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Original poster

Has anyone really transformed their shape with home workouts?

27 replies

246810k · 30/11/2023 08:11

I can't get to a gym. I've lost a stone over the past year. Another stone to go and I'd like to build a little bit of muscle. I have a peloton membership with a much cheaper spin bike and do spinning on there but also been completing some strength training on the app. I enjoy it and have a few weights at home I can use. Am I though going to make a difference with home workouts alone! Do people only see real progress with gym equipment?

OP posts:
aswarmofmidges · 30/11/2023 08:24

How much progress you make depends much less on the equipment and far more on the effort you put in

That is probably why it's easier to see results if you go to a small gym class where someone pushes you

They also they have a range of weights so you can go heavier - or you can buy sone sone as needed. Heavier means less time needed for results

But the principle is simple - work all muscle groups once or twice a week with enough weight: repetition that you struggle to do one more - so heavier weights means less time needed - we have light dumbbells and a few heavier kettlebells ( 3kg smallest dumbbells and 20kg biggest kettlebell )

To see a toned looking body you don't need very heavy weights and you don't need to always be increasing to maintain a toned body . Get some static holds in as well as reps

Lots of online videos to give you inspiration

aswarmofmidges · 30/11/2023 08:24

Well done on the weight loss btw

Original poster
246810k · 30/11/2023 08:44

Thank you @aswarmofmidges that's very kind and also very useful! I will keep going! Hearing everyone talking at work this morning about going to the gym and I guess feeling like my workout isn't as productive but glad it will be making some difference and yes I think over time I'll invest in some heavier weights too

OP posts:
Elastica23 · 30/11/2023 08:51

I think you can do a lot with consistency of exercise and diet.

I go to the gym but just do it all myself, it's not a PT or classes. Based on advice I got 25+ years ago at the university gym - it still works!

I noticed a difference after 2 months, 6 months and 12 months, but any weight loss was predicated more by diet than exercise. I certainly lost more body fat from exercise though. My waist is the smallest it has been in a long time.

bookish83 · 30/11/2023 08:54

I think you would see excellent progress with a few kettlebells as a strength/HIIT workout.

Worth buying a couple eg 6kg and 10kg if those weights suit. Or heavier if you can for lower body workouts.

That combined with spin and strength would be a great combination. Lots of workouts on youtube or a cheap Les Mills subscription.

Bar weights are tricker as you would need more or to spend more

friyay123 · 30/11/2023 08:59

I had this exact worry myself when I started home workouts. I almost thought what's the point as i won't achieve anything close to what I would in a gym! (I lost around 2 stone previously with going to the gym and upping my weights each week etc)

But like you, I can't get to the gym anymore so I brought some kettle bells and I do YouTube workouts about 3 times a week and walk where I can.

Within 4/5 weeks I've dropped a dress size and I feel so much fitter! I agree with pp that is definitely more to do with the effort you put it! It's also having a huge mental shift because I kept telling myself I couldn't achieve anything with home workouts, so I focused on changing that mindset too, which really helped.

I've also managed that without eating the best, so if I focused on my diet a bit more I'd achieve more!

HelenAtTheGym · 30/11/2023 20:47

You might sweat a lot doing a ride, but it won't transform your body, so you should definitely increase the weights, even the body weight, part of your training.
Combined with proper eating, yes you can get great results at home.

nbee84 · 30/11/2023 21:13

If you look under Programs on the Peleton app there are some good ones for strength - I found following some of these more productive than me just picking random strength classes. Andy Speers Total Strength was a good one. There are also 3 day/5day split programs to follow.

Can also recommend Caroline Girvan on YouTube - lots of free programmes, I have completed Iron and really saw a difference. I would do a 20 or 30 min bike class on Peleton and then follow it with the Iron class.

waistchallenge · 04/12/2023 07:55

I think a lot depends on your lifestyle. If you are a WFH homebody, getting out to exercise can be more transformative, whereas if you are working in a workplace and possibly running round after children etc. fitting something in at home may be more appropriate.

PaminaMozart · 04/12/2023 07:58

Caroline Girvan.
Look her up.
Life-changing.

rickman844 · 04/12/2023 08:30

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Anjelika · 04/12/2023 21:49

PaminaMozart · 04/12/2023 07:58

Caroline Girvan.
Look her up.
Life-changing.

I second this. You absolutely will see results without going to the gym if you follow one of her programmes. I would recommend trying Iron which is pure weights, no cardio. Her programmes are not easy but are effective!

