Easy, quick, effective exercise ideas

Has anyone got any quick, easy, effective exercise I could do at home? I'm a working mum of one, also trying to conceive baby number 2. I work 25 hours a week with school drop offs for my son at his school which is literally within touching distance of our house, 5 min walk & that's it.

I have back/neck exercise so have never been able to do abdominal crunches. Most of my weight is on my hips & thighs with a bit on my tummy (I know sadly you can't spot weight loss). I have a mini exercise bike at home as well as 6 different sized dumbbells, a weighted ball (8kg), an exercise mat, Davina "mini" rower & twist board + a Nintendo Wii. Problem is I may use things on occasions but not regularly. I get bored with things too easily & then just don't bother.

How can I get out of this rut & help myself to lose weight with exercise? I already use myfitnesspal for calorie checking.

[Carolee13]

Here's an idea. Download the Sworkit app. It gives you timed exercises and does them with you, well 2 people on a video do. You can choose stretching, cardio, strength or yoga and it also varies the workouts within those categories. Quite good if you get bored easily, and definitely quick and easy. Hope this helps !

[Hidden in reply to Carolee13]

Thank you, I'll have a look at it xx

[ssjtom]

Hi,

There's loads you can do at home, there's TONS off free routines on youtube. For fat loss and fitness - HIT workouts are the best, just start slow and push yourself as much as you can at first. You've got plenty of equipment to get started. Work with your weights, resistance work will not make you 'bigger' it will give your more muscle which in turn will build more fat.

Understanding that boredom can come into play but if you have time to get bored you're not properly pushing your self Use it as a game, how many reps did I do yesterday, can I do more today. Once you see the results in your fitness and weight you'll get addicted but you have to stick to it for at least 30 DAYS!!! 30 days is habbit forming which is why a lot of fitness programs last 30 days.

For home workouts I started with the power 90 dvds (think these are on youtube as well) One day cardio one day strength, start at level 1. All you need is yoga matts and some weights and it's quite fun and diverse.

With what you have you can do all sorts but the best things to do for the most impact are full body work outs.

Here's a simple one to try.

12 Squats

12 Burpees

12 High Knees

Plank for 30 seconds

12 star jumps

12 lunges - on each leg

12 push ups.

Do this as quickly as you possible can - then repeat it as many times as you can untill you no longer can. Start small and build up! If you're getting really bored maybe a class might be more for you. The support of others pushing you on or the communal atmosphere can help. A lot of girls I know enjoy Zumba classes.

- Tom

[Hidden in reply to ssjtom]

Thanks very much for your response, that sounds great, especially doing something for 30 days. I have a zumba fitness game on the Wii. The main reason I have things at home is to save money but also I can't regularly commit to classes due to childcare/hubby's shifts.

Thanks though, great ideas xx

[ssjtom]

Have a little go at p90 level 1 cardio and see how you get on. Once you can handle it once a week, do two or three days then add in level 1 strength. I was 17st when I started that and I finishes it to level 3, joined a gym and now I'm 14st.

[Hidden]

Well done, that sounds great, thanks very much. I'll have a look. May try some of the list you put up too, do those in the morning & 30 mins on my little exercise bike.

[GoogleMe]

The exercise things you have are all 'at home' things and they haven't worked for you (so far) So maybe it is time to try something different - running (NHS C25K is brilliant), swimming, perhaps classes with a friend so there's the social factor.

But the exercise is not going to be the most significant element in a weight loss plan (except that if you are more active being overweight is less of a risk to your health than it would otherwise be)

[fredanew3]

I can recommend a fitness video entitled "Move it or Lose it" by Julie Robinson. It motivated me all I had to do was get up half an hour earlier maybe your children could watch you it would need organising I guess. Later in the day might be better in your circumstance. I am retired so it was easy for me to do it first thing. It must be combined with a weight loss food programme of course. At my weight-loss class they say exercise keeps you fit but watching your diet and calorie (fat and sugar) intake must be done at the same time. Good luck.