5 Ways to Stay Fit and Active During Quarantine (0 articles)

    
The
global pandemic and its surrounding issues have made it much harder to get out
of your house and spend time outdoors or at the gym. Many pre-COVID gym goers
no longer have it in their routine to make it to the gym and create time in
their schedule for a successful session of getting their heart rate up and
burning calories, lifting weights, or just walking outdoors. If these gym
fanatics and fitness freaks are having a hard time staying active during this
time, what does that say about those who needed help getting motivated to go to
the gym 8 months ago, before the extra obstacles stood in their way? Well, now
more than ever may be the best time for people to make room for exercise in
their weekly routines. Why you ask? Because finding ways to stay active at home
will make room for fewer excuses- you can't say you don't have time to drive to
the gym or can't leave your house because of the kids. If your workout routine
was centered around getting active at home, what could you make as your excuse?
:)
This
is ultimately what helped me to stay consistently active for the past 3 years.
Once I started working from home, I realized it was up to me to make the most
of my time and create an exercise routine that was as efficient as possible.
Whether you prefer cardio, lifting weights, or HIIT workouts, you can do all of
these things at home.
Below
we detail some of the easiest ways to stay fit and active at home:
1. Go for a walk or run outside: Going outside and getting
fresh air while being active is a different experience as compared to indoors
because it stimulates your mind and body connection, as well as your connection
with nature. Studies have proven that outdoor activities lift your mood and
lower anxiety, not to mention its effects on older folks who feel stuck in
their current health status, and children who are inside and on
tablets/phones/etc. for a majority of the day (especially when they are doing
school at home on a laptop.) The best way to stay consistent with walking or
running outside is to create a plan for the week ahead of time. If you are a
walker, map out a different route to take every day- this will keep it
interesting and easier to stay motivated. If you are a runner, you can set
goals for specific lengths you'd like to reach. Like 10 miles in total for the
week, or a 5k every day, for example. During the coronavirus, make sure you are
following state guidelines of protecting yourself and others while you are in
public. This includes running or walking, too.
2. Bodyweight workouts: You don't need extra weight to get
in a workout when you can use your own bodyweight instead! This is a great
option for people who want to get into lifting weights but don't want to invest
in their own weights before giving it a shot. Some examples of bodyweight exercises
include pushups, leg raises, squats, jumping lunges, burpees, and more. Another
form of bodyweight exercise is called HIIT training. HIIT stands for High
Intensity Interval Training and is a form of cardio because it keeps your heart
rate up during your workout (cardio=cardiovascular exercise, which is basically
any exercise that keeps your heart rate up while you are doing it. This means
that even weight lifting can be a form of 'cardio'.)
a. HIIT workout routine: Here is an example of a routine
you can follow for a beginner's HIIT experience. After this you should feel
your heart rate high and your blood flowing! It will only take a few minutes
which is convenient if you have a busy day.
i. Round 1: Burpees for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds,
jumping jacks for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds.
ii. Round
2: Pushups for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, mountain climbers for 20
seconds, rest for 10.
iii. Round 3: Plank for 30 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, high
knees for 30 seconds, rest for 10 seconds.
iv. Round 4: Squat for 20 seconds, jumping squats for 20
seconds, rest for 10 seconds, wall sit for 20 seconds.
3. Follow along to online classes offered by your local gym
or a special gym you might have been wanting to try out. Chances are, any gym
has a great deal going on for their virtual classes- this is a way for them to
get new patrons as well as those willing to eventually be personally trained by
them. Whether you decide to go that route down the line is your choice, but
doing an online class can't hurt. Whether it's spinning, pilates, or yoga that
piques your interest, you can easily find a class by searching for one online.
There are different variations of yoga, pilates, and spinning which usually
correlate to your level of fitness.
In
conclusion, there are tons of ways to stay healthy without access to a gym.
Think about the endless possibilities that aren't even listed above. Something
to remember is everyone is different which means something that works for you
might not work for your sister or friend. So, don't get discouraged if you just
don't feel like doing that Pilates class with your roommate. Find something
that is easy for you to get yourself motivated for and stick with it.
Consistency is more important than variation when you are first creating a routine.
If you're currently not working out at all, try to add in a day or two every
week and see how that goes. There's no need to over-extend yourself when that
leads to burning out. Just like with diets, you can't restrict yourself in
extreme amounts and expect to keep it consistent. Ease yourself into your new
lifestyle so it can be an integral part of your life for years to come. That
may sound miserable now, but getting active does so much for your body and even
more for your mind and mental health.

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