very least help you with consistency. To see long-lasting results, I always say consistency should be the number one goal.
Tips for Working Out at Home with Kids
You might be thinking “it’s too hard” to workout with your children around. I’ve also heard moms say they don’t want to workout during nap time because that is the only time you can get household chores done!
But let me tell you this: when there is a will, there is a way! It doesn’t have to be during naptime. It doesn’t have to be a long workout. Even further, it doesn’t even have to be one consecutive workout. I listed a bunch of different strategies below – which one would work for you?
Like I said earlier, it’s all about finding a consistent routine that fits into YOUR lifestyle, based on your very own preferences. That’s the beauty of working out at home.
Strategies to Try
Now, this will look different for everyone. Waking up early? Not for me. I prefer to workout around 6 am and my kids are just waking up. Often, they are eating breakfast, playing or watching TV. I don’t feel guilty prioritizing my mental and physical health by getting my workout in – but that’s just me!
- Wake up early and get the workout out of the way before the kids wake up.
- Workout during naptime – even if it’s just for 30 minutes. You could spend the rest of naptime cleaning up the house.
- Do short, mini workouts throughout the day that add up to 30-60 minutes. I’ll elaborate on this more below.
- Get some of your child’s favorite toys out on the living room floor and workout while they play.
- Buy a walking pad and workout while you work or watch TV at night.
- Set up a craft for your children to do while you workout.
- Workout at night, after they go to bed. Turn on your favorite show and get it done!
- Turn on an interactive YouTube channel and get active with your child. Or, have a dance party.
At Home Workout Equipment
There are many at home workout options that require little no equipment at all – like Pilates or yoga. However, having a few staples, like a few sets of dumbbells and resistance bands, can make any workout more challenging.
I am especially a fan of adjustable dumbbells which allows me to lift heavier weights but without the gym. They don’t take up very much space, either. It makes for the perfect Christmas or birthday gift!
What to do if you don’t have much space
I live in a ranch so we don’t have a designated “workout room” and very little storage! If you are someone without a lot of space, I am here to say: I get it. I even took a picture of my current setup.
I bought a storage ottoman that I hide behind my couch with my adjustable weights, free weights, and resistance bands. As you can see, it needs some organization but it gets the job done and no one ever knows it stores my workout equipment.
I also have a walking pad that I can fit underneath my dresser or behind my couch if needed. It’s one of my favorite purchases and I use it all the time – especially in the winter! So, my point is: if you don’t have a workout room in your house, get creative!
At Home WOrkout Ideas
Another concern I often hear from other moms? The need for structure and motivation, which they often cannot find working out at home. Enter: your very own personal YouTube trainer. Some of my favorite trainers have 30-90 day programs which offers a structured schedule to follow.
Some fitness trainers offer encouragement and instruction throughout the entire workout. Others don’t have any instruction – so you could listen to music through your phone or watch TV. I like to watch TV and use my phone to play the workout.
I’ve also included more creative options – like mini workouts, cleaning + working out at the same time, or ways to get your kid involved with your workouts.
YouTube Trainers
These are some of my favorite FREE YouTube trainers – with so much content that you will never run out of workouts. For more elaboration, read The Best Fitness YouTubers for Women.
- Caroline Girvan: my number one recommendation if your goal is to increase muscle mass. Her focus is primarily on weightlifting but in the comfort of your own home. Her workouts are more intermediate/advanced, typically with one day of cardio/HIIT. She is my favorite trainer of all time!
- Heather Robertson focuses a lot on metabolic conditioning – lifting weights (though not as heavy) and cardio routines. She usually always has a low impact modification and is a great choice for beginners and more advanced individuals as well.
- Sydney Cummings is perfect for those who like a lot of variety and prefer someone who will talk you through the entire workout. She’s very motivating and encouraging as well.
- Move with Nicole is a great choice for low impact Pilates workouts or yoga.
- Pamela Reif has really hard but effective ab workouts and a lot of short workouts, about 10 minutes each.
- Train with Gains By Brains is another one of my favorite trainers for effective ab workouts.
Mini Workouts Throughout the Day
Where are my stay-at-home moms at? Mini workouts throughout the day is for those moms who don’t feel like they have time for a long, consecutive workout. This is where you could split it up 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night.
Or, take about 5 minutes to do squats while you’re cooking dinner and/or perform push-ups while playing with your kids on the floor. If you try to do short, mini workouts throughout the day, that can add up to a 30-minute workout! It’s multi-tasking at its’ finest.
Clean While Working Out
This is a little bit unconventional, but I created a cleaning schedule with workout included. This is for the really busy moms that can’t find time to clean let alone workout. What if you set a timer on your phone and killed two birds with one stone? Bring a pair of dumbbells with you and take small breaks to do a set of exercises.
Okay, so now you have a few different options to try to fit fitness in at home. Of course, I understand that working out at home might not be for everyone. Going to the gym means you can get away from your kids and might be a much needed break! This post is for those who don’t realize the potential benefits that can come from figuring out an at home workout that works for them. If you try any of these ideas, please let me know!