Simple -Effective and Best At-Home Workouts Routines for Overweight Women With No Need for Gym
Have you ever thought of starting a fitness journey, but could not bring it to reality? Maybe you stop due to anxiety of going to the gym. Don’t worry, you’re not alone, because many women, especially those just starting their workout journey experience the same. So, they prefer the comfort and privacy of working out at home. The truth is that they can still achieve fitness with the best at-home workouts.
Let me tell you this, you don’t need a fancy gym membership to get fit. You just need a plan, a little humour, and some space to move. So, even if the space you have is just the size of your living room. Let’s jump into the best at-home workouts for overweight women designed to be fun, practical, and anxiety-free.
Why Do Many Women Prefer the Best At-Home Workouts Instead of Gyms?
We are going to see the best at-home workouts that you can do at the comfort of your home. But, let’s address the reason why some women would rather stay at home instead of going to the gym. Maybe you are afraid of the intimidating machines with a thousand buttons.
It may also be because you see going to the gym as going for a competition. Whatever the reason, it’s valid. Your idea of working out in public may feel like being on stage with a spotlight. Hence, the best at-home workouts can offer you the perfect stage and outcomes with no audience.
1. Walking Workouts: Marching to Your Own Beat with the Best At-Home Workouts
You may be asking walking at home? Yes, you don’t need a treadmill or an outdoor trail to reap the benefits of walking. Just be committed to your fitness routine, you will be fit and healthy.
How to Do Walking Workouts at Home:
- Start with a simple march in place for 5 minutes and swing your arms like you mean it.
- Add variations like side steps, high knees, or even a few dance moves. You will see that walking is not boring but enjoyable?
- Try following along with free walking workout videos on YouTube. They are surprisingly fun and effective.
Why Walking Workouts at-Home Work: Walking is low-impact, beginner-friendly, and burns calories without feeling overwhelming. Also, you don’t have to wear special fitness kit for walking at home, even on your pyjamas you can be great.
2. Bodyweight Workouts: Best At-Home Workouts with No Equipment and No Excuses
Bodyweight exercises are the ultimate at-home workout method. They do not require any equipment, and you can adjust them to suit your fitness level. See a simple bodyweight workouts beginner routine:
Wall Push-Ups:
- Wall push-up is the type you do from a standing position with your hands on a wall rather than on the floor. They work the muscles in your arms, chest, back, and abdomen. This involves your glutes, hamstrings, and calves just like a regular push-up does. But doing it against a wall takes off some of the pressure, making it a bit less challenging. So, this fitness routine is also gentler on your joints (Peterson, 2023).
Chair Squats:
- Use a sturdy chair to practice sitting down and standing up. The chair squat exercise targets to strengthen your upper thighs and buttock muscles. They also make the bones in your hips and spine stronger. This makes it an excellent exercise for people with osteoporosis. The exercise will also help you when you need to squat at a public facility toilet. You may need it as a travel stop or airport, without making a direct contact with the seat (Martin, 2023).
Modified Plank:
- Move to a push-up position on your hands and knees and hold. This modified plank position will work your entire core, but in a less intense way, allowing you to really focus on your form. Hold for 10 seconds, then release. Repeat two more times. Start with your knees on the ground and work up to a full plank over time (Mansour, 2024).
Glute Bridges:
- Lie on your back, knees bent and lift your hips. It’s a good way to work your core and glutes. Rest your hands at your sides, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the floor, beneath your knees. Tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles by pushing your low back into the ground. Then raise your hips to create a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Squeeze your core and pull your belly button back toward your spine, hold for 20 to 30 seconds. You shpuold then lower your hips to return to the starting position (Quinn and Laferrara, 2024).
Why Bodyweight Workouts Work: Bodyweight exercises build strength and confidence. Start small, and you will notice improvements in your balance, endurance, and muscle tone.
3. Dance Workouts: Move and Burn Calories with the Best At-Home Workouts
Who needs a treadmill when you can groove your way to fitness? Dancing is a fantastic way to get your heart pumping, and this will also help you to control your emotions. Now, see how to get started with dance workouts:
- Put on your favourite playlist and dance and shake your body, remember, no one is watching you, you are at home.
- You can also follow along with dance workout videos on YouTube or apps like Zumba or Dance-Body.
Why Dance Workouts Work: Dancing is one of the best at-home workouts (cardiovascular workouts) with some fun moves. It boosts your mood, improves coordination, and burns calories without you feeling like you have done exercise. Don’t worry even if you don’t look like a professional dancer. Even if your moves seem uncoordinated, don’t be discouraged, what matters most is, you are moving your joints and muscles.
