1: Resistance bands
Resistance bands are great pieces of equipment that are affordable and easy to store, and with a home full of toys, toys, and more toys it can be hard to find even a small amount of space to store workout equipment. Resistance bands are easily convertible and can be wrapped around feet, arms, doors and chairs to help create a great strength routine. They can go anywhere and are fairly indestructible. A good set of resistance bands with various resistance levels (easy, medium, and hard) and they take up very little space.
2: Good cardio DVD
On days when the gym seems out of reach and the weather outside is less than sunny, a good cardio DVD will save the day. A good plyometric, step, or floor cardio routine can be great options. You can normally burn a fair amount of calories (400-500) in about 45 minutes to an hour and many days that is all you have timewise.
3: Hand weights
A set of hand weights is also crucial to creating a good strength routine at home. Using a combination of hand weights and resistance bands will keep your routines fresh. It is a good idea to have a few different weight sizes. For women it is safe to say that you need a lighter weight such as 5 lbs or 8 lbs and then you can build from there, purchasing 10-12 lb weights and then 15-20 lbs and so on. Every individual is going to be different depending on their wants and needs when it comes to lifting. A good rule of thumb is if you are wanting more toning and muscular endurance exercises go for the lighter weights and heavier weights if you are focusing more on pure muscular strength.
4: Jump rope
I know it's kind of old school, but jumping rope is still a great workout - both for your legs and your heart. If you don't believe me, grab your child's jump rope and see how quickly you start sweating. It's also super portable, so you can bring it anywhere or just save it for playtime. Either way, you'll burn tons of calories.
5 Yoga mat
This piece of equipment is vital to have for not just yoga but general stretching as well as core work. Use it in your classes as well as home. Yoga or some type of other stretching routine should be a part of your daily schedule at least two times per week, along with core work three times per week. Take even 15-20 minutes to focus on relaxation, breathing and joint flexibility exercises along with your other core and abdominal routines.