Gherkingreen · 04/12/2023 22:01

I was a regular gym attendee for years until I injured myself during a class, stopped going and as part of my rehab, started working out at home during lockdown.
I do weights (10kg max for now) and HIIT workouts on YouTube (Caroline Girvan; Penny Barnshaw), I walk a minimum of 8km a day with my dog, and also loosely follow an 16:8 intermittent eating plan - I'm late 40s, perimenopausal and fitter, stronger, leaner and lighter than I was through my 30s and early 40s.
I love working out at home (30/45 mins a day, most days) as it's so quick and easy to fit in around full time WFH. DCs are older tho, so I have a lot more free time than ppl with young kids.

DuesToTheDirt · 04/12/2023 22:04

I did. 25 min a day, 5-6 times a week, and DH said my bum looked different Smile.

Sequinne · 04/12/2023 22:18

I’m getting there…
I have 2 young kids ( a pre schooler and a baby) so I can’t get to a gym.
I get my steps in quite easily by going for walks with dcs and being active in the house.

I try to incorporate fitness in short bursts of exercise. When ds has his nap, I do 15 mins of core exercises followed by about 5 mins weights. Then I usually do another 15/20 mins of core and weights in the eve (not every night, maybe 4 times a week)
It’s slow but steady progress wise, my core feels stronger & I’ve lost 17 lbs since April.

PaminaMozart · 04/12/2023 23:17

It’s slow but steady progress wise, my core feels stronger & I’ve lost 17 lbs since April.

A strong core is sooooo important!!

this means planks and abs work

try the following- these are really effective:

Bowflex 3-minute plank
Caroline Girvan 15 minute plank

Rebecca Louise Best Abs
Caroline Girvan Braced Abs & Core

Do the Bowflex plank daily and one of the others on alternate days at least

CortieTat · 07/12/2023 07:05

It has worked for me. I’ve had a Les Mills subscription for the last two years and I do HIIT (LM Grit), Body Pump, Body Balance, Body Attack, Sh’Bam and Shapes. I was able to see a difference quite quickly, what works for me is consistency and the fact that exercise is addictive. My favourite LM program is Shapes and I think I’ve started seeing much more definition and muscle tone since LM rolled that one out, it’s quite new.

Morewineplease10 · 07/12/2023 09:55

The most in shape I've been since 30 was in my mid 30s after I'd had my first child and was getting married. I did a really basic get fit DVD at home 3 x a week and went to the gym 2 or 3 x a week to do a CV work out.
Was a small size 8 and bmi of about 20. (I'm short) so not as skinny as it sounds. No weights involved! Just consistency and cut down on fatty snacks.

Morewineplease10 · 07/12/2023 09:56

Heard great things about doinh weights, especially for women in 40s and upwards. If I had the energy I'd be doing that now.

Thistooshallpass. · 07/12/2023 10:03

I go to the gym regularly but to do classes - also have a pt session once a week.
In lockdown none of this was possible and I did Heather Robertson workouts - there are 30 day challenges or you can pick daily ones . All free . You do need some weights though .
I was the leanest , fittest and strongest I had ever been from these home workouts !

bluebird3 · 07/12/2023 10:04

I got toned and lost weight at home using Jillian Michaels dvds. Think the one i used was called banish fat boost metabolism. I've done a few and they are really good, just use body weight or simple hand weights.

Alohapotato · 10/12/2023 22:27

DuesToTheDirt · 04/12/2023 22:04

I did. 25 min a day, 5-6 times a week, and DH said my bum looked different Smile.

Do you have a link of the video you followed please? Thanks.

Ibizafun · 10/12/2023 22:53

We installed a gym in lockdown so that helped but even with no machines, all you need is some weights, somewhere to run outside and a calorie deficit.

DuesToTheDirt · 10/12/2023 23:23

Alohapotato · 10/12/2023 22:27

Do you have a link of the video you followed please? Thanks.

Show quote history

A few different ones, including:

Jillian Michaels 30 day shred
Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30

Youtube videos, some favourites are:

Edit - I added links but for some reason they mostly didn't work.

Search for

GymRa - HIIT with weights, 20 min workout with weights, 25 min arms workout, 20 min abs workout, 30 min glutes and legs, 26 min total body workout with dumbells, and lots more.

Sarah Kutch 20 min of legs

ValBiro · 10/12/2023 23:33

Yes definitely. I aim for an hour a week in total, I just do free weights (8kg dumbbells) but found a variety of exercises that worked all muscles, also do sit ups and planks and I am leaner and more toned than I've ever been before (nearly 40). I get compliments on my arms and shoulders which is really lovely as I hated my arms most of my life! Which is sad really.

I fit in either 15/20/30 minutes worth of reps around WFH, cooking kids dinner in the evenings or watching TV with DH... Just whenever I can really. It needn't be longer than that in one go, but going to the gym would take 3 times as long.

I also run several times a week so do a fair bit if cardio.

No gyms at all for me though!