Working Out at Home
Remember that post I did about feeling stressed out over not having time to cook, photograph, blog, and all that other stuff?
You know, the one with all of the pictures of me with my eyes closed?
Well, I think I figured out why I was really feeling so stressed out. Click this link and you’ll see what I mean.
Seriously though, I have realized that my real problem is not the blog…it’s my job. Ha…ha…hahahahahaha. 
I honestly love my job, but since we have relocated to California, I have added a decent commute to my daily routine in order to actually get to work.
My commute on average is about 45 minutes each way but every other day some days it can fluctuate up to 75 minutes depending on the number of idiots on the road. Road rage? Who, me? No…(Note: If you are thinking of moving to the San Francisco Bay area, be forewarned, the traffic is bad. Really bad.)
Because I am a major group fitness lover, I try to attend classes at my gym as much as I can, but the traffic here is so crazy that I can barely make it to one class a week.
And when I am able to make it to the gym (which is usually with 5 minutes to spare before Body Pump starts) there is absolutely zero parking and I have to drive around for 10 minutes waiting for someone to leave. Yeah, I have to be that person who slowly creeps behind people as they walk to their car, praying that they are actually leaving and that they didn’t just forget their iPod.
The only other option they have is to valet park. Who in the world valet parks their car at the gym?!? That’s an oxymoron if I’ve ever heard one.
Although I am still finding the blog consumes a lot of my time, I truly enjoy it. So it is a good stress.
Missing my daily workout routine because I am sitting in traffic? Bad stress.
What I am getting at here is that the time has come to cancel my gym membership. No more Body Attack…no more Body Pump…nada. 
Instead I have decided to start taking advantage of the late sunsets and the (mostly) beautiful weather we have here by working out at home.
Not a bad view for a daily run, huh?
There are also tons of flowering trees in my neighborhood right now that I can’t get enough of.
Does anyone know what these are called? They look like carnations to me, but those don’t grow on trees!?!
Besides outdoor cardio, I am also planning on doing some weight lifting at home.
I went ahead and purchased an incline weight bench which my wonderful handsome put together for me. 
Gigi supervised to make sure everything went okay during the process.
I also invested in some dumbbells to get started with.
A Few Pros to Working Out at Home:
1. The obvious: Working out on my own schedule and saving money not paying monthly gym dues.
2. Incorporating extra long walks with my dogs everyday to help them lose a few pounds. Coco said she was okay showing you her problem area.
3. Trying new workout DVD’s to keep things interesting.
5. Customizing my workouts to my liking, such as a little extra tush-lifting work, if you know what I mean. 
6. Wearing old, raggedy clothes if I want to. No more breaking the bank with Lululemon!
7. Free sweat cleanings from Gigi while I do my core work on the floor.
8. Letting dinner cook in the oven while breaking a sweat in the living room.
9. Avoiding gross germs that people bring in and out of the gym. Ew…
10. Since I will be saving on monthly gym dues, I may splurge on a few hot yoga classes here and there to help me sweat things out!
Okay, now that I listed everything that is great about working out at home, I feel better about my decision. 
I am also looking forward to sharing reviews of each DVD I try in case others are looking for something new.
Do you workout at home? What helps to keep you motivated?
I used to work out at home all the time! With my health insurance I received a free gym membership, but it was a 25 minute drive from my house so attendance was irregular at best! However, another gym was added to the available locations that is less than five minutes from my house. It is so much more convenient and I work out so much more now. I love outdoor runs on the weekend and the evening though, especially now that it is getting warmer! :)
That is nice your gym is so close and that your health insurance covers it!
Working out at home is definitely a great option. I do that sometimes to switch things out. Some yoga (of different varieties), some bodyrock. I like that you add hot yoga to the mix! Even if you don’t do yoga workout at home, it’s good to “cross-train” your body with hot yoga. In between my running and strength training with bodyrock, yoga will always be somewhere there. If I don’t go to a yoga class in a studio, I practice at home sometimes as I’m also a certified bikram yoga teacher living out of any affiliated studios available nearby, .
Body Rock seems like a great at home alternative! I haven’t done yoga in so long but my body needs it bad. Especially since I will be running more now than I used to. That is awesome you are a certified Bikram teacher!! I admire you so much! In my eyes, it is such a tough workout but one that is almost like medicine for the soul. :)
I may also have to start working out at home and will be purchasing several of these things you listed. I hope that working out at home works well for you! Also, that tree is called a Kwanzan Flowering Cherry Tree. So pretty!
Wow, thanks for letting me know what they are! I’m sure they won’t be around for much longer but I’ve been loving them. I will be sure to keep up with any tricks or tips for my home workouts and hopefully we can motivate each other to stick with it! ;)
#9 – avoiding all the germs at the gym is a really good reason to workout at home- I’m not usually a germ freak but UGH I hate thinking about gym germs! They’re just a whole different breed. That’s an amazing view btw, looks like you’re better off without the gym anyways:)
Hehe, I am, admittedly, a germ freak and hate lying on those mats after someone else.
I love having workout options to do at home when I am not feeling like driving to the gym or when the weather is crappy outside. My favorites are yoga, Pilates, and walking DVDs :).
