If you’re interested in saving a buck and gettin’ it in, then this post is really for you! Ready? You guys! I don’t know if you really know this about me but here it is – I like to save a buck. It’s no secret. I’ll save a buck every chance I get. Anyone who actually knows me, KNOWS that about me.

Happy hour? Check!

Eat at Mami’s when I can? Check!

Sale rack? Check!

Of course, that last one currently does not apply due to my “365 days of no shopping” challenge…why did I agree to that again? Sigh…

Anyhoo…I have no shame.

There’s no reason to ever pay full price for anything! There’s always a way to save a buck or two!

And that includes getting a good work out in.

You don’t even need much.

Just a yoga matt, 1 pair of dumbbells and a jump rope.

I know a lot of people go to the gym as a social activity, and I get it, sure. Some people like doing things in groups for more motivation, and that’s all good, but it’s not for me. While it can be fun having some girl time while working out, me personally, I’m all about focus and “me” time. And I’m certainly not giving my money to a gym for something I can do in the comfort of my own home (ahem, bucks saved!)…

If you’re anything like me, and prefer NOT to have a partner when working out, then this is for you! These easy at home workouts will help you get closer to your goals, I promise.

First thing you should know is I’m a real chick, so no, I’m not in the most amazing shape and I’m not pretending to be, but seeing pix of JLo and Kourtney Kardashian will motivate the hell out of me.

JLo just turned 49 and has 2 kids. Kourtney is 39 and has 3 kids. I mean, hello?!?!?! I’m motivated AF looking at these bad ass bitches! I don’t know about you, but I wanna be a baddie too, carajo!

I’m not gonna pretend that I know what I’m doing all by myself. But you know how it is…it’s easy to go down a rabbit hole when you’re trying to find the right video. Well, search no more. I’m sharing my favorite exercise videos that are easy to do in the comfort of your own home. Paula Ordovás has a great Instagram that inspires me everyday with fashion, travel, workouts and healthy living. And her YouTube channel, Peeptoes TV is everything! It’s my #1 go-to spot for doable workouts. You should def check it out!

LEGS

Let’s zone in and get to the really good stuff, and why you’re here.

These two videos I’m sharing from Peeptoes TV are my holy grail of leg workout routines.

Ok, I know, I know, they’re in Spanish. BUT anyone can see the workouts, and exactly what you need to do. Exercise moves are a universal language, what can I say?

 Just follow all of Paula’s moves and make sure you do 3 sets to get successful results!

This first one is called “Piernas Perfectas en 8 Minutos” (Perfect Legs in 8 Minutes) – do I have your attention now?

I’ll spare you video of me doing these full reps. Paula is way cuter than me and my chicken legs on camera.

Check it out below! I do this routine a minimum of 3 times a week. I’ve been doing it religiously ever since I recovered from my surgery earlier this year, and I see a difference in toning on my legs.

The other leg routine I do religiously by Ms. Ordovás is called “Rutina Para Eliminar la Celulitis en 3 Minutos” (Routine to Eliminate Cellulite in 3 Minutes!) – intrigued, aren’t you, ladies?

Now, I’m not gonna lie to you guys. This little mofo of a workout is killer on your legs…KILLER!…but you will definitely start feeling firmness after only one week of this workout (3 sets, at least 3 times a week).

See this little gem below.

ARMS

Okay…so, here’s the story. My arms have always been thin and weak. I can’t even do one full push up! Sad, but true. I can, however, plank my ass off, but I digress. A few months ago, I decided to buy these really beautiful chrome weights that I knew would motivate me, cause well, they’re just so pretty. Don’t judge. They’ve been getting the job done.

I use 8 and 10 pound weights and switch them from time to time so my muscles won’t get used to the same thing, but hey, maybe you’re a badass who can work with 20 pounds or more! And if so, get it girl!!! Do you, boo. Truth be told, I really just follow a few arm workout routines from POPSUGAR Fitness for basic arm toning, and I’m happy to report that I’ve been noticing some definition this summer. A little progress that you can actually see really makes a difference in how you feel overall. If you look good, you feel good. Period! See that tricep doin’ it’s thing? Yep…

For a few beginner workouts, all you need is two dumbbells. There are even some arm workouts that you can do without weights, but I prefer the routines with dumbbells. You can find the Beginner Arm workout that I use HERE on this link.

Here’s a little glimpse of me demonstrating a few of the moves.

And if you’re a little more advanced, you’ll love this 10-minute video. Your arms, shoulders, and even abs feeeeeeel it!

CARDIO

Onto even more fun stuff, and more savings of a buck! Besides these amazing toning exercises for your arms and legs, a girl needs her cardio too. I’d love to say that all it takes is some resistance training and toning, but reality check – all that fried chicken, cheeseburgers, pizza, french fries, and booze isn’t gonna burn itself off! And if you happen to watch my IG stories at all, you KNOW how much I allow myself to indulge. YOLO, am I right?

Here’s the thing, I like to run and bike, but real talk, I sweat like an animal (you know, my dreaded moisture problem)…and you guys, a few months ago, I started to notice a peepa!

GASP!!!

Thanks, Urban Dictionary…ugh…

Enough said! I’m not tryin’ to have a peepa, so you better believe that I started incorporating more cardio into my daily routine! Anyhoo, after 1 full set of a legs and 1 full set of arms, I always do 100 jump rope and 100 jumping jacks.

So by the time I’m done with 3 full sets of everything, that also includes a total of 300 jump rope and 300 jumping jacks.

I’m not even kidding when I tell you that within about 2 weeks of working out consistently, my belly fat started to disappear! Yippeeeeee! Some of my skirts and pants actually fit me loose now, which was NOT my goal, but it’s nice to know that my workouts have actually been giving me results, and that I even lost inches around my waist.

Sometimes, I throw quick sprints into my routine too just to burn a little more fat, but since I’m losing more weight than I wanted to (I know, I know, poor me…), maybe I’ll cool it on the cardio a bit.

My whole workout takes about an hour – not bad, right? And because I do it in my yard or the comfort of my home, sometimes right in front of the AC, I can control the sweat a bit, save my hard earned bucks, AND most importantly, feel GREAT!

You always hear that exercise releases those beautiful endorphins triggering positive feelings in the body, and well it’s true! No wonder I’m almost always in a good mood and smiling. When you’re in a good mood, you’re better for your family, friends, work, and most importantly, you’re better for YOU!

Self-care, my friends. That’s what it’s all about. Oh, and saving a buck (wink wink). Yo quiero, yo quiero dinero!!! Am I right?

I for one, will never have that JLo or Kourt body, but this routine has definitely made a difference in how I look and feel. I hope you find these easy at-home workout tips helpful. If you give them a try, drop me a line and let me know how it’s going! You can leave your replies and comment here, email me, or DM me on Instagram, and follow along!

PS – as an added incentive, I’ve been paying myself $1 for every day that I work out. I don’t know what I’ll do with it at the end of the year, but it doesn’t hurt to see a little jar of money staring back at me every day. Maybe I’ll just keep it until my “no shopping” challenge is over and buy something extra pretty…heh heh…stay tuned…

Thanks for reading, guys.

xo Karen

BONUS: As an addendum, I just had to share these amazing dumbbell exercises that decrease fat and build muscle. I just discovered them last week and have now done 30 reps of at least 5 of THESE EXERCISES (specifically 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9 which are my go-to moves). I kid you not that just doing this routine 3 times last week, I suddenly started seeing the gun show. Even my hubby said he doesn’t think he’s ever seen these muscles on me before! Ahem, go me!!! Anyway, give them a try! Easy peasy, and AT HOME – win-win!