Unlike moms on TV, real moms don’t usually have the time to make weekly trips to the gym to stay in shape. Who has time when driving two kids to extracurricular activities, tuition lessons, and various after school activities? But there are several things moms can do to keep excess weight off with weightlifting at home. 

No, it’s not installing a home gym. Unless you actually have the money and space for it, then go for it. But if you are in the majority that can’t, your best option might be to engage in weightlifting exercises at home. 

Why Weightlifting 

Moms are typically told to do yoga or join a Soulcycling lesson. But is this the best way to keep weight off? Working out, as you may already know, is typically broken down into two parts: cardio and muscle building. Cardio activities make your heart pump faster, which is great for heart health and losing excess fat. However, if you want to keep excess weight off, building your muscles is the best way to do it. 

More muscle mass means your body will burn more calories. Weightlifting also makes your bones stronger. This is important for women reaching their fifties who might be at risk for osteoarthritis. 

Typically, weightlifting is something men do to buff up. But that’s just a stereotype. Weightlifting won’t make you buff like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the eighties. It will make you stronger and give your body more muscle tone. (You need to take steroids to get buff.)

How to Build Muscle without Expensive Equipment

Weightlifting, as you may have seen, requires complicated looking exercise machines. The typical gym is full of them. However, you don’t really need a leg lifting seat to build muscle at home. All you need is your body weight. 

Some of the most effective muscle building exercise don’t require any special tools. For example, you can start your routine with squats, push ups, belly crunches, and planking. These types of activities work by using your own body weight to create resistance. 

You can definitely add items to make weightlifting exercises more challenging, especially as you improve. You can try buying things like dumbbells, weighted bars, and even MMA equipment that would definitely add some variety. Most such items remain affordable, and much less expensive than buying a new treadmill. 

The Essentials for Preparation

To prepare, first learn how to properly perform the activity you have in mind. For example, if you want to do a push up, watch videos online about how to do it right. You can ask help from a friend or a family member who may be familiar with weightlifting. 

You should also buy the items you need early on so you can build a routine. Get the weights, yoga mats, and the Bulgarian bags you may need first. Then build a routine around it. 

Design Your Own Routine

Your exercise routine will depend on your skill level. If you haven’t weightlifted before, or haven’t done so for a while, you should start slow. Do five or fewer repetitions of one or two exercises the first week. As you get better at it, increase the reps. It’s recommended to do so each week. 

More importantly, you will need rest days between each session. Your muscles need to rest to actually get stronger. Include one or two days of rest between each session, or start by weightlifting during the weakened and resting for the rest of the week if you are busy. If you want to lose weight, mind your diet on rest days. 

Weightlifting sessions don’t have to last long. Even five minutes per day is fine. Even the busiest moms can definitely find time to do it. The benefits are immense in terms of how you will feel and how your body would look. So don’t hesitate to give weightlifting at home a try.