Raise your hand if you’ve got a life that feels like a rollercoaster and finding time to work out is last on your list of priorities! I know I feel that! The weather’s too cold, the house is too comfortable, and there’s always some craziness going on! Anyone else have little helpers who love to join in on the fun? The dogs suddenly think they’re agility champs, the kids show off their jumping and lifting skills and everyone wants to chat with you at the same time!
Working out at home can be a total game-changer. You can wear whatever you want, bump up the music volume and save money! But let’s be real, there are some hurdles too. Space, time, equipment, and eager helpers. But don’t worry, you can still make it work!
So, to overcome these challenges I tried to discover ways to involve my kids in my workout programs and use the dogs as obstacles. Here are some great workouts that involve the kids but also get my heart pumping. Including yoga, running in place, jumping jacks, pushups, bear crawls, superman’s, hopscotch, squats – to name a few. And let’s not forget the power of using household items like chairs, soup cans, the wall or even exercise bands. They are budget-friendly and will have you feeling stronger than ever!
In the end, it’s all about embracing the chaos and finding joy in the process. Between the countless responsibilities that rest on our shoulders, it can seem impossible to carve out a moment to focus on our health. Whether it’s crawling out of bed in your pajamas or using your playful pup as workout partner, prioritizing your wellbeing will only benefit you!
Even just giving yourself 15 minutes at a time can help improve your mood, energy and health. If you are feeling tired or run down start with some light stretching or a yoga routine. Once your body gets moving start adding more exercises to enhance your strength, balance and coordination. All of which are important in daily activities and life!
Here is a sample home exercise program that will get your heart rate up, make you sweat, but also takes in account space, time and ability.
Do each exercise for 45 seconds with 15 second break between each exercise. I do timed exercises because counting seems out of the question with any distractions, with a timer at least I know I am working without having to think about it! This ends up being around 20-minutes of exercise. You can do less sets, less exercise or more! Whatever suits your schedule.
All of these exercises can be adjusted to match your ability.
3 sets/ 7 different exercises:
- Jumping Jacks (regular or just move arms and legs without the jump)
- Squats (add weights or just do body weight)
- Pushups (wall pushup, on your knees or regular)
- Bicep Curls (no weights, dumbbells or soup cans)
- Shoulder press (no weights, dumbbells or soup cans)
- Sumo squats (add weights or just do body weight)
- Regular Planks (full planks or on your knees) hold as long as you can.
