Keep Moving: 4 Suggestions to Maintain your fitness regimen
Just because you are social distancing during the pandemic does not mean that you should stop exercising. On the contrary! Physical activity plays a vital part in the prevention of many diseases. Although we still do not know how exercise strengthens our immune system, the benefits are visible.
Exercise should be a significant part of your daily routine even if all the gyms are closed. So here are some ideas on how to stay active and keep moving during the coronavirus pandemic.
Workout at Home
Even if you do not have a home gym, you can still create a fun and quite complex exercise routine without any equipment. If you are struggling to make one yourself, there are so many different workout plans that you can either buy or find for free online. But, if your goal is not to become the next supermodel, but to destress after a long day, find that jumping rope hidden in the boxes, and let the fun begin. Do not underestimate the jumping rope session. You would be surprised at how difficult and intense it can be. If you want to make it a bit more of social activity, invite your family or a roommate to a jumping rope competition.
Of Course: Yoga!
The times during a pandemic can be extremely stressful, especially if you are working from home and taking care of your children at the same time. There is nothing better to help you fight the anxiety than a peaceful yoga session. Yoga can be a very solitary exercise, but maybe that is what you need, a bit of space and time to think and to take care of your physical and mental health.
If you are a yoga beginner, you can find many plans and instructional videos online, as well as the community, to talk to during the hard times we are all going through.
If you like working out in the company, you can ask your partner to join you, or even your kids, because yoga can bring many benefits to your children. Our mental health is just as important as our physical health, and yoga can help you take care of both.
Ask Nature for Help
If you are lucky enough to live near a mountain, forest, beach, or even a large park, you should use it. Being in nature alone improves our mood, but add hiking, cycling, jogging, or walking to it, and you get a healthy body, too. Although you may think that health benefits from exercise are only available to professional athletes, that is not true. An average adult can see a lot of health improvement, even with only 30 minutes of exercise per day, five days a week.
Many outdoor exercises can be very social, but make sure not to have too many people in one group. Go on a longer hike, or have a cycling adventure with your family or friends, whatever you choose, not only will it help you fight the disease, but it will bring just a bit more fun into your daily life.
When in doubt go for a Run to Keep Moving
If you are not a person who likes to follow exercise plans, it is okay. There are countless other options for you to choose from, one of which is running. Aerobic exercises, like running, are a great form of exercise if you are trying to jumpstart your overall health or manage your weight.
Running is also a great anti-stress medicine. So if you are feeling anxious or a bit depressed, put your shoes on, just keep moving, and your therapy begins. Another great thing about running is that you do not need practically any equipment, just a pair of running shoes and a park, and you are good to go. But if you are lucky enough to have a treadmill, there are even fewer excuses for you to jump on it and start exercising.
Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.