No Stupid Questions

For me, the hardest at-home part is the motivation. It's so easy to "skip". Finding things like pre-plans or games like Zwift on a bike trainer help, because it sets my schedule.

I also found it handy to pick an audio book, podcast, or show I liked, and only do that while working out.

So my biggest tip, if you want to start out exercising make sure you have a clear goal. For me the goal is to feel good in my limbs and body, so I don't have pains and aches and have more energy. For others it is looks or muscles or mental health or whatever.

If you know why you are doing something it is a lot easier to do. I think focus often ends up on the visible aspects like looking better or losing a little weigth but these goals will take a lot more commitment than just feeling good by exercising, so make sure you know what the goal is and that you are realistic about it.

For doing at home, you could start with easy yoga and some weights and a RUBBER BAND. Rubber bands are fucking awesome for at home exercise. Put it under your foot, around a doorknob.. Whatever. Short jogs are underrated. Five minutes around the block is a good warmup.

Jog five minutes, do a yoga set 20-30 minutes (find on youtube for example, eventually design your own), then rubber band exercises for ten or so and done. That is a good exercise you can do at home in many different ways.

You definitely can start this way. When I started, I got some help from a physical therapist--I had really messed up my back, and in addition to helping with the acute issue, they also selected a set of exercises and numbers of reps for me that I could do at home, and that was a great starting point for my exercise routine. It was pretty short and focused, so it was easy to find time to do it every day, and the practice of keeping at it was really helpful. My health insurance covered most of the cost of the physical therapist; I had to pay a copay, but even then it was just a couple times a week for maybe two months, so not exorbitant. Insurance is generally willing to help with this stuff for a little while because they know that if your health improves, it's likely to reduce their future costs. So it's worth looking in to whether yours would help with something like that just to get yourself going. I don't think you need to have an acute problem to take advantage of that; I think having a specific goal for improvement is adequate. (They want measurable goals, like "I'd like to be able to jog five minutes without getting winded," or that sort of thing. I believe mine was "I'd like to be able to spend a day out walking around a garden with my family without being laid up the next day by my back." Which reflects where I was at the time. But, y'know, anything that reflects where you currently are, and something that you might be able to achieve in a six-to-eight-week timeframe, is probably a good goal.)

Doing that regularly also got me listening to my body, and that got me to gradually expand my routine--I eventually understood that some of my back issues were propagating up from hip issues, so now I work on those, and some of those are coming from limited ankle mobility, so I'm also working on that, and working on that has got me doing "goblin squats" that has gotten me to stop thinking of dumbbells as something to avoid. I'm also getting closer to being able to do pull-ups; I got a pull-up bar because just hanging from a bar sometimes can really help with a bad back, but at some point I started thinking about how much more I enjoyed moving when I was a kid and took gymnastics classes, and back then I actually had the strength to do things like pull-ups. So now I can do some resistance-band assisted pull-ups, and hopefully in a year or two I'll be able to do the proper thing.

Picturing enjoying movement is something that really motivates me, actually. Like, I used to enjoy biking and ultimate frisbee. I don't, now, but I think I might enjoy them again at some point. I think I might also enjoy parkour, if I can get into that kind of shape, but I recognize that may not be an achievable goal at this point. I had a kind of enthusiasm for brief bursts of very intense movement, like sprinting up a flight of stairs two at a time, or climbing up onto a loading dock in a single giant step.

At this point I do a basic set of dumbbell weight exercises, squats and lunges, push ups, a back stretching and exercises routine, assisted pull-ups, and a walking/running aerobics routine. It's not a ton, but I'm really in vastly better shape than I was when I started a few years ago. I do have a handful of equipment--the dumbbells, a floor mat, a couple of foam rollers, an exercise ball (for trunk lifts, which are good for a weak lower back), a doorway pull-up bar, some resistance bands that I basically just use with the pull-up bar, and the biggest thing is an elliptical machine for when the weather is too bad to do the aerobics outside. There are ways to do it without a machine, like jogging in place or doing rapid shallow squats, but the machine is kind of nice--it's hard to explain, but it really helps to have the exercise take place in its own little isolated space, or even just in its own mental space. I actually also have a little lighted sign that I made (it's a recreation of the neon sign for an exterminator's in my home town that always tickled my fancy back then--it's got a giant neon rat in the middle) and I like to turn that on in my room specifically while I do my exercises there (everything other than the aerobics and pull ups), just because it kind of marks out the distinction of exercise time. It helps make it a ritual, and that helps make it a habit. As I say, hard to explain, but it feels like it matters.

I will say, this routine has also helped me lose some weight. I'm down about 45 lbs (~22kg) from this time last year. That's mainly down to diet changes, but I did ramp up my exercising while doing this to be sure that I was losing fat rather than just losing muscle. I'm still a lot heavier than I'd like, but I'm definitely proud of how far I've come. I'm improving in other measures, too, like my resting heart rate is down from around 100 to around 80, which, again, is not where I'd like to be, but represents movement in the right direction.

