Home Exercise Equipment. Thoughts, desires, pain, and suffering?

Someone once told me - "You can't outrun a fork."  I admit I laughed when they told me that, but a few months later I had run for 90 minutes on a treadmill training for a 1/2 marathon, and burned something like 1000 calories.  Sounds like a lot, until you realize that's less than what's in a Ben & Jerry's container.  Even after exercising hard for an hour and a half, I could have had a treat and maintained my weight, but if I had eaten (and drank) everything I had wanted to that day, I would have gained weight.  And there's no way I could run 1.5 hours every day!  So exercise (no matter how much) really won't cut it for weight loss unless you get serious about diet, as well.

I've had my best success holding myself accountable using the MyFitnessPal app.  I'm cheap, so I use the free version, but it's helpful for me to track what I'm eating so I know where I am.  My weakness isn't that I eat large meals, it's that I snack all day long.  None of those snacks in itself is crazy unhealthy, but in my case they add up to a lot more overall calories than I need.  I've also used intermittent fasting with some success, but find I'm much better at intermittent fasting when I'm combining it with MyFitnessPal.  Otherwise, I just eat in 8 hours what I would have in 24.  Seriously, there have been days when I've burned through my allotted calories in just 2 hours.

Two things that help me with diet are drinking a lot of water / plain tea and eating veggies.  They both tend to fill me up and dull my appetite.  Doing cardio first thing in the morning before I've eaten anything also tends to blunt my appetite, which is a good thing.  Just to be warned, strength training has the opposite effect on me (I tend to eat a lot more after), but everyone is different.

In terms of exercise, I'd clear out a section of your house where you can work out, and I'd prioritize compound bodyweight movements to start (think squats, lunges, pullups, dips, rows, step-ups, pushups, burpees, etc.).  If the exercise is too difficult as-is, try the modifications that are out there (i.e. use bands to make pullups easier, etc.)  That'll give you a good sense of what exercises you enjoy, and then you can decide what to invest in.  The TRX system is a pretty reasonably priced system that with a couple of anchors can help you get a good workout in.

I've put together a pretty good home gym over the years with stuff that was either used or on sale.  I have a few sets of Olympic weights, adjustable dumbbells, and a Titan Fitness Power Rack.  I'm probably all-in at around $800, but those are mostly pre-pandemic prices, so YMMV.

I don't watch a lot of TV, but having a TV in front of my treadmill has been great.  I can catch up on my auto-related shows and YouTube channels while I'm working out on the treadmill, and most days I don't notice that I'm working out.

Hope that helps, and good luck with the journey!

My plan to try and maintain fitness is mostly based on food/drink intake but I also want to get my own rowing machine.  I'd like to mix in weights but I don't know if I have the space to dedicate to that; I'd probably keep my membership to the Y for that kind of thing.  I also like swimming and I think a mix of swimming, running (in limited amounts), rowing, biking, and some weights would be a great mix on the activity side of the scale.  

A good rowing machine seems to be a $1k purchase.  I would like to spend the same on a new bicycle.  

I subscribe to the idea that the intake aspect is more important than the activity aspect.  

Another thing and this sounds silly, is develop a plan for success. As right now, you have an objective but not a plan. You need to determine when you are going to do your workouts. Most people select before or after their workday. I recommend before, The reason being is that there's often errands that need to be run or contact that needs to be made with people to tie things up at the end of a day they can cause a delay. Whereas if you do it in the morning which yes it's brutal because you're having to get up earlier and start your day earlier, nobody is expecting contact before you begin your work day. I recommend grabbing something whole grain and some natural sugar either fruit or real 100% juice, which I know is calories and others will say stay away from but you're about to do a workout so your metabolism will grab it and run with it. And then after the workout if you can get some protein. Note if before the workout you grab Greek yogurt with some whole granola and fruit you can kill the meal and be ready to roll. 

