For those of you that have been following along with the #JAKWellness12 challenge you’ll know that this month’s challenge is focused on physical wellness. From working out to hydrating to eating healthier, it’s all about taking a holistic approach. I set fitness goals every year and inevitably abandon them pretty quickly. I decided this year I wasn’t going to allow myself to make excuses, so I made sure to put the right things in place to ensure success. With a few key things from eBay I was able to set up my own “home gym.” I put that in parentheses because it’s really just a spot in my bedroom, haha, but for those of you who also don’t have a ton of space, this is the perfect solution for an at home workout routine. From my yoga mat to my exercise bands and my activewear, eBay was my one stop shop for everything. I’m sharing my typical routine, tips for success, and what you’ll need to get started. For those of you that work out at home, I’d love to hear your tips and ideas as well. The best part about this, it’s affordable! No expensive machines or gym memberships required, don’t get me wrong I love taking classes, but it’s nice to have another option during the week.
What You Need
– My favorite leggings are the lululemon align pants. eBay has tons of sizes and colors. They fit well and are super comfortable. My other latest discovery is onzie yoga. I love their sports bras. I have the hardest time finding comfortable sports bras, these are the best I’ve tried.
-A good yoga or exercise mat. Yeti has the most fun printed yoga mats and I love, love, love the cactus print on mine. It has a decent amount of cushion too.
-Resistance bands. These were the best $15 I’ve ever spent. I use these for everything from stretching to resistance training. They also come with a really helpful booklet that have some suggested exercises and a guide for the weight equivalence of the different colored bands. And the best part, they don’t take up any space!
–Foam roller. I like to call this my favorite torture device. As someone who sits for far too many hours a day, there is nothing that helps release my tight muscles and hips the way a foam roller can. Craig loves it too. I recommend getting one that’s extra firm because they cheaper ones don’t hold their shape.
-A good playlist. I can’t workout without good music. Here’s my latest from Spotify. I like to do a mix of upbeat and chill tunes since I’m usually doing a combo of stretching, yoga and resistance training.
My Routine
I typically start out standing and then move on to floor exercises. As I mentioned, I don’t typically do more than 30 minutes at home. I end up getting bored and distracted. I’ve found I work harder and am more focused throughout if I know I only have to get through 30 minutes. I always start with five minutes of stretching and some yoga. A variation of hip openers, sun salutations and downward/upward dog sequences. The next 10 minutes I’ll do resistance training with fitness bands (five minutes arms, five minutes legs). I follow a lot of the suggested exercises in the booklet that came with the bands including bicep and tricep pulls and squats. The next ten minutes I do mat exercises. Typically a mix up push-ups, tricep dips, hip thrusters, leg lifts, etc. I pinned some really helpful resistance band workouts and stretches to this board. My last five minutes of the workout is always stretching and/or some yoga poses. I always fill a water bottle and make sure to drink the entire thing during the 30 minutes as well. Sometimes I’ll stretch for a little longer at the end. I’m really trying to work on my flexibility this year.
Tips for Success
-One of my favorite bits of advice in the wellness challenge was from my interview with Chinae when she said “dress for the job you want…in this case a workout.” It’s so true. Honestly, I used to be kind of judgmental about people wearing really nice fitness clothes. I didn’t see the point, until I actually invested in good activewear. When people ask me for style advice, I tell them to wear things that fit well and make them feel good, why should fitness be any different?
-Set up a designated space. Our house is small so my spot is in our bedroom, but I keep my yoga mat and resistance bands in there so it takes me two seconds to set everything up and I really have NO excuse not to get in my 30 minutes.
-Schedule it in. I don’t work out at home everyday. I like to mix up my routine, but I schedule at least two 30 minute workouts a week into my calendar so I’ve already set aside the time.
-Take it seriously, but have fun. When you work out at home there’s no one watching (except in my case my super judgey dogs and occasionally cat). So get after it girlfriend!
Shop the Post
Thanks to eBay for partnering with me on this post.
Way to go girl! Keep up the good work!
