Joey A. Do I really need to invest in an exercise ball or can I get by without one?  They take up a lot of room.

Joey A. Oh yes, I walk about 8000 steps a day.  

Thank you for the link and recommendation.  I'll give it a go!

 Joey A. Conventional wisdom, did NOT work for me.  So all that to say I am open to a lighter weight program and moving more slowly to see if THAT gets me results, but I still like using weights.

I have the dumbbells, I have some bands (with handles), a mat, no exercise ball.

My current body challenge is my left glute being super tight, as well as my IT band (into the side of my knee, which has always been sensitive and when I stretched it I had to be careful because it felt like I was overstretching a rubber band).  And the IT band and glute are also affecting my low/mid back or vice versa! (not sure where it starts - the back or the glute).

Short term goals are to start a program that will help build a base for adding muscle, without irritating my body issues.  Longer term, I want to add muscle and lose 25 lbs.

Joey A. Right now I am starting back after a 6 mo. break.  I am working out at home and I have a variety of dumbells (2,3, 5, 8, 10 and 15 lbs with 4 micro weights of 1.5 lbs each that I can add to a dumbbell.  Then I have a bowflex that has adjustable weights that can go quite high.   

I don't want to irriate my back/glutes.  Any move I did that had me bend forward caused me to have low back pain.  I have been fighting that issue for the last several months with a variety of treatments (chiro, IMS/physiotherapy, acupuncture, rolfing).  I am getting closer but still want to be careful with my back so it appealed to me to go lighter but still get results. 

In the past I did heavy weights while I lost 5 lbs and ate high protein and a dexa scan showed that of the 5 lbs that I lost, 3.5 of them was muscle.  So needless to say I am frustrated by not having success with muscle building.  I am hypothyroid and have always battled that extra 10-20 lbs and everything that worked for everyone else, 

And glute/IT band issues.

I use to lift heavier weights and workout 3 -4 days a week.  I followed a program at home with weights.  Before that I strength trained at a gym.  Been weight lifting since I was 18.  I am 61 now.  But I have been on and off due to neck/back issues.  So I am trying to get back into it after being off for about 6 months.  I like the concept you espouse (not having to do progressive overload to get results, slow and steady, etc) but I still like using weights.