But the plan is important with regards to when as it starts to build self-accountability and again it's a plan. When I wake up at 5:30 a.m. nobody's pulling me in another direction and I know that if I hit snooze and then don't wake back up until 7:00 that I've only cheated myself. I used to attempt to work out after work, too often someone would call me on their way home from work whether it be social or with an additional project to focus on I'd end up in the gym parking lot still on the phone and after wrapping up a 20+ minute phone call I would punt on the workout and just drive home sometimes even will still on the phone. That has never happened working out the morning. You'll also find that your post-workout "pump" will carry your energy level through lunch without caffeine. To the point that some people will find you to be the annoying co-worker because of energy. 

I think splitting logs would be a great idea. Exercise for the sake of exercise sucks in every possible way.  Digging a hole in the back yard seems to be accomplishing something useful.

In reply to Toyman01 + Sized and :

You seem to be using your problems with dieting as an excuse for not seriously looking at your diet, and your problems with exercise as an excuse for not seriously looking at your physical activity. You're not going to fix the root causes of the problem by only attacking the symptoms.

My order of equipment would be this:

Quality Resistance Bands (loop style, not the kind with handles on the ends)

Pullup Bar

A few Kettlebells or Dumbells

Olympic Bar + bumper plates

Power rack + bench

Rower

Obviously not all of the above are conducive to every home gym setup.  Currently I only have some of those, and scattered about.

I agree with those who have said start with body weight.  You can get insanely good workouts from body weight only, and they can be very very time efficient.

I like other weights because they are more fun, but it doesn't mean they are better.

In reply to Driven5 :

I'm not looking seriously at my diet because I love good food. I'm perfectly willing to sacrifice a few years of life to thoroughly enjoy the 20-40 years I have remaining. I eat almost zero junk foods and no soda but I'll eat sausage and eggs for breakfast long before I eat granola and yogurt. If a steak and potatoes cause me to die younger, so be it. I'll concentrate on portion control, but that's about as far as I'll take it. 

So that leaves exercise but exercise for the sake of exercise is not something I enjoy. Give me a shovel and a ditch you need dug and I'm on it. A load of wood to split and I'll take care of it. But 30 minutes on a treadmill just seems like a brutal waste of time. Biking near me is a good way to die except for the mountain bike trails and they are brutal. 

What I'm trying to do is find some form of exercise that I will be willing to put the time into. I was hopeful that a weight system would be the trick. If it isn't, then I'll keep looking. There is something out there, I just need to find it. 

For now, I'll try a set of resistance bands and the kettlebells that ProDarwin recommended. The next time I head down to the farm, I'll take my trailer and bring back a couple of 15' logs to cut down and split. The more I think about it, the more I like that idea. 

I am open to any other suggestions. 

In reply to ProDarwin :

How long should the resistance bands be? They look to be available in a multitude of lengths. What do you find works best?

In reply to Toyman01 + Sized and :

My gym typically has pretty top notch equipment, and these are the bands they use:  https://www.ironwoodyfitness.com/41-single-band-packages

I am impressed with them and if I got my own set I would just order the same*.  The Apprentice Package https://www.ironwoodyfitness.com/41-single-band-packages/p/apprentice-package is enough to do pretty much everything I have used them for.

The good thing is the length isn't really critical.  Unlike the ones with handles, if you need more resistance, you just grab the band a little further toward the anchor point.

If you get a set, try and figure out a way in your room to be able to anchor them to various points, from floor level to approx 90" up.  This will open up a significant number of exercises.

*I do have my own set of bands with handles on them.  They are crap.  Not because they are low quality (which they are), but the handles make all movements so much more limited.

In reply to ProDarwin :

Thanks. 

Hope this question doesn't sound too dumb, and sorry to hijack a thread, but I'm doing it anyway.  What's the best things to actually do with resistance bands that actual people do?  

Toyman01 + Sized and said:

In reply to ProDarwin :

Let's say semi-serious. I don't want to spend 3 hours a day on it, I don't want another hobby. 1 to 1.5 hours a day would be about perfect. I really want to enjoy it because if I don't I have a hard time getting motivated.

Where is that time coming from?  It won't work unless you make the time.  Personally, I find that the only time that's truly 'mine' is before everyone gets up. 

In reply to mfennell :

My time is pretty much all mine. Kids are mostly grown now. My wife stays at home so the house is mostly handled before I get there. 

