Let me just preface this entire post by saying that my intention here is not to shame anyone that is not partaking in physical activity during this time – we are all handling COVID-19 differently and on our own terms. There are a whole lot of Quarantine gurus and masters out there acting like it is a productivity contest and trying to coach everyone on the right way to live during this time and my post’s intention is not to do that.
I am writing this post because one of the things that has helped to keep me sane at this time is MOVEMENT. Movement has always been a solid go-to for me when I need a mood booster. I miss the gym and it is part of my normal routine so not having it has made me go a little crazy. Anything as small as waking up and stretching in the morning can make a difference right now.
With that being said, I decided to put together some of my tips and tricks to stay healthy and fit during this time!
Practice Until You Find What Works and What Doesn’t
Let me just say I forgot how hard and sweaty a solid HIIT session can get! I honestly feel so great from doing these workouts. While HIIT is my favorite type of workout at the moment, it may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Here are some other options:
- HIIT – my favorite resources are Popsugar Fitness on Youtube, various sources on Instagram (influencers, friends that are PTs, etc), and making up my own! I also have no workout equipment besides a booty band so these are a great option if that is also your situation.
- Running – if you’re just starting out try doing a program to motivate yourself and track progress – such as Couch to 5K.
- Walking – daily walks have been a lifesaver! Look up local trails in your area to keep it interesting and get a change of scenery if you get bored.
- Zumba – Tons of resources on Google and Youtube
- Kickboxing – Tons of resources on Google and Youtube
- Pilates/Yoga – Tons of resources on Google and Youtube
If you’re new to working out at home, it’s all about trial and error when getting started. I’ve really enjoyed a mix of HIIT and daily walks. I might dab into running sprints eventually but right now, I have a good thing going with just those two.
Another suggestion I have is investing in a home workout guide from a personal trainer or a fitness influencer on Instagram. Don’t spend a lot of money on them because they aren’t worth it, but find a solid program for no more than $40 to help you. When I first started working out again consistently back in 2017, I lived in Spain. I had no gym equipment and I was living in small pueblo Salvaterra so there wasn’t a gym at all besides a rec center that had a circuit training class on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Therefore, I bought a Workouts by Katya home workout program and seriously went to the park every day, followed the eight weeks worth of workouts and repeated the program. At the time, I was new to home workouts so it was good for keeping me on track and giving me the mentality of “this is my workout for the day – no ifs, ands or buts.”
Try to Choose Healthy Snack and Food Choices
I am naturally a very snacky person so this has been my biggest kryptonite during quarantine. I I love eating but since I am not moving as much as I normally would each day I have tried to be better at monitoring what I have eaten – some days I am successful and others I am the farthest from it. Some of my favorite snacks on hand right now are:
- Cucumbers and Hummus
- Oatmeal
- Fruit – berries and kiwi tend to help my sweet tooth the most
- Guacamole
- Smoothies – I use oat milk, frozen fruit, spinach and avocado.
- Popsicles – I love ice cream – so these have been a godsend when I am craving something cold and sweet.
- Water – I have been trying to stay up on my water intake. I usually drink about 90 ounces a day normally so keeping that same goal while working from home has helped a lot to keep me full and from snacking.
Another eating tip – Intermittent Fasting – There’s a lot of good and bad press about IF, but I will say that it does work for me. I haven’t been great at sticking to it lately but when I do I feel so much less bloated and have a lot more energy. When I am practicing IF, I generally have my eating window from 12pm to 7 pm, but you can change that up based what works best with your schedule. This will also help save money since you will only get in 2-3 meals a day in a shorter amount of time!
I also understand that it is very easy to eat out during this time. I totally get it because I feel like I have an excuse to justify it (supporting the restaurant biz)! However, you don’t always have to feel guilty eating out, and you shouldn’t anyways, but most restaurants now – like Chipotle, Jimmy Johns, sushi places, etc have many healthier options on their menus to help keep extra calories to a minimum if you feel like tracking it.
Again, take this all with a grain of salt – we are all handling this our best and I have definitely had weeks where I have eaten out way more than I should or didn’t choose the best options – just do your best!
Set Goals
Just as you would in a normal gym or fitness setting – always have a goal that you are working towards to keep your focus.
It can literally be anything – for example, I have a few HIIT circuits that I have been doing that I try to increase the number of rounds I do each time to make it a little harder on myself. If it’s a day that I have a bit more energy, then I will try to do 2 or 3 different circuits.
I have also added doing 50 pushups and 100 squats to every workout regardless of what I have done that day to always have a solid lower and upper body work mixed in with my HIIT.
If you had daily goals before – try to keep up on them now! If you are used to walking 15,000 steps a day – keep that goal! If you take ten flights of stairs – find a staircase to use! If you normally track your calories – keep doing that! Goals are so good to have right now because they keep you motivated and coming back for more.
Which leads me to:
Take Advantage of Fitness Trackers
Now is a great time to track your habits or create new habits! If you want to clean up your eating, try apps like MyFitnessPal or Lifesum.
A fitness tracker is great to have right now if you are working on tuning up your fitness. There are obviously a ton of different ones on the market – I have a Garmin VivoActive3 and they are even on sale right now for $129.99! I use my watch daily to track my steps, stairs, calories, and activity. They are great for goal setting and helping you to stay on track. It also keeps me motivated to see how my progress throughout the day has gone.
And Finally, Stick with a Routine:
The easiest way to stay on track during this for me has been to stick with a routine. It’s easy when there’s literally nothing going on and nothing to do to slip backwards and keep putting off workouts or eating healthy. That’s why I have tried to stick to more or less the same schedule everyday. I wake up more or less at the same time (6am-ish). I get ready for work. I do my workouts at the same time for about 30-45 minutes, then I go for at least a 30 minute walk right after. In general, whether it is fitness related or not, keeping a routine right now I believe can really boost one’s mood because it helps create a sense of normalcy in such a weird and unknown time.
Let me mention finally that being fit and healthy right now means so much more than exercise and eating healthy – it’s also very much mental and spiritual. Try to work small things into your routine that bring you happiness and peace of mind. For me, writing, reading, meditating and blogging help me work through my thoughts. There are so many ways to do this so use this time to explore some options for little tasks that you can do to make your days a little brighter.
Thank you all so much for being here; and I hope you enjoyed reading this blog as much as I enjoyed writing it.
xoxo,
Molly
