When life gives you lemons you make the best lemonade possible. It can be challenging to muster the energy to move when you just aren’t feeling it, but movement is beneficial. It reduces fatigue, energizing you for the remainder of the day. It can be used to treat anxiety and depression by changing the levels of cortisol and dopamine in the body. In addition, physical inactivity plays a role in the development of chronic illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.
With so many benefits, it makes sense to include exercise as much as possible. Easier said than done when stuck indoors with little to no access to gyms or outdoor activities, but there is hope. Physical activity is possible while being at home. There are even some positives to it. There is no need to travel to a gym or wait for access to equipment. There is no pricey membership to buy, and most importantly, you can work out from home any day at any time.
So why not give it a chance? Just because you can’t mimic the exact same routine you had going at the gym doesn’t mean you can’t find something enjoyable to do at home. So start swapping your old routine for some new ways to stay active:
- Tech. The obvious one, right? Look online or on your phone for videos or apps that mimic in-class routines. There are a variety of time lengths and intensity levels to choose from. Find a few that work and start rotating them throughout the week.
- Build your own strength training routine. Find objects around the house to use as weights. Books, water bottles, canned goods, you name it. Fill tote bags with household items, such as old DVD’s or toys and start counting your reps. By using your imagination you’ll start getting your resistance training going in no time.
- Turn it into a game. Challenge those in your household to race from point A to point B by skipping, hopscotching or bear crawling. Think of fun and silly ways to reach the finish line. Not only will you get your exercise in, you’ll get your daily dose of laughter as well.
- Dance party, baby. Turn up the music and dance away while cooking, talking on the phone, or even cleaning. Dancing can burn 200 to 400 calories an hour. Don’t worry if you’re rhythmically challenged. Remember to dance like no one is watching, the thing that matters is that you move — not how well you kill the routine.
- Go old school. There’s nothing wrong with tried and true push ups, jumping jacks, or sit ups. They’re classic for a reason. Modify as needed to make them work. Before you know it, you’ll be breaking a sweat and building some muscle.
– Progress, Not Perfection –
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/physical-activity-its-important
Reblogged this on Life Directions and commented:
Short, Sweet, and to the Point on great reminders of easy ways to stay active and the importance of doing so! I whole heartedly agree with Irazema when she says, “Why not?” We really have nothing to lose!