My current afternoon routine is I come home from work and sit on my back porch with a cigar and a book for a couple of hours, then dinner and talking to the family. That routine will change to come home, change and exercise for an hour or so. Then a smaller dinner and hanging out with the family or out to the shop. 

My evenings and weekends frequently end as they start. So if I start out doing something constructive, they usually end that way. If I start out with a book, they always end that way. 

In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :

pres589 (djronnebaum) said:

Hope this question doesn't sound too dumb, and sorry to hijack a thread, but I'm doing it anyway.  What's the best things to actually do with resistance bands that actual people do?  

Some that immediately jump to mind.  I have done all as part of a workout except assisted pullups.  You can find some great youtube videos on different movements you can do with them.  Using them is a bit different than weights.  I'm a big fan of adding a tempo to most of these, usually a 3-5 second negative.

curls

monster walk

face pull

tricep extension

lat press down

rows

spanish squat

use for assisted pullups

fly

reverse fly

single arm press 

shoulder press

hip thruster

Home workout equipment is just something to hang your jacket on.

Buy used and when you don't use it, sell it.

In reply to Toyman01 + Sized and :

I'm not saying you can't eat sausage and eggs for breakfast. I'm saying if you have them for breakfast you have to do so after your workout and you're going to need something in your body before your workout. If you eat sausage and eggs prior to your workout your workout is not going to be optimal. 

Again there's a difference between having a desire for an outcome versus developing a plan to reach said outcome. 

You mentioned not wanting to get on a cardio device because it's not actually doing something it's just a simulation yet a willingness to do weight resistance work even though that is also merely a simulation. 

If you were to chop wood for 45 minutes to an hour a day how much would the current wood supply last you? If you are willing to put the logs to be cut a minimum of 120 ft away from the stump that they're going to be cut on and then the pile of cut would a minimum of 100 ft away then that could work. It certainly will not be the most time effective because you're moving the wood further than it needs to go but that's also the point if you're actually doing it for exercise and not as an excuse to pass off a such. Efficiency doesn't matter when the model is to get physical results. Sustainability does matter and that's why I question how many days is there a wood supply to sustain the chopping? Then my next questions are what happens when it's raining? Or cold? Or 96°? Or it's dark? 

I'm not trying to be a dick about it. But lifestyle changes rarely come out of convenience. 

In reply to captdownshift (Forum Supporter) :

We have 100 acres of forest on the farm. Trees to chop wont be a problem. They grow faster than I can split them. I heated a house out of those woods for 10 years and never made a dent in them. 

My main desired outcome at this point is simply to get moving. I dont want to be a health god. I dont want to weigh 190. I'm perfectly happy at 300. I looking to be a more active fat guy. Thats a good enough place to start. If I can shed a few pounds in the process that's even better.

I'm not super interested in a lifestyle change either. I am looking for something active to do for an hour or so in the afternoons that I might tolerate if not enjoy. The elliptical and treadmill are not it. Chopping wood and resistance work might do the trick and I'm willing to give it a try. 

It might not work, but I will never know if I never try. I appreciate your input and I'll keep you posted.

I did Keto before Covid and dropped 40lbs, then regained it during Covid. 

My wife started going to a local gym last winter and I joined this year. It's 30 minute classes, and is dumbbells, body weight, resistance bands, battle ropes, and TRX. I know you said no gym, and I'm not suggesting the gym, but here's what we do, which may give you ideas about how to approach your home workout and equipment.

Mon, Wed, Fri: Cardio focused using mostly body weight with some weights. Exercises are station based using 5 stations (cycled through 2-3 times) with 45-90 second intervals with a 10 second rest. There are alternate versions for most exercises that either replace jumping with steps (think jumping jack with alternating sides stepping leg out or using a box to not go as low on burpees and planks).

The exercises are typically different variations on squats, lunges, push-ups, resistance band exercises (flys, rows, etc), battle ropes, trx (curls, push-ups, etc), inchworms, bear crawls, burpees, squat thrusts, quick feet (ladder), core (crunches, dead bug, etc), wall sits, ball slams, mountain climbers. 

Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: Focus is on strength. Work is done with 1 or two dumbbells and includes variations on squats, lunges, presses, curls, and planks. These are done without rotating between stations, but is still interval based and done at a rate that raises heart rate. 