So, I do think the physical therapist helped a lot with getting me started, but most of my work I've done at home, and without too much in the way of equipment.

Would I have done better, faster by going to a gym? I dunno. I definitely know that friction is a big factor. If it's hard to actually go do the thing, then it's easy to make excuses not to go do the thing; needing to actually travel to a gym definitely counts for that. There's kind of a balancing act in making my routine easy enough and pleasant enough that I'll actually do it, but also challenging enough that I'm still gradually improving. Sometimes I need to let myself slack off at something a little as an incentive do just do the thing. And sometimes once I'm actually doing the thing I don't need the slack after all.

Bit of a rant, I guess. Sorry, it feels like so much of this stuff is, like, techniques for outwitting part of my own brain, and it feels like those are things other people might be able to use, but I'm not sure how transferable they really are. Hope it helps.

Good luck with your journey! I know I'll need luck on mine.

https://www.bowflex.com/product/1090-adjustable-dumbbells/710000.html?adID=DOFG2BFEED1&gad_source=1

I have a set of these (I didn't pay retail, got them cheap off Craigslist). Adjustable from 10 to 90 lbs and a bench press. With these 2 things, I can do most exercises from the comfort of my home. I have no gym membership, but stay in decent shape. At the end of the day, it's all about your discipline and sticking to it. Imo it's much easier and more convenient for me to just go to my garage to work out vs driving 15 mins to/ from. It's not for everyone tho. Some people like the social aspects of a gym.

while ago on a whim i bought the type of chin up bar that fits in a door frame. i'm a skinnyfat lazy bastard and am not motivated to exercise at all, but putting it up so it's just there when you walk about the place makes it somehow more enticing than some equipment you have to specifically make time to use

The best form of exercise for you is the form that you actually do consistently week after week. If this means working out at home, then that's fine. Given that you're not trying to break any records, this might just be fine for you.

I've done many different forms of working throughout the years, one of which was to work out at home/local outdoor gym. I did this because there were no gyms at what I considered to be a reasonable distance from home, and I considered that to be too much of an impediment to actually get the work done consistently.

I did get stronger from it, and used it as a part of losing weight, which I wanted on account of being overweight at that time.

I've since stopped doing that routine and moved to lifting weights at a gym, which I considered attainable since I moved to a place with gyms very close by. I did this because working out at home had basically reached a plateau as far as strength was concerned - lifting weights at a gym will get you stronger at a faster pace.

I think checking out the stuff that Hybrid Calisthenics does could be worthwhile for you. Do some stuff at home for now if that feels better for you, and then evaluate later on if it keeps working for you.

After corona I bought a threatmill for pennies. It was nice building up some stamina without anyone seeing me break my back over a half kilometer. At some point I was doing 3km fairly comfortably and than my threatmill broke. By this point I had enough confidence to go to the gym. Now I'm doing 6km twice a week.

Training at home was the best thing for me to start a routine.

you can do a lot at home! if youre new to lifting consult your resources and work on your form. if you feel a little lost, you can always book a session or two with a personal trainer and they will teach you your way around weights. i was a trainer for about 2 years and most of my clients needed some corrections their first few sessions (and some reminders past that!)

First off - I'm excited for you!! Your future self will be so fucking grateful.

I absolutely think at home workouts are a fantastic starting point.

I get the gym can be intimidating and if that stops you from working out then do something else.

But major note is: what's your goal?

• Lose weight?
• Gain muscle?
• Just be stronger?
• Something else?

If you are trying to lose weight, your biggest goal should just be more activity + calorie deficit. You can only do strength so often and while it will help you lose weight, it's way better to do strength + walking (or other easy cardio).

I recently lost about 15 pounds in the last 6 ish months and I did it by getting around 10,000 steps per day and 1-2 strength training days per week, and being on a calorie deficit.

If your goal is to gain muscle, then you can absolutely do that with minimal weights or just bodyweight at the beginning.

Personally this got a little boring (if just a lot of reps and for me doesn't feel as fun as some of the gym equipment I use now).

But above all: DON'T underestimate the dieting portion. Whether your goal is to gain muscle or lose weight, what you eat is half if not more of the equation.

Happy to share more details but didn't want to type a book without knowing what you need :)

Good luck!!

Yeah it's definitely realistic. Look up some calisthenics workouts and they have harder variations when you get stronger. Also, don't neglect your cardio. You might have to use your furniture for some workouts.

Honestly it makes me sound like a shill but the Apple Watch / fitness+ stuff has been incredibly helpful and motivating. I went from not doing anything to getting at least 30 mins a day after about 6 months. I work from home and am the primary caretaker of a toddler so getting to the gym hasn’t really been in the cards.

