I am super excited about this post, because health and fitness are a huge passion of mine. I studied health sciencein college and have been a certified personal trainer for the past 10 years. Fitness and nutrition are my jam. I wanted to share with you my minimalist home gym – what I plan to use while living in an RV over the next year.

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First I have to start with what is not coming with us: 12 spin bikes that Robbie brought home last week. If you have been around here for a little bit, you know that we make most of our income from selling on eBay. Well, last week he brought home 12 spin bikes and here they are set up in the dining room for pictures. One step forward, two steps back. We WILL be moving into our RV soon (eventually). And those bikes are not part of our minimalist home gym.

The bikes won’t be coming with us, but here are five things that will be.

Minimalist Home Gym Items

1. Shoes

Of course good shoes have to be on the list. If you are a runner they are really the only piece of equipment you really need. (minimalist home gym post done right here). Running is one of my favorite forms of cardio because I just feel so good afterwards. At the end of each of my pregnancies, I signed up for a half marathon so I wouldn’t procrastinate getting back into shape. I chose not to run during pregnancy because I don’t feel like my body was made for that, so it was starting from scratch each time and it was tough! But I was so glad I made that goal for myself each time.  Here are my kiddos with each of their medals. 🙂



Long distance running however is not my favorite form of exercise for people to lose weight. Anything over 3-4 miles is not helpful for many people to burn fat for fuel. (I could go on and on about that, but that is for another post another time- or you can always contact me and I would be happy to talk longer on the subject).

Back to the shoes. Quality shoes for your foot type is SUPER important. Good shoes are worth the investment. My family is very budget conscious and buys second hand items a lot, but I will never sacrifice my running shoes and buy them second hand or buy the wrong type of shoe just because it is on clearance. I personally love Brooks and Asics for running, and  I am in my first pair of Saucony, so I will let you know what I think about those.

If you are a runner, or would like to be, you need to check out this book: The Savvy Athlete: An Insider’s Guide to the Most Common Problems Endurance Athletes Experience. My friend Jane Ducey (nicknamed by many “The Shoe Whisperer”) has been fitting runners and aspiring runners with shoes for 24 years now. (She fits my shoes as well). She is truly one of the smartest health people I know personally, and has fantastic advice in this book.

2.TRX

If I could only pick one piece of equipment to take with us on our trip, and be part of my minimalist home gym – It would be my TRX. Suspension training allows you to use your bodyweight to get a really great workout! It allows you to modify your intensity based on where your position is, so it’s great for most people. Here is an example of a couple exercises you can do. I attached my TRX to our swing set while my kids played in our yard. 🙂

You can also use the doorway attachment and attach it to any sturdy door.

I have brought my TRX on numerous trips because it is so small and can travel really easy. I used to teach a suspension training class and I loved it. You can really workout the entire body using it. You can grab a TRX here if you don’t already have one! If you don’t know where to start there are a ton of videos on the internet to help you get going.

 

3. BowFlex Adjustable Dumbbells

I have to admit that when Robbie brought home a pair of Bowflex dumbbells, I was not a fan. I even refused to try them because I was determined I wouldn’t like them. Plus, I had a full dumbbell rack at my house so I didn’t see the need. (My training room before we turned it into the office:)

Since I am no longer training clients at my house, we decided to turn the workout room into our office. We sold most of the equipment on eBay or at our yard sales (still have the elliptical for sale currently). I was a little sad (ok a lot sad) to see the weight rack go. I think it was partly because I love using weights, and partly because  it meant I was really done training clients at home. (after a while, some clients turn into good friends!)

The very first time I used the Bowflex weights, I fell in love with them! I was surprised how much I actually liked them. They are very handy in the respect you can change the weight to whatever you need in a few little clicks. The only drawback is if you are doing a workout where you need a different weight really quickly when moving from one exercise to the next, then it’s takes a couple seconds to change them. There are other brands besides Bowflex that adjust too, and I personally enjoy the ones that go up to 25lbs.

4.Yoga Mat

You can do a lot more than just yoga on a yoga mat. I use them for the Metabolic Effect workouts that I love. My kids love pulling out the mats and working out on them. They are getting pretty good at their squats, push-ups, burpees, and high knees! 🙂

5. Metabolic Effect Workouts

This last one isn’t really a piece of equipment, but rather the workouts that I love to use. They have two programs that I love and have done them both a couple times. The best part is they are only 15-20 minutes, 3x per week! And they are very effective.  

Both programs are 3 workouts per week for 12 weeks. The two programs are called Metabolic Aftershock and Metabolic Prime. They can both be modified for any level of exercise, but if someone is just starting out or starting back, I would recommend starting with Metabolic Aftershock. If someone is ready to step things up a notch they should try Metabolic Prime. Both can be downloaded onto a computer to be used.

I do have to share a warning to anyone who thinks they might want to check out Aftershock or Prime – their sales page is not my favorite. I’m not even against sales, but their page it a bit too much in my opinion. The content of the actual programs is fantastic however. Definitely worth scrolling through the pages of info given.

I’ve had to lose baby weight 3x in the last 4 years, and it can be tough on a body. These workouts and my nutrition system have helped me get my body back each time. I gained a good amount with each pregnancy too. With my first one I gained almost 50lbs, the second one almost 40lbs, and the 3rd one, just over 40lbs.

Looking at these pictures, it appears I like the color pink. Ha. Which is funny because I HATED wearing pink as a kid. I took some of these pictures as I entered our 16 week Isabody challenge each time – a week after giving birth. It blows my mind what our bodies are capable of. Growing a human life is just so crazy to even think about! I am so thankful to have been able to get pregnant – it was not so easy for me as I dealt with a lot of hormone imbalances with PCOS and Hypothyroidism (again, another post for another time). To me, these workouts plus my nutritional rebalancing system are a powerful combination! I will continue to alternate them on the road.

None of these items take up too much room at all. All of them will fit in one small area of a room, or a cubby of our travel trailer. I think this is a pretty effective minimalist home gym.

Here are some of the quick links: 

The Savvy Athlete

TRX

Yoga Mat

Bowflex Dumbbells / 25lb Adjustable Dumbbells

Metabolic Aftershock / Metabolic Prime

If you would like to work on strengthening your core, download my 5 favorite abdominal exercises that require no equipment! This will also subscribe you to our Maximalist to Minimalist update list. We promise not to spam your inbox. You can unsubscribe anytime.

We Want To Hear From YOU!

What does your home gym look like? Does it model a minimalist home gym?