Written by Miranda Davis, Guest Writer
It’s quite challenging to stay fit during the quarantine. However, don’t let it dampen your fitness game! We’ve consolidated well-tried methods to stay motivated and find your fitness groove this season.
Winter months and lockdown measures make it challenging to stick to an exercise plan and stay fit. While exercising under such circumstances might be tough, it’s vital for health. Physical activities will help you maintain strength, energy, build endurance, and relieve stress.
But are there effective ways to stay fit without a gym? Yes, and we’ve consolidated them in this post! Keep reading!
Set Achievable Fitness Goal
If you are a beginner, start slowly in order not to burn out quickly. Also, set small realistic goals. For example, you want to run or jog, begin with a 15-minute promenade around your neighborhood. In several days, speed up your pace into a quick walk, then work your way up to running. Make sure to regulate your intensity for the weather. It’s best to ease into a fitness routine, play it safe, and do your best to avoid slips and falls if the sidewalks are slippery and icy.
Always keep your fitness goals in mind. Do you want to stay fit during covid? Do you want to feel healthier? Remind yourself of your goals for exercise, and you are more likely to succeed.
Partner up
Convince your spouse or partner to exercise with you. If you both want to stay fit during the lockdown, exercising together may be a great motivation. You’ll be able to provide support to each other and this way skip fewer sessions. It’s a kind of the right social pressure. There is an additional benefit – co-exercising may improve your relationships through a shared goal.
Don’t have a partner? It’s time to look for him at the best dating sites! Why not? The chances of finding like-minded people there are high; you’ll start by exercising together via Skype, and then who knows?
Next, you can join a live workout class on Zoom or Instagram. It’s a great winter option if you want to exercise in a group but don’t want to go out and brave the cold and pandemic.
Enlist your family members and friends as exercise partners; try to find somebody who is also looking for ways to stay fit at home. You’ll see that home workouts can be social and fun!
Schedule Your Exercise Sessions
Pencil your home workout in your calendar. Even if you are too busy, you should write down your fitness goals and a fitness plan. This way regular exercise will become a part of your schedule and you’ll achieve your goals much faster. Furthermore, experts recommend tracking exercise in a log. It’s very motivating to see your achievements and progress.
Increase Your Overall Physical Activity
Actually, exercise doesn’t have to take long. If you’re wondering how to stay fit for summer but can’t schedule adequate exercise sessions, or aren’t ready to get into full workout mode, there are still several good solutions for you. There are a huge amount of simple ways to increase your physical activity without training in the gym or at home. Just incorporate the following things into your daily routine:
- Take 5 minutes to stretch when you wake up.
- Tighten the muscles in your thighs and bottom while brushing your teeth or cooking.
- Take a walk whenever you can – the more, the better.
- Tidy up or de-clutter your home.
- Do some desk stretches while working.
- Take the stairs instead of using the elevator or escalator.
- Increase your steps by parking the car further away from the building.
- Dance for 1-2 minutes when your favorite song comes on the radio.
- Play with your kids or pets.
- Stand up from the chair without using your arms.
If you and your partner already do most of these activities, you’re off to a great start. Stay active regardless of the season, little things always add up.
Grab Your Partner & Enjoy Winter Activities Together
There is a great way to stay fit without exercise – get outdoors and enjoy winter activities! Skating, skiing, snowshoeing, and snowboarding are available for just a brief window of time. So, layer up, step outside and enjoy winter while it lasts.
Unfortunately, some activities may be limited during the ongoing pandemic. But this is not the reason to stay home all day long! Set up backyard winter games, e.g., build snow hills for sledding, create a small ice rink, have a snowman-building competition with your partner, family, and friends. Get creative! There are plenty of enjoyable ways to stay fit and healthy and embrace beautiful winter.
Create A Budget-friendly Home Gym
Although there are plenty of activities you can enjoy during wintertime, sometimes you or your partner may not like the idea of being out when it’s snowing and freezing cold. That’s when a home gym can be helpful, especially when you are looking for ways to stay fit after 40.
By utilizing your own space, you’ll easily incorporate at-home workouts into your daily routine.
Creating a home gym doesn’t require too much money and effort. Also, you won’t have to sacrifice the whole room. Here is what you may need:
- Choose and prepare an exercise zone – it can be a small space, e.g., a part of a room. Just make sure you can place a yoga mat and do exercises there.
- Ensure you have essential equipment and accessories – if you have enough space in your home, buy some fitness equipment; however, you can easily do without it. But you still might need the following things for effective sessions: a yoga mat, dumbbells, medicine balls, a foam roller, kettlebells, and resistance bands.
- How to stay fit after 40? Learn cardio, bodyweight, and other equipment-free exercises to burn calories and build muscles. Use online resources and videos to make the process easier.
Conclusion
There’s no need to hibernate during the cold season and pandemic. It’s possible to exercise and stay active. Experts recommend exercising up to an hour daily; however, only 5-10 minutes of movement a day can improve your mood, health, and help with weight loss.
So, keep your goals in mind, find an activity you enjoy, grab a partner, and get moving!
About the Author
Miranda Davis is a freelance writer in the relation and psychology area. Miranda is interested in such topics as building healthy relationships between people, love/sex compatibility, and how to find the right balance in life in general. She is currently doing specific research on the topic. Miranda loves cooking and long-distance walking.
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