Since we are all unable to leave the house, odds are, we’re all being way less active than in the past. For some of us, we have nothing to do all day besides sit in front of a computer or browse Netflix for hours. Maybe, our activity levels depend on the weather because there’s nowhere in our homes to be active. Although I still need work myself, here are some tips to stay active and maintain a healthy lifestyle while in quarantine.
Get Dressed in Your Workout Clothes
I don’t love to work out, so finding motivation to do it on my own is very challenging. A habit I’ve gotten into is getting into my workout clothes when I first wake up. My thought behind this, is if I’m in my pajamas all day, I’ll be less likely to change later in the day. Also, I feel I’ve “wasted” or wore an outfit and will have to wash it after I take it off, so I might as well workout in it.
Workout in a Way You Will Enjoy
Like I said earlier, I have little to no motivation to work out on most days. Now that I no longer have the motivation of the spin instructor and pricey classes forcing me to go, I’m even less likely to get up and moving. Something I’ve found helps me, is to stick to doing workouts I enjoy. At the start of quarantine, I would try to find something on Pinterest to follow and get an ab workout in from Instagram. After I felt I wasn’t doing enough cardio, I needed to switch gears but was not about to go run through the neighbor (that’s so not my jam). Something I chose to do instead, is pull up a dance workout routine on YouTube and follow along. In these videos, they teach you a dance, so you’ll sweat but also have so much fun doing it. Because I used to be a dancer and cheerleader, I was so in my element and found it to be so fun. Finding something enjoyable make working out so much more bearable.
Follow a Routine
Something I’ve tried to do throughout quarantine is set an alarm on weekdays and get out of bed by 9:45am. Because I am up and awake, I first start with my schoolwork and get it all done in the morning. Once I finish that, I have the whole afternoon free and can spend it binge watching a show, working out, or completing one of the many projects I’ve started in quarantine. Following a routine has kept me responsible for my work and allowed me to get into a flow of how each day will go: wake up, schoolwork, workout, then free time.
Don’t Buy Unhealthy Foods
Lastly, my biggest flaw in quarantine is snacking when I am bored. I also am big on snacking while watching TV and now that I do this more often, I also snack more often. Something I’ve noticed made a big difference in my snacking, starts at the grocery store. In the past, my mom would always buy salt and vinegar chips because they are my favorite snack. If they’re in the house… I’m going to eat them! Now, if I ask her not to buy them and we only buy healthy options, there is no choice but to eat the healthier food.
Although these tips are focused on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, this is a difficult and uncertain time for everyone. There are days where I stay in my pajamas and eat the salt and vinegar chips because I just need a day to rest. During this time in quarantine, you don’t need to come out with a summer body, a new hobby or your best self. We will all use this time differently, but these are just some tricks to care for our bodies and remain as active as we can during this crazy time.