If you look at the list you, these are all exercises you can do at home with minimal equipment. As you gain strength and lose weight (or just want to add variety) you can add equipment to increase resistance and continue to challenge yourself. There are plenty of "round timer" apps available for your phone to track the working and rest time.

The other exercise routine I found enjoyable, and felt like I had been challenged was the use of a heavy bag and speed bag in conjunction with the exercises listed above. Incorporate the boxing as a one of the exercises in the rounds, and it can be a good way to get rid of some frustration while getting cardio and building muscle. Just make sure to wrap your hands and wrists before using the heavy bag to stabilize the bones and prevent injury.  

No Time said:

Exercises are station based using 5 stations (cycled through 2-3 times) with 45-90 second intervals with a 10 second rest.

So you only do one exercise for 45 to 90 seconds and move to something else? I knew with weight lifting you would do x number of reps with a short rest and then x number of sets. I did not realize that also applied to other exercises.  

I hate stationary exercise too. Back problems dictate that I need to though. My weapon of choice has been a minimum of 30 minutes a day on a Bowflex TreadClimber. I kind of make it so that I have a show to watch that I only allow myself to watch while doing that. Make it something I look forward to. Working from home right now, I also use it while in listening only mode meetings that aren't note taking critical.

Cardio is going to be your primary need. Find a goal. I used to mountain bike on single tracks and every weekend (and a few weekdays) would go ride a trail for time. Chasing improvement in time via stamina and technique kept me busy for a year. Find something to chase that you enjoy. Best shape of my life was in college going rock climbing 3-4 nights a week with my roommate. Find a social aspect. Adult league team sport?

Group gym sessions are actually really good. I did a number of classes with the gym at my work before covid. HITT is a good one. I also did a lot of pilates, because my primary need is core strengthening. The HITT is a lot of fast interval. Small bites in rapid succession that stack up to kick your ass.

As far as food. Eat what you want, but you will severely limit what you can accomplish based on the amount of portion control you exercise. Thats the primary thing. You just don't need to portion control healthier foods as much as the unhealthy (delicious) foods. 

Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym. 

And this is from a guy who struggles with his weight too. It's shocking how little calories you burn with exercise, an hour on the row machine, that's like a salad with a heavy dressing. 

In reply to Toyman01 + Sized and :

That's essentially what the session is, a series of short bursts high effort with minimal rest to elevate the HR while challenging the muscles. 

An example of what a session would look like:

warm up (3-5 minutes): while one instructor demonstrates the exercise, another leads a warmup of jumping jacks, squats, lunges, and other movements to start to raise the heart rate, warmup muscles and dynamic stretching. 

Workout: 3 rounds, 2 exercises per station, 90 seconds per exercise with 10 second break between

- station 1: Speed squats, Lunges

- station 2: Inch worm, ball slam

- station 3: flys with resistance bands, high knees pulling against bands. 

- Station 4: planks, mountain climbers

- station 5: TRX curls, burpees

Finish up with some stretching to cool down.

I find that with some exercises my cardio is the limiting factor and I run out of breath before muscle endurance, but there are others where the muscles give out first. The two are getting closer as I continue to go to the gym. 

I have foam mats in my garage with a heavy bag, speed bag, and pull-up bar w/TRX, but found myself running out of motivation since it was easy to find something else around the house to work on. I find the gym is helpful since there is accountability, and coaches will actually call if you miss a number of days just to check in on you. 

My brother did Keto and went from 5'10" and 350 to about 200"lbs without exercise. But, he loves cooking and trying new recipes and was pretty consistent with it. I think if you can do exercise around the yard while the weather's nice that's a great start. 

z31maniac said:

 It's shocking how little calories you burn with exercise, an hour on the row machine, that's like a salad with a heavy dressing. 

That's why I'm a fan of trying to build muscle vs. cardio.  It burns calories all the time.

For example, add 10kg of lean mass, and you'll burn an extra 216kcal per day absolutely nothing. (katch-mcardle formula)  Even more if you are remotely active, which I know the OP is.  With light activity, thats amounts to an extra 334kcal/day per 10kg increase in lean mass