Your Guide To Exercising At Home

There’s nothing quite like hitting the great outdoors for a stroll with the pram, or meeting a friend for a chat and a jog at the local park or green space.
While in an ideal world, we’d all be able to exercise wherever and whenever we like, when you’re a busy mum, it doesn’t always work out that way.
That doesn’t have to mean that exercise is off the menu however. When it comes to healthy weight loss, regular cardio and resistance training is essential, making it an important addition to your ‘to do’ list. But where to do it and, more importantly, how to do it when time is precious and demands plentiful?
Exercising at home is a great option for a number of reasons. Primarily, working out in the privacy of your lounge room or backyard allows you to pull on your gear and get cracking whenever you have time. There is no waiting around for classes or trying to fit in travel to and from a gym or studio.
You’re also not restricted by baby and toddler routines, weather or any of the other factors that can hinder exercise outside of the home.
Where once mums would have been restricted to a dusty old video on the VCR, modern technology has meant that a whole range of workouts that can be completed whenever and wherever you are, have become available. Cardio/aerobic workouts, instructional yoga DVD’s, even strength training or classes like pilates are all available through the miracle of modern technology. All you need to do is choose the one that suits you best!

Your work out at home options

• A workout DVD – Affordable and easy to use, an exercise DVD is a great place to start when reintroducing exercise to your life. A post-natal specific workout is a great place to start as the exercises and routines will have been specifically developed for women who have just had a baby. When choosing what to buy, remember that you’ll be playing it regularly so a DVD with a couple of different workouts on the one disc, or even a couple of different DVD’s might be your best bet for keeping things interesting.
• WII Fit/XBOX Kinect/Playstation Move – Gaming consoles with a motion sensing, fitness attachment or program kick things up a notch from your standard DVD. Each program is designed in a slightly different way but at their core, all offer workouts that can be tailored to your individual needs and also offer instruction from a personal trainer/fitness professional. Everything from dance to yoga can usually be found on each platform and it’s just a matter of choosing what workout will suit you best.
• An at home gym – If the tv isn’t your thing, investing in some basic fitness equipment for your home means you can have a fully functioning gym, without the need to step outside the house. Bigger equipment like treadmills or bikes can be bought or hired or you could invest in smaller equipment like a fitball, resistance band and light hand weights which will be useful for a whole range of exercises.
• An online personal trainer – Signing up and working with an online personal trainer means one on one advice and guidance for your at home workouts. While many trainers may have programs that are completed in the gym or outdoors, the majority will be able to modify or create a program that can be carried out at home using simple equipment or household items.