Staying Fit While Staying Home

Illinois finally issued a formal shelter-in-place ordinance starting this past Saturday at 5pm. Many other states and counties across the country, and even more places around the world are in the same boat. Many businesses that have been deemed non-essential are closed - one of those being the gym.

Maybe I’m lame but this is where the shelter-in-place is hitting me the hardest. I’m lucky enough to have the same job and work from home and I’m lucky enough to be able to easily obtain supplies and groceries. The gym is a luxury, don’t worry - I know it, but it was a huge part of my routine. Getting ready and being physically at the gym would put me in the right mindset to push my body and get to work. Without it, and the equipment it possesses, it’s hard to find the direction and motivation to still workout.

But it’s me, of course I found a way. Otherwise I really would go nuts in quarantine. Here’s how I stay fit in our new socially distant world.

Stick as closely to your normal routine as you can. For example, I typically do 2-3 cardio days per week and 3 strength days per week. When I keep this structure in mind, I just have to find ways to replace the things I was doing at the gym that fit into this template. I also still get dressed and put on my shoes as normal even if I stay in so that I can at least partially harness the mindset that comes with getting workout ready.

For the cardio days - that’s pretty easy. I will try to go outside to run if the weather allows. I know running isn’t for everyone, but in these times, I encourage you to give it a try. Not only is it good exercise, but it is also an acceptable activity to do outside and any fresh air I can get, I am willing to take. And if you live in a place with outdoor activities like the beach, hiking, or skiing, take advantage!! If the weather doesn’t allow - I have been using a combination of Natacha Oceane’s HIIT workouts and Popsugarfitness videos on YouTube. Links below!

The strength workouts are where it gets a lot more difficult for me. I relied on the gym for weights and machines to work specific muscle groups. My home equipment consists of a towel and a few resistance bands, not exactly great for an intense strength session.

This has forced me to rethink my strength workouts. Instead of focusing on building any muscle, I’m going to focus on mobility and strength endurance for my current muscle mass. There’s a ton you can do with bodyweight and light resistance but it’s a lot different than weights (although I did cave and buy some backordered dumbells on amazon).

In the meantime, I am using a combo of sources for strength workouts as well. I’m able to adapt some of my own workouts with limited equipment, but luckily the fitness influencer culture has also come in clutch. My friend Gabrielle gave me the hot tip that Peloton is doing 90 days free on their app. Peloton does way more stuff than just cycling workouts, their bodyweight strength and HIIT classes are amazing. Linn Lowes has great content with just your body and your furniture. Finally, doing a couple of blogilates’ workouts in a row will leave you sore the next day no matter what. I’ll link all these below, but I bet most of the fitness personalities you already follow have already recommended their favorite exercises or resources for at home workouts as well. Ideas really are fingertips away at this point.

Working out in my own home is not the ideal scenario for me. But many people make home workouts their bread and butter even in normal times so I know it’s not impossible, I just have to reframe what a workout looks like and the resources I tap into on a regular basis.

Even though it’s difficult, keeping up health and fitness levels are more essential than ever. A short walk or an instagram push-up challenge can make a big difference in overall energy and mood levels. Most importantly, regular exercise actually makes a huge difference in immune system strength.

So with a plethora of resources and a plethora of time, the list of excuses is shorter than ever. Stay healthy everyone!

Resources mentioned above:

Natacha Oceane, PopSugarFitness, Peloton, Linn Lowes, Blogilates