The SAH Mom’s guide to online fitness

I am frequently asked what I do to stay fit. And rightfully so, the answer has changed over the years.  I used to be an avid gym go-er. Add a few changes of address, a shift in work schedules, and two kids to the mix and the ability to get to the gym wasn’t as easy as it used to be. But I haven’t let life’s circumstances put my workouts on the back burner. Fitness has always been a priority, both for physical and emotional benefit.

When Jonah was born, I was fortunate enough to hire help a couple times a week. During those two hour blocks, I allowed myself the free time to take a few classes at the gym or go for a run. The gym I belonged to did have childcare, with which I took advantage of when family or a babysitter wasn’t available. Yet, I didn’t always feel comfortable leaving him there or exposing him in an unsanitary environment as an infant. The hesitancy doubled when Ellie was born. I know self care is important, yet it came to a point where I felt guilty asking friends and family to watch my littles just so I could go to the gym. Aside from getting in an occasional AM run when Patrick is home with the kids, frequency in workouts was dwindling. So, I jumped in the boat with many other SAH mom’s and explored online ways to get my workouts in at home.

I’ll preface that these options may not be for everyone. I know that what may work for some, may not work for others. I hold a very high bar in what I consider a good workout (I may or may not feel the need to document a sweaty session via IG stories). I know budget can also be an issue; you’ll have to weigh the price over circumstance. I’ll be going over all of the online options that have worked best for me. This includes Daily Burn, Amazon Instant Video, Bulldog Yoga, and Beach Body. I’ll be telling you all the details: what they are, my experience, as well as the pros and cons for each online option.

Let’s start with one that I’ve labeled my go-to: Beach Body

BEACHBODY

PROS
• Online access to complete fitness programs for any body type and any fitness level. All the programs you’ve heard of: 21 day fix, Insanity, P90X, are all included. You can equally download the programs for offline use.

• Workout calendars and progress trackers are included on the ‘on demand’ platform.

• Ability to receive 1 on 1 fitness coaching, access social media accountability groups, challenge groups, meal plans, and pro fitness advice. Beach body is a lot more than just the online workouts, they offer the complete fitness transform package.

CONS
• I wouldn’t consider this a ‘con’, but the initial thought when looking into BB was price. Since Beach Body is primarily focused around a membership with an distinguished coach, the overall price often includes nutritional add ons (I.e shakeology). If starting a program with all perks included – on demand access, nutrition, 1 on 1 coaching – is desired, it’s considerable and likely the best out there! But if you are like me, and would rather just pay for at home workouts and skip the other offers, you can opt in for on demand only access. I still have access to online workouts, but am not locked into a continuous replenish draft. My coach completely understood my desire to do so, and still offers her best advice and tips for a healthy lifestyle.

Personal experience
I had seen incredible results and transformations from many on social media. A follower (now coach!) reached out to me asking if I had tried BB and if I had wanted to try it free 14 day trial. Of course, and why not?! I started out with the 21 day fix program, and as mentioned earlier – have a very high bar set when it comes to workouts. I realized it wasn’t at the level I had hoped for, and switched to a more intense instructor, Sean T. I’ve written of his program before here, and have nothing but rave reviews. Since starting back in August, I’ve gone thru Sean T’s insane focus week twice and am currently in month 2 of Insanity Max 30. Highly recommend BB to any Momma wanting a good sweat!

DAILY BURN

PROS
• This one is for all fitness levels. Wether you are just starting out, or an experienced fitness fanatic, this ones for you. They provide 800+ Streaming Workouts, of all different types : Yoga, Pilates, Cardio, and Strength. You can choose videos at random, based on preference, or start a program for maximum results. They add new programs often and do just as they say, offer a different daily workout everyday at 9am EST.

• They offer no-equipment workouts. There’s no need to go out and purchase a full set of weights or resistance bands to get your sweat on. A plus to any Mom’s budget.

• There are no contracts to sign up for. Several monthly subscription options available, starting at $12.95/mo, with option to cancel at anytime.

CONS
• There are certain programs only offered to their ‘premium’ subscribers. Premium subscribers pay a higher monthly rate.

Personal experience
This was my go-to until BB came into play. I’ll add tho, is still a very reliable source to go on days I want to change up the BB routine.  I’ve subscribed for almost 2 years and with my high bar set, have never stopped streaming mid-workout (unless it’s to catch my breathe or attend to Mom duties).  I’ve found my favorites and when sticking consistently to the programs, have seen great results. The trainers are all different, explain their approach to fitness well, encourage you at the right times, and provide tiered options based on fitness level. Favorite programs include: Inferno, TBT, Undefeated, and Barre Harmony.

AMAZON INSTANT VIDEO

PROS
• Access to 1000s of online video streams. Sort by fitness level, type, and video length.

• Sort your workout choice by online channel (other platforms that offer videos) and have ability to rent or purchase individual workouts. i.e.: Yoga International, Gaia, Daily Burn, Fitfusion by Jillian Michaels

CONS
• An Amazon prime membership is required.

• If you are looking for a consistent program to follow, accessibility is limited and can become costly.

Personal experience
This was my first avenue taken when I started out. A result of trying to find an old Jillian Michaels workout dvd I had back in the day. Having purchased the hard copy on my account, I learned the ability to stream is another option, and happily pressed play. If I am in a crunch, and for any reason BB or Daily burn is not accessible, this is a trusty alternate.

BULLDOG YOGA

PROS
• Fitness fueled yoga, with a musical heart. Set to handpicked playlists, bulldog makes yoga more approachable and accessible, not intimidating.

• Access to several class flows: Activate, Invigorate and Exhilarate; classes tiered from a ‘slow flow’ to  full body strengthening challenge.

• Get unlimited 24/7 online streaming for as little as $12/month.

• In addition to online streaming, they have two locations that you can visit to get a true bulldog fix.

CONS
• None experienced. With all online streaming, there are times when it can be limited. I had one instance where my streaming wasn’t working properly due to network error. I emailed their tech support and within an hour received response, with problem fixed. They awarded me a discount class coupon code for any inconvenience it caused. Simply stated, their customer service is top notch.

Personal experience
I stumbled upon this glorious site from an IG follower recommendation, and I am oh-so-happy I did. Traditional yoga, when taken in a class setting can leave any newbie uncomfortable (at least IMO). Chanting and instructions in Sanskrit can be quite foreign. Having taken many online yoga classes, I still struggled with the lingo and got bored easily. Bulldog has rebooted the system and freed this Momma from all of that. The exhilarate workouts always leave me surprisingly sweaty, which is always a plus in my book.

There ya’ll have it! I would love to know if these online platforms work for you! Comment below or DM me on the gram! As always, thanks for stopping by!