You may be finding it tougher to exercise with most of our daily movement restricted to our home during the pandemic. And even if you are getting some movement in, you might be feeling frustrated that you’re not at your usual level of activity. But now, more than ever, exercise is important. It can have a huge impact on anxiety you may be feeling due to coronavirus and help ease stress and depression.
It’s normal to feel stir crazy, but also less motivated to exercise since your routine has been turned upside down. But don’t be too hard on yourself. Even a small amount of movement, like a walk around the block, can make a difference. Here are some tips to stay active during quarantine:
Get Outside If You Can.
Take a walk, jog, or ride a bike outside if you can while maintaining a safe distance from others. The fresh air and sunshine will benefit your mental health as well.
Track Your Workouts.
Whether you use a fitness tracker, an app on your phone, or even a journal – detail each workout. This will help you stay accountable and seeing your progress and ability to stay active during this difficult time will give you a sense of accomplishment and an emotional boost to keep going.
Make It a Social Activity.
If you’re quarantining with others, now is the perfect time to work out together! Play an active game, such as tag or hopscotch. Get to know your neighbors and play social distance scavenger hunt.
Sneak Movement into Your Routine.
Even though we’re mostly housebound, you can still find ways to incorporate movement into your day. Try to think of physical activity as a lifestyle choice rather than as a designated event.
- Exercise during commercial breaks
- Take advantage of pauses during the day – If you’re waiting for something to finish or start, you can get in some quick cardio or do some yoga poses.
- Move around the house more
Take Advantage of Technology.
JOHO is offering live Zoom classes, virtual sessions with out trainers, and free customized workout plans. These sessions and classes can help keep you accountable and give you a social connection. And if you can’t make a live class, JOHO records and uploads almost all of our live classes onto our YouTube Channel.
For those who enjoy fitness classes, you’re probably missing the camaraderie and the atmosphere of the gym. The beauty of doing live-streamed workouts at home is that you’re committed to your fitness session. Here are some tips on how to stay committed to live classes:
- Treat it like an appointment – Hold yourself accountable to show up and give it everything you have.
- Put your workouts straight into your calendar
- Give yourself 10 minutes beforehand to get ready and set your device up to live-stream your workout
- Get rid of distractions – Tell your housemates/family/furry friends to not disturb you for however long your class will be
- Focus on yourself and your body for the entire class – Before you know it, class will be over and you’ll feel so accomplished.
Our current situation may have made it difficult for you to partake in your favorite forms of exercises. While you’re making do, it’s normal to feel like working out isn’t as enjoyable, maybe even frustrating. If this is the case, don’t beat yourself up. Instead, try focusing on how much better you’ll feel after you move a little.
-Paulina Le
Health Fitness Specialist