4. Yoga and Stretching: Poses in Your Comfort Zone
Yoga exercise is a gentle way to build strength, flexibility, and inner peace with some poses and moves. So, it has numerous benefits irrespective of the type. Just stretch your joints and make some poses to enjoy yourself.
Beginner-Friendly Yoga Poses:
- Cat-Cow Stretch: Loosen up your back and ease tension.
- Child’s Pose: A perfect rest position for when you need a breather.
- Seated Forward Fold: Great for stretching hamstrings and calming your mind.
- Warrior II: Makes you feel strong and grounded even if your balance is wobbly.
Why Beginner-Friendly Yoga Poses Work: Yoga helps to reduce your stress and improve your mobility which are the two things you need more. Yoga also is an excellent way to cool down after a long day activity. It has both physical and mental benefits.
5. Resistance Band Workouts: Stretch Your Limits
Resistance bands are affordable, portable, and perfect for at-home strength training. Exercising with a resistance band can help improve your strength and flexibility. Resistance bands are large elastic bands that you can use to exercise all areas of the body.
Simple Moves in Resistance Band Workouts:
- Bicep Curls: Step on the band, hold the ends, and curl your arms up. Raise your arms out in front of you to chest height, then return to your starting position and repeat ten times (Fargo and Wilkins, 2025).
- Seated Row: This will help work your entire body and help make you remain fit. So, sit down, loop the band around your feet, and pull it like you are rowing a boat.
- Side Steps: Place the band around your thighs and step side-to-side to work your glutes. When you continue to exercise this way, you can improve your balance.
- Front squat: This will help work your inner thighs, hamstrings, and hips. Begin by standing on your resistance band with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders. Hold a handle in each hand and keep your hands close to your shoulders. Squat down, keeping your core engaged, then slowly rise back up to standing. Repeat 10-15 times (Team Peloton, 2023).
Why Resistance Band Workouts Work: Resistance bands add extra challenge without the need for heavy weights. They are also gentle on your joints, making them ideal for beginners. So, using them can be effective in strengthening your joints and muscles. But ensure that you choose the right bands and exercises for you (Fargo and Wilkins, 2025).
Overcoming Common Excuses Some Overweight Women Have
Most times the excuses women have about going to gym or even doing exercise at home are usually easy to manage. Now, let’s see how we can tackle them effectively:
- “I don’t have time!” Try 5 to 10-minute workouts, because doing a little is always better than doing nothing.
- “I don’t have space!” Clear a corner in your room, because most of these workouts need less space than a yoga mat.
- “I’m too tired!” Start small, even a few minutes of movement can boost your energy.
Fitness Tools to Make At-Home Workouts Easier for Women
- YouTube Channels: There are good YouTube channels that can help beginners do their workouts at home. So, this is one of the at-home fitness tips for plus-size women that can make your exercise easier.
- Fitness Apps: You can use some Apps like MyFitnessPal, FitOn, or Nike Training Club which offer free and beginner-friendly routines.
- Affordable Gear: A yoga mat, resistance bands, or light dumbbells can enhance your workouts without spending much.
Always remember this, progress is not always about immediate achievement. Did you complete a full workout today? Did you dance like never before, for five minutes? That is great. Fitness is a journey, and every step counts.Working out at home is not just a convenient alternative to the gym; it’s a lifestyle choice that prioritizes your comfort and mental well-being. So, put on your comfiest clothes, grab a water bottle, and let’s get moving. No gym required, no judgment allowed, just you, your goals, and a whole lot of self-love.
REFERENCE
- Fargo, M and Wilkins, B (2025). 24 best resistance band exercises to get strong without weights. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/fitness/strength-training/a31986994/resistance-band-exercises/
- Mansour, S (2024). Planks are the ultimate core move. Here’s how to do them correctly. Retrieved January 9, 2025, from https://www.today.com/health/diet-fitness/plank-exercise-rcna24413
- Martin, M (2023). Strength Training- Chair Squats. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://melioguide.com/osteoporosis-exercises/chair-squats/
- Peterson, D (2023). How to Do Wall Push-Ups: A Hinge Health Guide. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://www.hingehealth.com/resources/articles/wall-push-ups/
- Team Peloton (2023). 13 Amazing Resistance Band Exercises to Build Strength. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://www.onepeloton.com/en-GB/blog/resistance-band-exercises/
- Quinn, E and Laferrara, T (2024). Glute Bridge Exercise: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-do-the-bridge-exercise-3120738