Tips For Working Out At Home

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It's safe to say that all of our worlds turned upside down just a short few weeks ago.  With the scare of Covid-19 and the stay-at-home order, most of us are finding ourselves in a whole new routine.  Working from home, becoming temporary teachers, and at-home workouts are the new normal.  The good news, is there are so many great ways to stay in shape while confined in our houses!  I got rid of my gym membership and started working out from home almost six years ago, after having my twins.  Not having the time to hit up the gym, or childcare, I started doing at-home workouts, and haven't looked back.  In fact, I became more consistent with my weekly workouts since doing at-home programs!  Getting to the gym used to be half the battle, and now I just need to throw on a pair of leggings, and hit the play button on my workout! The best part is you can get in a full body workout in a half an hour or less! Below I'm sharing my tips for working out from home, and the top three apps that I use.

Home Workout Tips

1. Get dressed in your workout clothes first thing in the morning: If I got ready for the day, and put on normal clothes, then the chances of me working out later in the day are slim to non.  The first thing I do when I get out of bed is wash my face, brush my teeth, and throw on workout clothes.  Whether I get my workout in right away, or have to wait until noon, I'm more likely to get it done since I'm already dressed for a sweat session.

2.  Schedule your workouts:  Every Sunday I plan out my week ahead, and always put my workouts on my calendar.  Having them scheduled into your day, and part of you to-do list will help you stick to them.  I don't know about you, but there is nothing more satisfying then checking everything off my to-do list at the end of the day, and that includes my workout.  This is also super helpful if you're not able to work out in the mornings.

3. Work out during quiet or nap time:  It's not the easiest working out when you have young kids at home.  When the twins were babies I would work out when they took their morning nap.  When they cut down to one nap per day, I would squeeze my workout in then, even it was later in the day.  Now, I give the twins quiet time when I workout, where they'e able to watch a show or play on their kindles. If I know we have a busy day ahead, I'll set my alarm and get my workout in before the twins wake up. Although this is the ideal time to work out, I am not a morning person so I only do it when needed.  And I'm always glad when I do!!!!

4. Have the basics on hand: It doesn't take much to work out at home, but a small amount of workout equipment is ideal.  I suggest dumbbells (5, 8 and 10 pounds are key), resistant bands and loops (I use these all the time), and a yoga mat.  I have found that I don't need much more that that!

6. Go for a walk: Really, walking is the best exercise, and something the whole family can do!  It's the perfect way to get fresh air and burn off some energy.  Just make sure you don't come within 6 feet of any other walkers!

Workout Apps That I Love

There are many workout apps and programs to choose from these days, which make working out from home both easy and convenient.  Although I've tried a handful, the three below are what I personally use and highly suggest.

1. Beachbody On Demand: I've been using Beachbody for over five years, and love it! (No, I am not a coach, just a happy customer.)  The price is $99 per year, which in my opinion, is a steal for what you get!  Beachbody has replaced the gym for me (which is much pricier), and there are endless workouts you can choose from.  Whether you prefer yoga, cardio, weight lifting or a dance workout, Beachbody has it.  Plus they are constantly releasing new programs, so you never have to worry about getting bored with your workouts.  In fact, there is a new barre program, which I can't wait to try!  The programs that I personally use the most are 21 Day Fix, 21 Day Fix Extreme, 80 Day Obsession, and Morning Meltdown 100.

Beachbody currently has  a 14 day free trial promotion.  My sister is a coach, and I used her referral link because she is great at what she does!

2. Sweat:  Although I don't currently use this app, it's one that I have used in the past and highly recommend. In fact, I was doing Kayla Itsines' BBG workouts long before her app was launched! I had gotten her workout and nutrition program as ebooks, and still use them today!  I did try the app when it first came out, but found the workouts to be the exact same as the BBG guides that I already had, so didn't find it necessary to keep paying for the Sweat app.  I do have to say, I love the style of the workouts, and they'll leave your arms looking super toned!  Although I don't use the BBG guides on a daily basis,  I do still mix them in every so often with my current workout.

The Sweat app is $19.99 per month and now offers a lot more than when I first tried it out.  

3. Melissa Wood Health:  I recently added Melissa Wood Health workouts to my routine back in December, and they've become a new favorite.  I discovered Melissa on Instagram (@melissawoodhealth), and fell in love with her calm, yet bright personality. Her workouts are pilates and yoga based flows that use small movements to tone the body.  This is the opposite of what I usually do for a workout, so it was a nice addition to my routine.  The best part, is most of her workouts are under 30 minutes, with some full body workouts under 20. You can even find an 8 minute arm workout.  Now who doesn't have time for that?  You can also find guided meditations on her app, along with pre and postnatal workouts.

You can get a free 7 day trial of the The Melissa Wood app, then it's $9.99 per month.  Although there are already many workouts to choose from, she adds a new workout every Monday.

My Current Routine

So what does my current workout routine look like?  I'll break it down for you!  I work out six days a week and am currently doing Beachbody's 80 Day Obsession. The program works different area of the body each day (arms, legs, abs) so I get all of my toning in when doing the program. Although the program calls for working out 60 minutes a day, six days a week, it is my third time doing the program, so I am not following it strictly.  Plus, it's hard to squeeze in a full hour for a workout these days, so I've been mixing it up.  Here is what typical week looks like:

Monday: 80 Day Obsession

Tuesday: 80 Day Obsession

Wednesday: Cardio (usually from Beachbody) or a Melissa Wood Health Full Body

Thursday: 80 Day Obsession

Friday: Rest Day

Saturday: 80 Day Obsession

Sunday: Melissa Wood Health Flow

Tank c/o | Jog Bra c/o | Leggings c/o Sneakers (on sale!) I'd love you to share in the comments what you're doing for workouts at home.  Is there an APP that you love? Stay safe and healthy! XO Rachael
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