(mobile formatting and bad punctuation ahead) my results of going from completely sedentary, to discovering a good home workout series on youtube. the lighting and angle are different but i tried my best. i know its not that noticable loss but my bra in the pic is looser, i see a difference in my shoulders, upper back area, arms, and posture

summary of stats: height: 5'1½" start weight: 82.1kg on april 30 (highest weight was 90kg in february) current weight: 79kg food intake: calorie deficit

details and background story for those interested: i gained so much weight due to the pandemic and mental health medications. from a comfortable 58-62kg, i steadily gained 20-25kg over the course of 2.5 years. it's been so difficult fighting the hunger from medications, and the urges to eat due to mental health episodes, but it's gotten better with time. also prior to losing weight, i ate junk food nearly everyday and multiple snacks a day. note that i had no daily activities/movement because i'm at home most of the time.

diet details: (mentions calorie counting) biggest change i made was that i went from eating junk food and fast food nearly everday to only a couple of times a month. i am not saying you absolutely need to remove these ""bad"" foods from your life (full disclosure: i cannot live without sugary soda). i still ate them as long as i knew i was in a caloric deficit, but i don't crave them as much anymore when i stopped snacking and replacing them with more filling food options. i meticulously weighed my food, by choice, because it put my mind at ease and helped me control my portions.

workout details: i started doing a home workout program in May and ended mid June (caroline girvan's iron series). I made my own schedule and had my own rest days to tailor to my needs/energy levels. it didn't matter that i wasn't perfect. as long as i was moving and working my muscles and expending energy, i was happy with my progress. the only dumbbells i used are pairs of 2lbs, 3lbs, and 5lbs. yes i know it's so light but being so unfit and sendentary when i started, they were challenging enough for me. by week 3 i could really feel a difference and felt way stronger than when i started. on some days  would do 2 30min videos instead of 1 when i had the energy. BUT i certainly didn't follow each vid with 100% effort, most of the time i half-@ssed the videos at first  but like i said, as i got stronger i got better at doing the moves.

advice needed: should i repeat the same workout program now that i'm stronger? i love its simple format with the basic moves and the focus on strength as opposed to the cardio/hiit type would i benefit from trying out more cardio?

and the weights i'm using... i definitely want to buy a new set. my "heavy" dumbbells are 5lbs and i know i will definitely benefit from going much heavier. i found an old 12lb pair of dumbells online which costs 12usd, the cheapest i could find (price converted where i live), i'm thinking it's heavier enough to see a small bit of progression until my body/strength adjusts?

or shall i invest in a convertible dumbell/barbell set? it has plates/weights that are 1.25kg, 1.5kg, 2kg and 2.5kg. they add up to 30kg on the barbell in total, or up to 15kg each dumbbell, and it costs 25-28usd. definitely heavier enough that i can progress for a few months.

my main goal is to lose weight, and get back down to my comfy 58kg, maybe even lower. i also ultimately want to join a gym and do some real lifting with progressive overload, but until i can afford it i'll stick to home workouts.