Linclass's Journal, 09 November 2016

Hi Linclass, I used a few things from home and they served me well for quite a long time! I use a gym now but I still do some body/floor work from home. I'm assuming though that you mean small things? If you're looking into a large machine, well, I'll defer to others here since it depends on what your goals are and I've not much experience with large home equipment. That said, you can do a lot with no equipment at all! Focused on women in particular, I like Tiffany Rothe (YouTube is where I found her) has a lot of fun dance-based stuff, and focused ab/core routines - her bikini routine for lower abs is great, and she has some fun "booty shaking" routines if you like to dance and work on the waist area. I've done her routines for about a year for especially those areas. For overall strength - simple bodyweight exercises like planks and squats can work wonders, and need no equipment (though I recommend a yoga mat in any case!) If you decide to try those moves out, I recommend a book, or checking out YouTube for proper form to get the hang of it and avoid possible injury. Also - things like resistance bands, hand weights, all take up little space and can be used for a variety of exercises! Hope some of this helps: I already had a Wii Fit, so I bought a 5 inch riser for it to get more of a workout, stepping in front of the TV (during winter, especially), helped me shave off 100-150 a day when getting out wasn't pleasant. Anyway, that's the rundown (haha). I still do lower back/abs from home, but eventually changed to the gym because our place is small and I just felt it was time for more. good luck! 

I have started to use thera bands (I think I bought mine at the ghastly Sports Direct for about £5). Cheap, portable and can be used in multiple ways depending on which of your 'floppy bits' you wish to target. They come in packs of three - each has a different resistance so you work your way up depending on your starting muscle tone. Plenty of films on t'interweb to teach you how to use them effectively. Also low impact so no medical necessary. Also, if you are physically able, yoga is amazing. Two weeks of 10 minutes a day will change your shape and lots of aches and pains will disappear. All it takes is a DVD player and a mat (although this is only necessary in the home to measure distance during poses - or at least that's what I use it for!). 

Thanks "ladies" ? for your replies (the question mark, cos i never assume) 😊 we are getting a cross trainer for the spare room as my other half wants to get fitter too.... we walk a lot but but we feel the need to do a bit more.... I personally need help with the extra hanging over the side of my bra 🙈 even as i lose weight it still looks at me !! I will definetly look up the name on you tube, as I live to dance 🎶🎶 and i've seen the band things but wondered how good they were.... just have to try different things I suppose 😊😊 

I have a rowing machine that was moderately cheap from Argos (York Fitness but I can't remember the model number) I use it intermittently but I have it facing a radiator that I can hook my iPad over and watch TV while rowing which helps. I also have some small hand dumbells and use exercises from YouTube - again intermittently. I'll be honest, I just can't get motivated to exercise at home every day and even with a gym on site at work, I don't go as I just don't enjoy it much.