As soon as quarantine started and we were cooped up in our homes, we all tried to become fitness gurus. We tried making our own recipes (for whatever reason, banana bread), we tried to pick up new hobbies (or rediscover our love for old ones), and we spent hours learning TikTok dances (don’t try to deny it). And for some of us, it worked: we lost extra weight and became more toned when we couldn’t do anything else. But for others, we stress-ate too much and couldn’t even find the motivation to get out of bed in the morning. Considering the fact that this has been a uniquely chaotic experience of living through a pandemic, any way to cope with how stressful 2020 has been is fair as long as you’re trying to stay healthy and happy. Below are some suggestions for how you can stay fit and feel better about your body without even needing to step foot inside of a gym!
Use YouTube to Find Your Instructors
At the gym, it is hard to find certain equipment you are comfortable using. I know that I avoid scary machines at all costs until I watch someone using them or get proper instruction directly. Luckily YouTube is here to help us work out at home by offering all kinds of workout videos that may or may not require equipment that you already own so you can find the perfect video. I personally just finished the Blogilates 21 Day Tone challenge and it was great to carve out only 21 minutes each day for 21 consecutive days. If you’re just getting started and trying to find a good workout routine, I would recommend searching for two-week or 30-day challenges. This search can help narrow down your results of what body areas you want to focus on, lengths and intensities of workouts and what types of instruction would work best for you. You can find Zumba, yoga, pilates, weights — anything really! Challenges also help your body adjust to doing short workouts every day, and consistency is what will keep you motivated and eager to see results and feel the burn.
Turn Your Home into Your Gym
Although many of us have no gym equipment in our homes or apartments do not worry because household items can also be used as weights. For example, fill your backpack with heavy books, use soup cans or water bottles for light dumbbells or even grab a pillow for core workouts. However, working out at home is not as easy as it looks. It does have challenges, such as countless distractions like your bed or refrigerator, people you live with, getting caught up on your Instagram feed, etc. That’s why it’s so important to carve out a certain amount of time in your day for a short workout – just 30 minutes each day has been proven to improve cognitive function, mental well-being and physical health.
But Working Out Is Only Half of It… Eating Right Counts Too
Daily workouts might not show a huge change in your body right away until you start adjusting your eating habits. That definitely doesn’t mean you should start eating only salads and green smoothies for breakfast, lunch and dinner; this just means you should be more mindful of what nutrients you’re putting into your body. You have to keep in mind that you won’t feel as energized or refreshed if you are working out and rewarding yourself with junk food. Finding healthy snacks or meal prep recipes on Pinterest could be a great start toward making better food choices that accompany better lifestyle habits. After a good workout, I usually gravitate towards salty snacks like Triscuit crackers or even pretzel Goldfish. If you need something more refreshing, açai bowls or smoothies can be great options that you can personalize with whatever fruit or toppings you may be in the mood for as a reward!
And Don’t Forget to Dress for the Occasion!
Sometimes all the motivation you’ll need can come from your closet: throw on some workout clothes! Trust me, if you dress the part, you will get it done. Even if you put on your old t-shirts and shorts you will have no excuse to avoid working out because you will feel more motivated. Start your day by putting on a sports bra so that at some point when you have free time you can just throw on that old t-shirt and get started! By looking ready to go for a workout you will feel more confident and motivated to actually get something done!