Quarantine is tough on our minds and our bodies, and if you aren’t lucky enough to have a home gym, staying in shape while stuck in the house can seem nearly impossible. Food is constantly at your disposal, and it is easy to fall into some pretty unhealthy habits if you are not careful.
As part of our quarantine series, perhaps you are already trying to exercise daily, but it’s not quite enough. Here are some easy things that you can do to boost your at-home workouts for quarantine and achieve maximum health benefits.
Stock Up on Fitness Attire
This may seem silly, but a new workout outfit or simply something that is bright and cheery can boost your mood and make your workout much more productive. If your appearance isn’t as important, ensure that you have sportswear made of breathable, movable material so that you aren’t uncomfortable when you are being active. Working out in an old t-shirt may seem like the easiest solution, but be sure that you are wearing something that doesn’t hinder your ability to burn calories and keeps you as cool as possible. It is also important not to run out of sportswear during the week because everything is in the laundry pile – no excuses for skipping your exercise allowed!
Take Healthy Supplements
Keeping yourself healthy on the inside is another great way to boost your workouts. Invest in some pre-workout supplements, like creatine or BCAA amino acids, which can be safely used to boost your performance and increase muscle mass. Another beneficial supplement is lectin, which can help with cardiovascular health and even weight loss. If you are lucky, you may be able to find a lectin shield coupon so you can try the supplement to see if it’s right for you. No matter what you pick, make sure that you are dosing at the appropriate time so that you get as much as you can out of your fitness session.
Set a Reminder
During quarantine, in particular, it is easy to fall into a routine of laziness and let self-care fall by the wayside. If you don’t already have a set schedule, create one that you can follow daily so you do not become too sedentary. If you are working from home, use your lunch break to get some exercise- even if it is just a quick walk around the block. You can also set a daily reminder on your phone that tells you to get yourself moving, whether it is a quick walk outside with the dog or a family member or an exercise video in front of your TV.
Create an Exercise Space
If you do not have a home gym or an area in your home where you store fitness equipment, create a temporary space where you can go when it is time to workout. Having your own area full of items you need (that don’t take up too much space) such as hand weights, a yoga mat, and resistance bands will save you the time of deciding where to exercise every day. Plus, you are also less likely to get hurt in an area that has been equipped for at-home workouts since you will have adequate space and the materials needed to get fit safely.
Workout With a Friend
There seems to be an ever-growing amount of applications that can be used to get in touch with friends via video chat, so use this to your advantage and plan a fun workout with a friend on Zoom or another video-conferencing application. Plan your routine and exercise goals in advance, and workout alongside your friend for extra motivation and support, as well as some friendly competition. Video workouts are much better for you than virtual happy hours anyway.
Being stuck at home can be detrimental to our mental and physical health. There are many ways to exercise from walking, biking, running, or using at-home workouts for quarantine. Find a way to get a good workout every day, and you will benefit from the endorphins and won’t have to worry about carrying around extra “quarantine weight” once the bathing suit season finally rolls around.
Tags: home workout, quarantine
