Staying Active While Cooped Up Indoors
/Normally, I would be posting this story in the middle of winter, when we might not be motivated to leave our cozy homes to get exercise (even in California). Believe me, I’m not a native to mild West Coast weather, and have endured some of the worst winters on the East Coast. I didn’t imagine that I’d have to use some of the same “winterizing” skills in the warmest months of the year. But here we are, with unhealthy air quality and warnings to stay indoors, and many gyms closed. So what do you do to stay active?
I know not everyone has a home workout studio, although it’s more popular in areas where gyms have been closed for a while due to COVID-19. Even with a space to workout at home, it can be hard to decide what to do or to get up and do it with no accountability except to yourself. I’ve definitely fallen victim to other things that need doing around the house. If it weren’t for my online clients, I’d probably be watching a lot more Netflix.
So what do you do when you’re captive? Here are some tips for exercising in your home:
Schedule your workout like you’d be going to the gym, to a class, or on an outing with a friend (even if you don’t have anyone but yourself to workout). I like to get it done first thing in the morning before I get wrapped up in other things, but sometimes I just have to squeeze it in when I can.
If you need some extra motivation, get a friend or personal trainer to do the workout with over Zoom or another online video platform. Again, put it on your calendar!
Make sure you’re hydrated. You can lose between 17-68 ounces of fluid per hour of exercise, just by sweating! In addition to your regular fluid intake during the day, drink fluids before, during, and after you work out (about 1-4 cups per hour of exercise). You can judge your hydration level by the color of your urine (it should be slightly yellow, not gold or brown).
With unhealthy air quality outdoors, it’s best to keep windows closed and instead run an air purifier and a fan to keep the air moving and free of particulates.
Play your favorite music playlist, and use earbuds if you risk bothering other family members.
Fit the workout to how much time you have. Just 10-20 minutes? Make it high intensity – work harder than you would if you had to spend more time at it. If you have 30-60 minutes, you’ll have more time for circuit training (body weight or with resistance).
Start on time, and spend the full amount of time you’ve allotted. Silence your phone, put away any other distractions, and consider this a meeting with yourself.
Reward yourself afterwards. No, not with junk food! Spend time to cool down, stretch, and take a shower so you feel refreshed. If you’ve had a high-intensity or heavy weight training workout, be sure to refuel your energy and help recover your muscles with carbohydrates, electrolytes and protein.
Whether or not your workout, keep moving throughout the day. Get up from your chair regularly to walk around the house, stretch and get your blood moving. Here are some desk stretches to try.
If you don’t have any injuries or medical conditions, you can do my quick high-intensity body weight workout. Or see these other online workouts I’ve designed using minimal equipment. Here’s to your health!