Best Guide For a Beginner Home Workout
Now is the perfect time to begin your home workout plan from the privacy of your home. YouTube is my friend as we are practicing social distancing and there are so many different workout plans available! Two of my daughters are Facetiming each other and doing a video workout together each day. What a great way to be able to work out with friends and have someone to hold you accountable.
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Why Begin a Workout Routine at Home?
If you’re wondering if 40 and beyond is too late to start a workout plan, the answer is no! Even if you start later in your life, you will be less likely to develop serious health conditions such as diabetes, coronary artery disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and heart failure.
I’m looking in the mirror and realize that I need to boost my metabolism so that I can shed some menopausal pounds. 45 is the age women’s metabolism slows down by 2% and continues to do so. Starting a fitness program revs up the metabolism and combats muscle loss which happens as we get a bit older. Increasing our metabolism allows us to shed those pounds that are creeping up.
By working out consistently, you will feel better not only about how you look, but how you feel in general. You will gain the energy you need to live this fabulous life you are designing for yourself. Look at this as a lifestyle change not a once and done. You will need to be consistent to reap the benefits, but once you have developed this into your life, you won’t want to stop.
What Are The Benefits?
Working out from home means no gym membership which can save you a lot of money! I can’t tell you how many times I have put off working out and used the excuse that I don’t have the money to join a gym. Well, no more!
The bonus is, I can work out in the privacy of my own home on my schedule and don’t have to feel self-conscious about where my fitness level is in comparison to others. No one else gets to see me in my beginning stages!
You really don’t need much equipment to do your workouts from home and there are so many choices of videos that you won’t get bored and can surely find something that motivates you. The important thing is you just get up and get moving!
What Kind of Exercises Should I Do For A Beginner Home Workout?
- Stretching and Flexibility– Begin each day with some sort of stretching to prevent injury. This can be done as you wake each morning and before you begin your workout. If flexibility is what you are trying to achieve, there are more extensive flexibility routines you can incorporate into your routine.
- Cardiovascular- Work in 20-30 minutes of cardiovascular training 4-5 times a week. A brisk walk or run is all that is necessary, but you can also do other cardiovascular exercises. You can do this either on a treadmill or outside. Those 30 minutes don’t have to be all at once to be beneficial. You can break it down to two 15 minute blocks if that works better with your schedule. Below are some other ideas for cardio training.
- Strength Conditioning- Strength training should be done 3-4 times a week. Strength conditioning has the most impact on women in their 40’s as it will jumpstart your metabolism and combats the muscle loss that occurs as we get older. If you are going to skip a workout, don’t let it be the strength training!
But First
Before you dive into a new fitness routine there are a few things to consider.
- Consult a doctor to evaluate how fit you are and determine what level of exercise is safe for you.
- Set your workout goals. You are more likely to follow your plan if you write down exactly what you are going to do each day. Also, be sure to write out your long term fitness goals and put dates to them. Reward yourself when you accomplish each of those goals. I’m looking forward to a new workout outfit when I lose 10 pounds!
- Focus on a small manageable plan for long term goals. Start slow and don’t be too aggressive at first. If you go to quickly you may lose interest or risk injury and won’t stick with it. Remember your 45-year-old body is different than a 20-year-old body so it is important to progress safely and slowly.
- Get an accountability buddy. You are more likely to not skip a workout if you have someone that is counting on you to complete your workout. Tell your friends on social media your plan, tell your husband, or challenge a friend to do a daily workout as well.
- Record your progress in a journal or your calendar. It is inspiring to see your progress!
What To Do For A Beginner Home Workout
Get your necessary workout equipment needed. Here are some of my favorite YouTube workouts available. Have your water and towel ready.
What I do is stretch for a few moments each morning as I get out of bed to open up my body.
I do Strength Conditioning on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Alternate Between Pilates, Barre, and HIIT on Tuesday and Thursdays to get my cardiovascular each week.
Also try to get in a 30 minute walk outside each day. On the weekends, I strive to go on a hike, dance, or do some vigorous yard work and housecleaning to keep moving each day.
Stretching and Flexibility
I like to do just a quick stretch as I roll out of bed each morning to wake up the body. You can try one of these quick stretches. Always begin each workout with a warmup and stretch to prevent injury. If increasing flexibility is one of your goals, you can try a couple of the longer stretch routines as well.
For a beginning 10 minute yoga stretch, I recommend this Morning Yoga Stretch.
For another quick morning stretch, try these Perfect morning stretches.
If you would like a little longer stretch, but still at a beginner level, I recommend these stretches for the inflexible!
And one more beginner flexibility routine.
Cardiovascular
I strive to get my 10,000 steps or 5 miles in as many days as possible. Being able to get outside gives me a lot of energy and I don’t even think of my walks as exercise!
I also like to alternate pilates to work my core or a barre routine. Sometimes I just turn on some dance music and have a personal dance party to get the heart rate up for 30 minutes! I secretly like to challenge myself playing Dance Dance Revolution on the Xbox. Is that considered a workout?
This is my favorite beginners Pilates Routine.
For a Barre routine try this beginner Barre workout with Rebecca Louise.
If you’re feeling like a really good cardio workout, try this beginning HIIT routine with no jumping in just 15 minutes!
Strength Conditioning
You can do strength conditioning with either bands or some light hand weights.
Try this beginner 15 minute workout with bands.
For a beginner workout with dumbbells, try this one!
Where To Get The Equipment Needed For A Beginner Home Workout
Finally, What You Need to Know About Starting A Beginner Home Workout.
Do something you love! The most important thing you can do is just get up and move your body. Find an exercise that you enjoy and you won’t even think of it as a work out.
Be sure to mix things up and challenge yourself as you get stronger.
Make body movement a part of your everyday life and reap the benefits of a healthier you full of energy.
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