The real trick is sticking to it. But I promise it’s worth it for you and everyone in your circle. You can do it!!

Go for it dude. I've been working out ny whole life and have never paid for a gym membership (I used the gym at college, then at my various apartments, and then when I got a house I set up a home gym). You can get an awesome workout in with nothing more than some free weights, a bench and a little creativity. You mention being a "total novice," but I feel like most people that go to a gym are working out on their own anyways so unless you're thinking of getting a personal trainer there's really not much difference. If you have any questions about form just take a look on YouTube.

The other factor is, what will motivate you to exercise more? For me, it's the convenience of knowing i can just walk into a room in my house and work out. Whereas I know some people that are more motivated by group exercise classes. So you'll have to figure that out yourself.

I workout at home. I’ve hit an age where gyms are just filled with too many beautiful people and nobody wanna see this.

Very reasonable approach to start at home. You can get absolutely shredded doing just a small handful of body-weight resistance exercises: pushups, pull ups, squats, lunges, and maybe sprawls. That’s literally all you need. Add in some yoga or pilates routines occasionally to strengthen your core further, a ton of material for that on YouTube. Congrats on the big step of starting your fitness journey!

Lookup body weight fitness. There is a Reddit sub and I think also a lemmy community. The body you build from that also is more lean. It can be very modifiable and doesn't require much fitness.

There is tons of legit way to exercise, and lifting weight in a gym isn't the only way. It may be worth looking at sports clubs in your town, no matter you want to practice Karate, volley ball or even rock dancing these are fun and legit way to exercise. They also tend to be more social than fitness gym which helps with motivation.

Now regarding what you can do at home, depending what you call home. A fitness mat and a rubber band can bring you far. Body weight training does work too. While not strictly at home running is fun too, and goes from beginner who alternate one minute running and one minute running to people preparing Ultra Marathon

I started with yoga and did it for over a year before I started going to the gym again. Fully doable

When it comes to exercise the struggle isn't doing it, it's finding a routine that works for you. That's the key, figuring out something you can do and make a habit of it so it becomes routine, like brushing your teeth.

I bought a collapsible bench and hand weights in late 2024 so I could cut the gym membership from my budget, and I've been able to maintain my usual habit of lifting 3-4 times a week. The added benefit is that it's nice not to have to deal with other people or wait for equipment. You can learn better ways to work out from professionals for free on Youtube, and you can add equipment to your home gym over time.

It's definitely reasonable to be new and never go to a gym.

Yeah I exercised with only my body weight for many years. I was pretty fit. Now I started going to the gym and one thing I discovered was that i never exercised certain muscles before. I had wide arms but small shoulders. This is because at home, you usually dont have all the equipment to exercise all parts of the body.

This may be fine though. For me it was fine for many years. But now I wanted a larger upper body and that means shoulders and back and biceps.

You never need to go to a gym to get fit. It could help, for some people, but it is not a necessity by any means!

You don't even need weights or equipment; calisthenics are valid.

The biggest issue with working out at home is that people simply don't do it. They think they do but they dont. I've yet to meet a fit person that doesn't go to gym, but hey - maybe you're the first one. Or maybe you should just go to the gym.

I've trained calisthenics, plyometrics and power yoga at home for years and I'm very happy with the results. Just search on Youtube for advice and workouts you like. Use your common sense: look for people focusing on tried-and-true ideas and don't use performance enhancing drugs.

My favorite channels are Athlean-X, Calisthenicmovement, The Stone Circle and Breathe and Flow.

Also, get a mirror or film yourself to check your form, or have someone watch you. After a while, you'll start feeling whether something is right or wrong, but at the start it's useful to have a visual check.

I think it depends on your preference. I worked out at the gym for many years before covid and after the pandemic I built a home gym with a power rack, barbell, adjustable dumbells, and cable machine. Biggest advantage of this is not having to share a rack with anyone. It was sometimes annoying to have to wait for equipment.

What I'll say is that I really appreciated starting at the gym as I got to have access to every machine and workout equipment. This let me build a workout plan over years and get a good idea of what sort of equipment I would need to stay active. I also found it helpful to see what other people were doing at the gym. Some people clearly have no idea what they are doing, but seeing what other experienced people at the gym were doing gave me some great ideas of what to incorporate into my workouts.

I also did have a personal trainer for 6 months and I highly recommend this, especially when you are new to working out. The biggest value is from having someone experienced give you tips and tricks on how to improve your form and workout safely. Especially as you get stronger and lift heavier weights. It's easy to lift something slightly wrong and really hurt yourself.

Overall, I always enjoyed my time at the gym and it gave me the knowledge to built a great home gym.

21 days to form a habit.
2 days to unform it.

Stick with what you're doing for 6 weeks, then ask yourself this question again.
There's no wrong answer. They key is to keep doing it.

Can someone reply to this comment with pointers or guides on high-protein vegan/vegetarian diets for reducing body fat?