I have never been much of a fan of at-home workouts for weight loss. I enjoy the outdoors and getting away from home to be able to workout.
But as we have come to realize over the past several months, sometimes what WE want is out of our control.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our policies for more details.
With recent current events, going to a fitness facility is not an option. And the chances that workout facilities will ever return to what they were in the past are slim, but that does not leave you without options for fitness workouts.
At home exercise plans and workout routines have become very popular, especially since people are staying at home. For some people, at-home workouts have always been the norm, but now they have become the new normal for the rest of us.
At-Home Workouts for Weight Loss
Weight loss requires aerobic exercise to burn calories. Typically, people walk, run, swim or bike ride for aerobic exercise, but there are many other options for burning calories if you are at home.
Some people choose to have exercise equipment in their home, such as; a treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike (they have some fancy ones now).
These are all great options, but many times these pieces of equipment become very expensive and invasive clothes hangers. Why not march in place or dance as a way of burning calories?
There is nothing wrong with equipment if you use it, but if you are easily bored and want to change it up, you still have all the equipment that needs a space.
Moving Forward
In my opinion, the fitness industry has done a great job of adapting and adjusting to meet the conditions of their environment. There hundreds of options for being able to be part of an online class through web-based classes.
There are just as many that can be streamed on a tablet, computer or TV. All you have to do is pick the option that fits what you like the best.
Resistance Training Options
All-in-One Home Gym Systems
Resistance training is a type of exercise that you do to build muscle through the use of resistance. This is the type of exercise you are doing when you go to the gym and workout on all the individual machines.
Since most people do not have room for (or want) these machines in their homes, they will be looking for other methods of being able to do resistance exercises.
There are a number of all-in-one resistance training machines. Bowflex and the Total Gym (remember that Chuck Norris thing) offers two of the more well-known all-in-one resistance workout systems.
The benefit…it does have everything you need for a complete workout. The downside…it still takes space that you may not have and even the least expensive piece of equipment of this type will cost over $2,000.
Free Weights for Workouts
Free weights range in weight from 1 pound on up depending on what you want. They can be bright colorful neoprene covered weights or dumbell bars that you can add weight plates to for increasing the weight.
The downside to these is you will most likely need several sizes of these to get a complete workout or increase strength over time. This type of at-home workout system will take less room than an all-in-one gym, but it is still not ideal for a living space that has limited space.
If you look for something quick and easy you can get creative and use cans out of the pantry or bottles of water. This is down and dirty way of coming up with some light weights on the spur of the moment.
Resistance Bands and Yoga Ball Workouts
In a pinch, these items can easily be purchased at Walmart or Amazon. And they make a great option for working out at home.
The nice thing about these items is they are compact. The yoga ball makes a great item for stabilization, but you can get a complete workout with just the bands. If you travel and don’t like the idea of using the gym, the bands are perfect.
The bands fit easily in any backpack or suitcase and offer a complete workout. Another added feature of purchasing the bands/ball is they will come with instructions that include a simple workout plan if you don’t feel like finding your own.
There are many variations of the bands. They are all compact and simple to use. Some of them can even be done from a chair making them perfect for the person that cannot stand or maintain their balance easily.
Body Weight Resistance Exercise
Bodyweight resistance exercises are perfect for the minimalist like me. Nothing needed but yourself. Bodyweight exercises include yoga, lunges, squats, crunches, push-ups, pull-ups and the list goes on and on.
These exercises can be done anywhere there is room for your body. Bodyweight exercises are as effective as any of the other types of at-home exercise methods.
Putting It All Together
Okay, so now you know what your options are. You have options from using expensive equipment to using just your own body.
The most important thing about an at-home workout is setting time aside and following through with the plan. I always find when I am at home, it is easy to get sidetracked or talk myself out of following through.
One of the best options available right now is all the online sessions for working out. The variety is unlimited. You can set your schedule to workout 3 times a week and change it up every time you workout. Or you can stick with the same thing for a week or a month and then change.
Since you have most likely had to spend more time at home in recent months, take the time to reevaluate your fitness plan and get it in gear. Try things you have not tried before. You never know what you might try that works well for you.
Final Thoughts – Best At-Home Workouts for Weight Loss
We are living in some unique times and it could be years before things return to normal, if ever. The new normal most likely means that at-home workouts will stay at increased levels.
Fitness centers have not reopened and people could be afraid to ever return to a gym setting. It is all yet to be seen whether organized gyms will survive the economic changes.
In the meantime, you are going to have to plan your own fitness routine that is going to work for you. I would suggest you simply do a search on YouTube, Google or Instagram for the type of workout you are interested in.
It did not take me long to find a large selection of online videos for all of the above types of resistance workouts. There are also many cardio and stretching videos available as well. If you are spending more time at home than before, get started today with an at-home workout plan!