It is a nice alternative sometimes even if you do have a gym membership! Do you have a treadmill at home?
I’ve been seriously considering quitting the gym…the ONLY thing keeping me there is the nice treadmills. It gets crazy hott in Texas and it can honestly be dangerous to run outside in June-September. I own a treadmill but it kinda sucks. These are all great tips to stay motivated! Ill have to remember them in case I get up the nerve to cancel mine!
I hear you on that Texas heat being dangerous! If I worked outside in Texas, I always did it early in the morning. I want a treadmill (and a stair master) at home so bad but they’re just too expensive right now. Maybe one day!
Gosh what a gorg running view! V Jealous! I have a gym membership but definitely prefer running outside when it’s brighter out, it’s so much more relaxing :)
It is nice to get some fresh air and Vitamin D after a long day inside at work! :)
Your outdoor cardio area is breathtaking! I would love to run to that beautiful scenery every day. I work out at a gym, its only about 5 minutes away from my house and I enjoy meeting up with friends there and the weights they have available. It looks like you have invested in some good weights and dvd’s so i’m sure you will enjoy your at home workouts and not having to sit in traffic!
I still have to sit in traffic but now I won’t stress about missing my classes or fighting over a machine. You can’t beat 5 mins from your house + friends to help motivate you, that’s awesome!
I used to workout at home pretty well. And now…..meh. It takes a lot of motivation for me to do so. I see my couch and I’m like ehhhh, parking my butt there instead of squats. I really enjoy the gym, okay I love having access to the pool and classes, but don’t necessarily go all the time. Looks like you’ve got a great set up at home. :)
And yes, Bay Area traffic Sucks. Trying to get anywhere at commute hours is horrific. And there are a TON of idiot drivers here. I won’t hold back. There are.
Working out at home takes real commitment but I’m going to do my best! And yes, I had to vent a little on the traffic! :/
I really like your list of pros for working out at home! I hate going to gyms, they always feel so dirty to me. I think with the variety of workout options you have for yourself, you’ll never get bored and won’t be stressing about missing the gym because of your commute. DO you think you’ll be doing reviews of the fitness DVDs? I’d love to learn more about the different options out there :)
Yes, I will definitely share a few reviews of the DVD’s! :)
Good decision! It will certainly save you lots of time and money. Personally, I’m not a fan of fitness clubs and prefer to workout alone at home. It requires a lot of self-discipline though and I usually have a problem with that :).
I’ve actually always loved working out at home. The gym is a great place to be social and get a little bit of extra motivation, but I love how working out at home is so easy and hassle free. Even though I can’t necessarily relate to the horrible traffic you have to put up with, we have a really long and cold winter over here, and dragging my butt out of the house when its -30 and snowing isn’t exactly easy. Home gym to the rescue :) Plus there are so many great body weight exercises out there these days, that you can get a good workout in even without any fancy equipment.
I belong to a gym but only end up going about twice a week – once for my favorite yoga class and once for strength training. Other days I run outside, go for long walks with my dog, or do equipment-less exercises (Pilates moves, push ups, lunges, etc.). I really need to motivate myself to go to the gym more often now that it is almost swimsuit and sundress season!
First of all, I am super envious that you live in the SF area!! I know traffic is awful but hey, it is pretty bad here in DFW, too. San Fran is my favorite city I have visited so far. And the views from your neighborhood, I am SOOOOO jealous!!!
I mostly workout at home too and I actually enjoy it. I have a weight bench, stability ball, tons of DVD’s and a good selection of dumbbells.
I don’t have that long a commute but am definitely feeling like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. If it weren’t for the darn day job things would be great, LOL! I love the Tone It Up girls, so many great printables and YouTube videos. And yes, the dog always wants to get in on the floor exercises, I think she’s worried there’s something wrong with me and has to check if I’m okay :D
I try to tell her to go lay down but I can’t help but stop my workout to play with her! They’re just so darn loveable! And yes, we need a few extra hours in the day! Who can we get to change that for us?? :)
Ugh nothing is worse than really bad traffic for a commute to work. My bf and I moved so close to the CBD here that we can both walk to work in 15 minutes because we hate commuting that much. We are renting though and don’t look forward to the time when we buy as we will have to move further out and commute again.
When I first got serious about fitness I worked out at home all the time using Jillian Michaels 30 day shred and I absolutely loved it. I think as long as you keep mixing it up and commit to doing a workout when you said you would, you will love it :)
That is great that you can just walk to work!! I’m jealous! I have been curious about Jillian’s DVDs too, thank for the recommendation! :)
What a beautiful view you have!! That would definitely motivate me to get my butt outside and run :) Though I have to admit – I’m terrible at following through with workout videos. I’m interested in any tips and mind-tricks you find helpful in your new routine!
I am bad at ditching workout DVD’s too but one of them I am doing is really good for strength training and I think I’ll stick with it. I’ll be sure to give a detailed review of them in case your looking for one.
I love working out at home really all you need is the equipment and the motivation and you are set! You go girl, happy to see you set yourself up for success :-) love and shine Courtstar
Thanks Courtney! I hope I can keep myself motivated!
In this busy schedule of life i usually go for gym.Well proof idea for me to do workout at home only. Following your tips and going to buy all those stuff which really need to workout home.
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