Surely, you like to get fit. But not everyone that wants to get fit has the luxury of time and money to spend on a gym membership. Add up to that the expense of traveling back and forth the gym, paying for an instructor, and whatnot. So, if you’re pressed by time and you’re on a budget, it’s normal to feel like you’re falling behind your fitness goals.
Then, fast forward to this time and season today. Perhaps many gyms are still closed given the pandemic, and much of the world has to stay home. If you succumb to these challenges, then you’ll only fall even far short of your goals.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t always have to be that way. According to 28 AT HOME, even if you’re just at home, there are many ways to start your fitness journey, especially if you religiously follow a fitness program. Moreover, here are more ways to get fit at home:
1. Walk For at Least 20 Minutes
You’ve probably heard that all-too-familiar advice that sitting down the entire day isn’t good for you. Additionally, the danger with working from home now is that you may be tempted to spend the entire day working with very minimal breaks, just to get it over fast.
Rather than taking this route, have a regular break as you would’ve done so if you were still in the office. Then, during this break, don’t just sit, eat, and go on social media. Take advantage of this time to move around. If you can, take a 20-minute walk around your neighborhood. This is more than enough to give you that daily physical activity needed to stay fit.
2. Get Started with an Exercise Routine
If you’re still new to exercising, you don’t necessarily need to exercise daily right away. What’s important is that you make it a point to get started as soon as possible with a workable exercise routine–something that can be done at least thrice a week.
Here’s a good example of a routine you can start with. Aim for at least half an hour of cardiovascular exercise at least three times a week and at least 20 minutes of strength training. What’s important is that whatever your routine is, it covers your major muscle groups in the upper and lower body.
The hardest decision is to get started. Once that’s done and over with, it’ll be seamless for you to keep going with a routine that works for you.
3. Use Tabata
With your daily responsibilities, it often feels as if there’s just not enough time in the day left to you to have your ‘me time’ and squeeze in a bit of an exercise.
If this is the case, then your solution is a five-minute Tabata workout. Even though these are very quick, it’s just as effective as other, longer exercises, as long as you do this consistently.
Here’s how Tabata works:
For five minutes, you exercise for 20 seconds and then take 10 seconds off. The same cycle repeats until you finish the Tabata timer app, which is set at five minutes. You can run, do burpees, jumping jacks, and even planking if you know you can last 20 seconds.
Consistent Tabata training can increase your metabolism and heart rate. Eventually, you’ll start to see the results coming in.
4. Find an Exercise Partner
Even when you’re just at home, you can ask your sibling, parent, spouse, or children to be your exercise partner.
Yes, there are exercises you can also enjoy with the entire family. That way, you’re sure to allocate time of the day for exercise. You can avoid having the children bother you in the middle of your exercise.
Plus, when you’ve got an exercise partner, it’s easier for you to remember and stick to the routine. It’ll also become more fun when the entire family joins in the fun.
5. Switch Off
Getting fit isn’t just about the exercise. It’s also about getting healthy, holistically.
When you’re just at home, one of the biggest distractions to productivity is your gadgets. Hence, make it a point to switch off your gadgets regularly. Getting enough sleep is crucial to being fit and having so many gadgets turned on with the notifications popping up regularly isn’t going to help. Next thing you know, you’ve just wasted two hours simply scrolling mindlessly on your social media account.
That time could’ve been spent exercising, meal prepping healthy food, and even resting.
6. Schedule Your Workouts
One of the most common pieces of advice you may have heard from productivity experts is to plan your meals for the week. It pays to have a schedule so it’s easier for you to envision what’s coming right ahead in the week.
As you create your schedule, be sure that you key in exercise time at least every day. That way, it becomes a part of your routine. As much as possible, have your exercise time very early on in the morning. Not only are you increasing the chances of actually being able to do these exercises, but you’re also increasing your energy level and have a positive attitude set for the entire day.
7. Do a Cleaning Chore Every Day
Doing a household chore is actually like hitting two birds with one stone. If the days just get impossibly long and busy, and the house is still a mess, go ahead and clean up! Cleaning the house is a sneaky way to exercise. Not only will cleaning be more fun, but you’re also burning more calories as you go.
Conclusion
If this past year, you’re like everyone else who may have had to put a temporary halt to your fitness routine, you’re not alone. But this brand-new year comes new hope and opportunities. As you now adjust to spending more time at home, this means that you should’ve already gotten by a routine that works for you.
It’s time to put a stop to being a couch potato. Rather than spending half an hour watching TV, get up, get moving, and get started with your very own home fitness routine.
