HOW TO STAY PHYSICALLY ACTIVE DURING HOME QUARANTINE

The enhanced community quarantine that was put in place to flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic surely had disrupted your previously active lifestyle by pushing you to self-isolation.  

Staying at home may be beneficial (and enjoyable at first) because it will lessen the risk of you getting infected, however, staying at home for prolonged periods can pose several health issues.  

For one, staying home tends to mean more eating and less moving for many of us. The newly-formed sedentary behavior and low levels of physical activity can have negative effects on the health, well-being, and quality of life of individuals.   

Also, sudden drastic changes in a person’s life such as being cut off from face-to-face social interactions, combined with being stuck inside all day and inactive can cause additional stress and challenge the mental health of citizens.  

Staying physically active during home quarantine can be a valuable tool to help you remain calm, stay motivated, and continue to protect your health. 

Here are some of the best tips on how to keep on being active during the home quarantine, while still maintaining social distancing procedures

TAKE SHORT ACTIVE BREAKS DURING THE DAY

World Health Organization recommends that you spend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, or a combination of both. You can do short bouts of physical activity throughout the day and it will add up to the weekly recommendations. 

Do not let the home quarantine discourage you from being active because you can still achieve these at home, with no special equipment, and with limited space. Exercises and activities such as dancing, playing with the kids in the yard, and gardening will get you moving. Also performing domestic chores such as tidying up, rearranging the furniture, and doing the laundry are other means to stay active every day at home. 

FOLLOW AN ONLINE EXERCISE CLASS

Just because gyms are closed doesn’t mean you have to miss your workout. The internet is teeming with online exercise classes. Many of these are free and can be found on YouTube. 

 Rebecca-Louise is the fitness coach behind the popular daily fitness & nutrition App called BURN. Whether you are a beginner or pro when it comes to fitness and workouts, her Youtube channel has videos that will immensely help you. What’s more, her workout videos are apartment-friendly!

You can also do the following indoor exercises:

Yoga 

There are plenty of free yoga classes on the internet. First-timers need not be intimidated because there are many variations in poses that differ in intensity. For example, vinyasa and ashtanga yoga is intense, while yin yoga is slower and focuses on holding stretches.  

Pilates 

Pilates is another very popular exercise that can be performed in-house and with plenty of online resources available. This form of exercise focuses on creating flexibility, balance and a better posture by strengthening muscles.

Just like yoga, there are many variations to pilates and sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between pilates and general aerobics and fitness exercises. 

Steps

You don’t need a fitness step to get your steps in. Make use of the stairs in the house or apartment building.  

If there are steep steps in a public area where you live, you can make use of those steps, too. Combining this with your routine jog will make for a great workout!

 Jump Rope 

Boxers incorporate jump rope into their routine exercise because it is a great cardio exercise. 

It strengthens muscles in the legs and arms and is also good for developing focus. 

Jump rope may require a little more space because you don’t want to trip or smack things on the floor with the rope. 

Just a reminder though: if you have no experience performing these exercises, be cautious and aware of your limitations.

WALK

Have you been sitting for long periods? Maybe you are working from home all afternoon or have been binge-watching Netflix shows. 

In that case, you should take short breaks and stand up. When you have a call, stand or walk around your home while you speak, instead of sitting down.   

Also, do not forget to walk around or walk on the spot, even in small spaces to help you remain active.  

But always remember that if you decide to go outside to walk or exercise, be sure to maintain at least a 1-meter distance from other people.

STAND UP

Reduce your sedentary time by standing up whenever you can. Set your timer to go off every 30 minutes so that you will be reminded to stand up and interrupt your sitting and reclining spree. 

You can also opt for an adjustable work desk so that you can work while standing up. If your table is fixed, use a high table or stacking a pile of books or other materials, to continue working while standing. 

As quarantine times are extended across the world, you may have to stay home, but you shouldn’t let yourself get lazy. Keeping yourself active during home quarantine not only benefits you physically, but it is also incredibly important for keeping a healthy mental state.