I’ve been struggling working night shift 7p-7a (oh the life of a nurse) and basically crash the minute I get home from work. I’ve really noticed a change in my workouts since I started to do the wellness challenge. Before I would just sleep away the days I was working, but now I am committed to waking up an extra 30 minutes earlier and doing a workout. My friend sent me the Kayla Itsines BBG workouts and they have seriously been amazing! Also I’ve been loving the at home Yoga with Adriene on Youtube.
I’ve also set up a designated workout area in my living room and just have the bare minimum like you. Yoga mat, resistance bands, and 8lb. dumb bells. It’s amazing what just these products can do. I also try to incorporate at least 2 days of cardio-3 miles minimum. I set a goal for myself that I want to train for a marathon in September. I need to start getting a little more serious on the running.
I’ve also been meal prepping more lately-which has for one made work days SO much easier for me, but I’ve also enjoyed it mentally. I love cooking clean, healthy meals for myself-I get such satisfaction. I recently tried a new recipe for Keto Fat Bombs.
Glad we both have been holding ourselves accountable throughout this journey.
Kayla xoxo
I don’t take probiotics but I did up my intake of water this week. Thank you for the reminder.
Your post today was inspiring. I am currently doing two a day Physical Therapy 30 minute routines and although they are very boring, I am seeing results.
At home workouts have become such a lifesaver for me due to convenience. I have become obsessed with Aaptiv’s workouts which you can really do anywhere.
This definitely made me want to invest in a foam roller and resistance bands!
xo,
Em
http://www.organicallyemily.com
I love working out at home! For me it’s usually an add on to another workout (15 min. ab video after a run) but when I just cannot convince myself to leave the house for a run or jump on my bike (my husband kindly set it up on a trainer for me) it’s so nice to have an indoor option.
My two favs are blogilates and popsugar on youtube! There’s so much great stuff out there!
I actually met my water intake goal last week! Yesterday was a struggle but I’m going to try again today for it.
I finally signed up for the gym. The only place for at home work outs in our tiny cottage is the kitchen. Our house is so old I’m scared I’ll fall through the floor haha. I do my foam rolling at home though and it basically makes me cry it hurts so good. I am excited to be back on the gym grind though. I follow an online fitness program (with a few modifications) and it’s been working so far!
I totally agree with you on good workout clothes. Worth every penny!
I think I want to add more resistance band training into my routine now. You’ve inspired me!
Omg well done babe! You’ve done such a good job. I think I need to do some more workouts at home like HITT and strength training and this is inspiring me to do just that!
x
Shloka
http://www.thesilksneaker.com
I’ve heard about HIIT, I definitely need to try that! Thanks for the rec. xx
I always feel like my at home workouts weren’t half as good as my workouts at the gym, which made me not bother with them anymore. I am definitely going to give the at home workout another go, I think I just need to find a better routine and plan out the exercises a head of time! Thanks for the fitness inspo!
Shann Eileen | http://www.shanneileen.com
You go girl! xo
I can’t really work out much because of health issues (I wish I could! *tears*) but I have to agree with the foam roller. I spend a lot of time sitting and resting and a foam roller is a lifesaver! My knees get really bad and I use them to break up the scar tissue in my legs so my legs are in top shape.
Mary
https://windandspindle.com/
Oh I’m sorry to hear that Mary, that must be tough. But totally agree the foam roller is a life saver. xx
downloaded your Spotify playlist and loving it!
Oh yay that makes me so happy!
The align pants from Lululemon are my favorites as well but please tell me I’m not they only who has a problem with them pilling horribly — even after following the care instructions exactly. One pair was so bad I took them back to Lululemon and they gave me a new pair. Anyone have care tips?
You’re not the only one who has said that. I haven’t had that issue but others have asked me the same thing. I don’t do anything special to wash them either. Maybe different colors? I don’t know so weird.
I bought a Yeti yoga mat after reading this post and I could not be more pumped about it. I don’t get excited about this stuff but MAN I am in love. Its very thick and so cute. I literally can’t wait to use it.
Andrea
OMG so good right?! I legit only bought it because I loved the cactus print and then was very pleasantly surprised by how cushy it is. So glad you like it!