Get Your Body Back on Track After Quarantine
In a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease, the majority of nations around the world are urging their citizens to stay at home. Most businesses around the world have reduced their operations or been closed temporarily to help in the fight against this deadly disease.
If you are a fitness enthusiast, you must be wondering how your life is going to be after staying indoors for a prolonged period of time. It’s difficult to remain physically active while staying at home. Low levels of physical activity will harm your physical and mental health. And this will affect the people around you.
Self-quarantine can lead to stress, frustration, and even depression especially if you are living alone. Physical exercises, meditation, and other relaxation techniques will help you stay calm and improve your health during this critical time.
According to the World Health Organization, adults need 75 minutes of high-intensity physical activity and 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity in a week or both. You can still achieve these recommendations at home. You don’t need gym equipment or a large space to workout. Here are some tips that will help you get your body back on track during and after quarantine. Let’s get started!
1. Maintain your routine
Since you’ll be staying at home, it doesn’t mean that you should change your routine completely. Maintaining your routine will make your life easier at home. Since you don’t have to drop the kids or go to work, you’ll have more time to look at your routine and adjust it accordingly to fit your new situation.
Your body has an internal clock. Therefore, it’s important to sleep and wake up at the same time every day to avoid messing up with your sleeping patterns. Follow your regular morning routine and get to work as if you were working from the office.
Don’t do anything that you wouldn’t do during a normal day. This includes chatting for countless hours, watching Netflix and other TV shows in the morning, or waking up at noon. You cannot improve your productivity and performance by wasting time on low priority activities.
You should also consume nutritious foods as much as you can especially during the quarantine. Avoid junk food, soft drinks, and unbalanced diets. Remember, the food you consume greatly determines how you look and feel.
Consuming too much-processed foods will leave you feeling tired and lazy. And this will harm your performance. It’s also important to avoid filling your stomach or consuming too much than you require. Instead of consuming three large meals in a day, consider consuming five small nutritious meals.
2. Take short breaks
If you love doing what you do, it’s easy to spend the whole day locked in your home office without taking a break. You need to take a break from time to time to relax and recover your lost energies. Studies show that concentration levels start declining after ninety minutes of focus. This means that you should take a break after working continuously for ninety minutes whether you like it or not.
During your breaks, you should consider meditating, doing a few exercises in your backyard, playing with your children, dancing, or even cleaning your home. There are lots of ways to remain active at home without struggling.
3. Get your online instructor
Since you’ll be working from home, chances are you’ve got a strong and reliable internet connection. Take advantage of online content as much as you can right now. There are thousands of qualified gym and exercise instructors on YouTube who can help you achieve your health goals at home for free. All you need to do is follow what they tell you to do.
Even if you’ve never worked out or exercised alone, these instructors will guide every step of the way. While it’s important to push yourself especially when doing a variety of exercises, it’s crucial to know your limits. The last thing you want to happen is injuring yourself during such a time.
If you are exercising inside your house, consider using an empty room or moving some of your things to another room to have adequate space. Also, watch carefully what your instructor is doing to avoid doing the opposite and ending up in a hospital bed.
4. Walk as much as you can
Walking around even in small spaces can help you remain active. Walk when you are speaking on the phone, cleaning your house, cooking, or even talking to your kids. If you decide to go out to walk, ensure that you follow the rules and regulations formulated by the local health authorities such as maintaining at least one-meter distance from others.
5. Stretch and relax
After working while sitting for a couple of hours, it’s important to get and stretch your muscles. Meditation, breathing exercises, and relaxing techniques will come in handy during this time. Remember, your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Taking your time to relax and meditate or reflect after a long hard day will greatly improve your productivity, performance, and health.
6. Consume plenty of vegetables and fruits
To improve your health and fitness levels, you need to limit or avoid alcohol and tobacco. Young people, pregnant, and breastfeeding women should avoid consuming drugs. Plenty of fruits and vegetables will help you avoid feeling lazy and gaining weight. Instead of drinking huge volumes of sugar-sweetened beverages, consider drinking water.
Best Home-based exercises
If you have no idea what types of exercises you should do at home, we’ve got you covered. We are going to discuss a few simple exercises that you can do at home alone. You don’t require gym equipment to do these exercises.
1. Plank
A plank is a great exercise that strengthens your core, arms, and legs. To do this exercise, you need to lie down on the floor and support your forearms on the ground with your elbows directly under your shoulders. Your hips should be at the same level as your head. Hold in this position for twenty to thirty seconds or more if you can. Rest for one minute and repeat this exercise three or four times.
2. Squats
Stand with your legs apart at hip distance and toes pointing outwards slightly. Bend your knees as much as you can while keeping your heels on the ground and knees over the feet (not in front of your feet). Bend and stretch your legs. Do ten to fifteen reps and rest for one minute. Repeat three to five times. Squat exercise strengthens your legs.
3. Chair dips
Hold on to a chair with your feet half a meter away. Bend your arms while lowering your butt to the ground. Straighten your arms and repeat this ten to fifteen times. Rest for one minute and repeat up three to five times. This exercise strengthens your arms specifically the triceps.
4. Jump rope exercise
If you have a skipping rope at home, staying physically active shouldn’t be difficult for you. All you need is a room with plenty of space or your backyard. Skip sixty to eight times and rest for one or two minutes. Repeat the exercise two or three times. Even if you don’t have a rope, you can skip using an imaginary rope. It’s just as effective as skipping with a rope.
5. Knee to elbow
Raise your knee-high to touch the opposite elbow. Alternate with the other knee and elbow for one or two minutes. Rest for one minute and repeat this three to five times. This exercise will increase your breathing and heart rates. It’s one of the best aerobic exercises.
6. Meditation
Sit comfortably on a chair or the floor with your legs crossed. Ensure that your back is straight. Close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Concentrate on your breath and the relaxation you feel in your body starting from the head to toes. Don’t focus on your thoughts or worries. Remain in this position for five to ten minutes or as long as you want. When you open your eyes, you’ll be surprised by the results.
Conclusion
Staying at home comes with a lot of benefits, for instance, spending time with your loved ones, saving on commuting expenses, saving time, and conserving our planet to name a few. It’s important to make smart decisions during this time to avoid falling behind on various aspects of life such as career and health. Consuming healthy foods and doing the home-based exercises that we’ve discussed will help you get your body on track after quarantine.
Author Bio:
Michael Gorman is a highly skilled freelance writer and proofreader from the UK who currently works at dissertation writing services and best essay writers uk. Being interested in everyday development, he writes various blog posts and discovers new aspects of human existence every day.