Let’s get physical! Though this year has kept us all inside, that doesn’t mean that we can’t be physically active and have fun doing it — instead of viewing it as a hassle, think of it as a challenge. Exercising during coronavirus is a lot simpler than you think. Easy, right? Not necessarily. If anything, it is easier said than done, especially when your entire day is on Zoom or on the couch on your phone. But here’s the good news: anything can be considered exercise. Walking to your kitchen? Bam! you just exercised. Doing laundry or dishes? Woo — look at you! You just got some cardio in! You don’t have to exactly have a sweat-fest of moving around for an hour or two. Still not convinced and feel like you should do more or you should get a gym membership and a meal plan? That’s understandable. Try this the next time you start to feel like toning up:
1. Start and end your day by stretching and doing deep breathing for five to 15 minutes. If you want to step it up, you could try yoga (essentially stretching and deep breathing, but you are concentrating on letting go of the tension and focusing on listening to your bodily rhythms).
2. If you want to work your legs, and if you live or work in a place where there are multiple stories, take the stairs instead using the elevator. You could also try to take them multiple times. It’s also a great way to get away from the computer or television and clear your head.
3. Walking. Severely underrated, yet highly effective. You’ve got two legs — use them! Getting up and walking is healthy, especially when you start to feel confined by your living space. Like the previous tip, it’s a great way to clear your head and focus on yourself. Aside from this, you can also reconnect with the outdoors.
4. If you don’t have time to walk or take the stairs a few times, no worries! You can still manage to get fit. For example, whenever you have a little down time from your Zoom meetings and assignments online, you can do push-ups, tricep dips, lunges, squats, etc. for as long as you need to. The possibilities are endless. You can mix and match which sections of your body you want to work for the time being.
5. Want to relax and still have abs? Yup, you are not the only one. Consider working out while watching TV.
6. If you have Amazon Prime, you can choose an exercise program to follow. Youtube also has some great options. You can customize your own playlist and add videos later on.
7. Most of all, drink water and get a good night’s sleep. Like walking, these two tips are useful, yet underappreciated. The next time you want to grab that energy drink, consider switching it out for a bottle of water. For sleep, if you have an extra hour to spare at night (or whenever your sleep schedule is), use it to rest.
You’ve got this!
