fbpx ;

Two Ways to Work Out at Home (Equipment Needed)

As a stay-at-home mom who freelances, I’m constantly on the go. Finding time to hit the gym is not always my top priority and, as such, it often falls to the bottom of my list — and then it just doesn’t happen.

But after baby number two (my last) I’m bound and determined to get back into pre-baby shape (hey, even pre-second baby would be okay with me at this point). That means I need to find ways to stay motivated and do quick workouts from the comfort of my own home so there is no room for excuses. Here are two products I recently tried to do just that!

Bowflex Max Trainer 3 Review

For my birthday back in March I was lucky enough to get the Bowflex Max Trainer 3. It’s like an elliptical and stair climber in one machine. It is pretty compact, which was key since I don’t have a ton of space now that there are two times the toys around our house. It does have a fan, which makes some noise, and there is a dinging when you change intervals, but it is quiet enough that my nine-month-old sleeps through it.

The reason I purchased this machine was because it touted a “14-minute workout” with its interval setting. I try to do it three to four times per week, and I increase the resistance one level every few times I use it. In the beginning I could barely make it through the 14 minutes and definitely broke a sweat. Now, I’m about two months in and I’m up to level 7 and can definitely do the 14-minute workout, still breaking a sweat and feeling it, but my stamina has increased.

It may not be the whole-body workout I get when I go to a class at the gym, but, it’s better than me phoning it in every day and doing nothing but running after my two munchkins (although don’t get me wrong — that is also a workout). I feel good after I’m done and I have definitely noticed my legs are more toned. It boasts that you can get a good upper-body workout as well, but I have to admit I have not seen the same results on my arms as I have my legs.

Booty Belt Review

To supplement this cardio workout I also purchased the Booty Belt. I saw this system on my Facebook feed and when I did, I just happened to be looking for a way to tone in addition to my cardio workouts at home. I don’t normally buy infomercial-type things like this, but it has a 30-day money-back guarantee and I heard that Kate Hudson uses it (hey, who wouldn’t want her body?). It also boasts that you can get toned doing it just five minutes, three times per week.

It comes with a DVD, a pamphlet filled with exercises you can do on the fly, a mat for your knees and three levels of bands.

I’ve only used it a few times thus far, but it is HARD (and that is just the beginner-level bands). I barely made it through the pamphlet of suggested exercises, but I’m going to keep at it and I think I will definitely see results. I feel it already in my core, legs and back.

All in, I’ve spent $1,300 for both systems and I would say I’m pretty happy so far. It may be quite a bit of money, but it is keeping me motivated and there really is no excuse for me not to do something every day when I walk by both items multiple times a day. My husband has even started using the Bowflex (he’s a marathon runner) and says it’s a good workout, which makes me feel good, too.

What do you do to keep motivated with little ones and what kinds of exercises do you do at home? —Jenn A.

FTC disclosure: We often receive products from companies to review. All thoughts and opinions are always entirely our own. Unless otherwise stated, we have received no compensation for our review and the content is purely editorial. Affiliate links may be included. If you purchase something through one of those links we may receive a small commission. Thanks for your support!