Come to think of it, you can find a shortcut to almost anything. Case in point: easy fitness routines. For the lazy girl and lazy guy in you, anything that involves physical activity and getting fit and healthy, can be intimidating.
There’s this notion that achieving your best and healthy self is one long road paved with cookie-cutter methods. But, there’s always space to figure out what works for you. All it takes is discipline, especially when you’re stuck at home in the middle of this pandemic.
Find a third way and get moving
The simplest care tips you can do for your body can be found at the base of your home. An no, we don’t mean having a makeshift home gym to exercise. What we mean is squeezing in exercises before your Zoom meetings, striving yoga poses for sunset, and sleeping right at night.
After all, being fit is not all about working out and looking physically lean. We know that pandemic weight gain is real. But what matters most is exercising for the great mental benefits, too.
Stretch in the morning
Groggy mornings? We know them best. And stretching first thing in the AM is one of the most effective ways to wake up your body. It relieves tension from a long snooze, and it gets your blood flowing. In a simple as a quick morning flow, you alleviate stiffness in almost every part of your body.
Clean!
Itโs time to really get those muscles moving. Cleaning hard-to-reach areas of your home means youโll also be stretching parts of your body. (This is a good thing!) When everything’s clean, you get to organize your things too for a WFH set-up.
Tip: Don’t do everything all at once. Choose one week in a month to do some regular cleaning. Spread out the different areas of your home, a day at a time. The more you spend time caring for your home, the longer you can preserve it.
Cook your own meals
Preparing and cooking “feel good” meals are always exciting. However, at the same time, meal preps could be serious work, especially if youโre putting on a more elaborate lunch for the day, whether itโs just for you, for a partner or housemate, or for your entire family.
Another great upside to cooking your own food is that youโre more hands-on with the nutritional content of what youโll be consuming. This way, youโll also save more money while avoiding fast food takeouts and deliveries. They say that in order to eat clean, just buy and store food that are nutritious: Vegetables, lean meat, fruits, grains, and a relatively fair amount of dairy. If you don’t have junk, then you don’t eat junk. Simple!
Meanwhile for stress-free and yummy meals, check this quick One Pan Mexican Quinoa recipe that we love from Damn Delicious.
Invest in fun indoor activities
If weโre talking about quick, small-space activities, we like to take a childlike approach. This way, we imagine workouts with jump ropes and hula hoopsโtwo high cardiovascular exercises that you can play with. Invest in new gear and burn tons of calories, all while having fun.
Get on a Balbo
Your core is probably the most vulnerable part of your body when you donโt keep or stay active. When you donโt get moving, your core weakens. To counter a lazy office day sitting at home, get on a Balbo.
Challenge your core, sweat, and get stronger. Do it in the living room, in your bedroom, the backyard, or anywhere you’re comfortable. A few minutes a day is enough to put the work in.
Stretch at Night
Stretching is not only beneficial for pre-workouts and morning pick-me-ups. In fact, Harvard Health Publishing studies show that these specific yoga poses make for better sleep, along with breath work and mindful meditation. We’re guessing it’s safe to say that including a nighttime flow into your sleeping routine is a way to relieve stress, especially after a stressful day.
Working from home?
It’s easy to fall into the trap of being glued to the screen all day, so don’t forget to compartmentalize when you’re working from home. Avoid “burning out” by creating safe spaces in your house where you can relax, exercise, or find some quiet time. And in case no one has told you, you deserve to take a break.