We only have a treadmill and a pair of 3lb dumbbells at home. I was planning to just follow a program on YouTube and use the dumbbells. I also want to do bodyweight exercises but I don’t have access to a pull-up bar, so idk if it would be effective. Any suggestions on what I can do without access to a gym? Is a gym really necessary?
@Jo
Thank you so much for this oh my god! I really appreciate this thank you 
@Jo
Same! I like the Sweat app, and I also like Les Mills as well. I crawl out of bed and workout every morning for 30-35 minutes (M-W-F weights, T-T yoga) and I have been more consistent this way than any gym membership I’ve ever had. The habit of waking up 20 minutes earlier to do some home exercise has been the best way to stay consistent for me and I honestly feel stronger and more flexible.
I can’t recommend Caroline Girvan’s free YouTube programs enough. She’s amazing and I’ve gotten great results. Check out her website where she has an interactive clickable image with all of her program information and the links to the YT playlists. You can use much lighter weights than she does. But I’d recommend finding some heavier weights eventually.
Yes! Walking is underrated and amazing. Walking on incline on a treadmill is even better.
You can do squats, lunges, floor hip thrusts (I think they’re also called glute bridges), push-ups, pull-ups (I do it at a local park), a myriad of core/ab workouts, and many more!
Someone already recommended Caroline Girvan, and she’s GOOD. But if you want something very beginner-friendly, Blogilates and Chloe Ting are great. (Tbh, their core stuff is hard for ME. And I can lift 200 lbs)
Check r/fitness and r/xxfitness wikis for routines. Even better for you would be r/bodyweightfitness if you don’t have access to much equipment. There’s loads you can do without gym access but as the below person said, weight loss is based on burning more calories than you eat, so if that’s your goal you’d have to be at a deficit. It’s also easier to be at a deficit when strength training because muscles burn more calories than fat, and you continue to burn calories for a while after a strength exercise. Plus, strength training will help out in everyday life too 
I started with 3lb dumbbells and was struggling to use those. I use 35-50lbs each now for most exercises. All from home; I hate gyms. About 8 months of work.
Effective for weight loss? As long as you’re in a calorie deficit.
Wynn said:
Effective for weight loss? As long as you’re in a calorie deficit.
Yup for weight loss! And I see!
I suggest getting multiple sets of dumbbells. I currently use the Peloton app and it has great resources for 10-30 min classes.
Val said:
I suggest getting multiple sets of dumbbells. I currently use the Peloton app and it has great resources for 10-30 min classes.
I do intend to get more once I finish college and get a job. Thank you for this! 
Val said:
I suggest getting multiple sets of dumbbells. I currently use the Peloton app and it has great resources for 10-30 min classes.
Seconding this! Got into Peloton for the cycling/cardio I didn’t hate (and didn’t have to leave my apartment for) and stayed for the strength training, stretching, meditation, none of which I used to do before. Now I do multiple times per week! I’m stronger than I’ve ever been before. I’m 5’4” around 141 right now and an 87-week streak on Peloton 
I’ve been walking daily and ONLY doing home workouts and it’s been fantastic. I follow “Kinrgy,” which is like Pilates and body strength training platform. They have a week trial and then you pay monthly (I’m sure you could find similar for free on YouTube), but I just love Kinrgy. I literally just workout almost daily with Kinrgy in my room or living room lol and it’s been effective so far. Also definitely check out Kinrgy and try their free trial. Also, if you want Pilates, there’s “Pilates by Bryony,” which has a 1-month free trial with code “mimi.” I found this last week and have been trying this too and it’s great.
Pre-COVID, I would work out at the gym and I have to say I’m loving it more right now not being at the gym. Especially having a treadmill, I think you’re good to go. Make sure you’re doing some body strength training (doesn’t need to be with heavy dumbbells or any dumbbells at all), get those daily steps in, add the treadmill running weekly, eat well, and sleep well, and your body will change.
When I first lost 30 pounds, all I did was running on the treadmill, lol, and obviously, a calorie deficit. You got this!
@Linden
About Pilates by Bryony, it’s just Pilates or is there a cardio class?
Well, others already said, but I’ll hop on.
So throughout high school, I did only calisthenics…literally just my body, a PVC pipe (hillbilly pull-ups/muscle-ups, all those bar things) drilled into the wall, and my bed frame (for dips, elevated push-ups, jumping on, etc.). I used Chris Heria (laugh all you want lol), he has great progressions for calisthenics.
Ended up doing handstand push-ups, planche push-ups, muscle-ups, planche, front lever, pistol squats, so on and so forth…and I was decently strong, well very high strength-to-body ratio lol!
Closest gym was about 25-30 miles away because I’m from the woods lol. Hell, even the hospital was like 20-25 miles away or other basic stuff lol…
So yeah, gravity does wonders…as to how to progress overload…either up the volume (10-15-20) and do it to failure, or up the difficulty (okay did a push-up, now do one-hand push-ups, okay now do a tuck planche, okay do a full planche, okay do a handstand/planche/diamond push-up)…can work all the muscles and be real fit!
Have a good day.
I’ve lost 20lbs just doing home workouts (a mix of strength training, spin, pilates, and yoga on Apple Fitness+). My starting weights were 3lbs and ended up needing to buy heavier weights a few times because the ones I had were getting too light.
My two cents is that there are people who love going to the gym. There are other people (like me) who would just never go to the gym or would find any excuse to avoid going to a group class. I will, however, throw a workout on during my lunch break or when I find an extra 10 minutes in my day. Accepting I just wasn’t a gym person is when I went from someone who avoided working out at all costs because I was doing it wrong to someone who hasn’t missed a day of getting in at least 30 minutes of exercise in over 60 days.
So I strength train as that’s something I enjoy. But on days when the gym isn’t an option, or I just want to work up a really good sweat, I follow Grow With Anna - https://youtube.com/c/growingannanas
She has SO MANY CHOICES!!
Low impact HIIT with no jumping (and no squats even). High intensity options. Tabata. Yoga. Recovery and stretching…
Whatever mood you’re in, she’s got it. I absolutely love it because sometimes I want to get my cardio on… but I also need to give my muscles a break.
Edit to add, she has no equipment and dumbbell options- as well as multiple times options (10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, etc.)
I don’t know how much you have to lose, but I’ve lost 25kgs so far doing Team Body Project videos (free ones can be found on YouTube).