Ideas to help you stay Fit and Healthy while Social Distancing and Self-Isolating

The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has swooped on us, and over the course of a few short weeks upended lives and completely changed how we work, socialize, and interact. Many, either through choice or through contact with the novel coronavirus, are spending a lot more time at home.

Being home is great, but it is crucial to keep an eye on long-term health and fitness. And it’s not just a physical thing. Stress is at an all-time high, and exercise and movement are both great ways calm, the mind and relieve stress.  So, what can you do to help stay fit and healthy social distancing and self-isolating? Well, here’s what I’ve been doing. Some of this might work for you, some might not.

#1: Spend a few minutes stretching in the morning, or evening

Whether you’ve only got five minutes, or twenty, spending a few minutes first thing in the morning stretching out and working the joints and muscles can be very beneficial for both the mind and body. If you’re someone who likes to be warmed up before a good stretch, consider doing it before going to bed. You may find that the relaxing aspect will help you get a better night’s sleep.

#2: Get some outdoor time every day

Spend some time — even if only a few minutes — outdoors every day. If you have a backyard garden, a favorite hiking trail or a nearby park you can get to, that’s great. Don’t have either, or maybe the weather is terrible, at least open a window for a few minutes. Breathe so fresh air. Feel nature on your face and skin — whether that be sun, wind, or rain. There’s something calming about connecting to nature, doubly so during times of uncertainty and stress. Find a patch of grass or a secluded tree, turning off the smartphone, and getting to know it very well.

#3: Walking/Hiking/Jogging

One of the greatest exercises you can do because it’s easy to scale it up or down depending on your fitness, and doesn’t cost anything. Pop some earbuds in, put on some music or an audiobook, and put one foot in from of the other. It’s a great stress reliever. It works great even during times of self-isolation because most of us will know places we can go that are relatively quiet (if not all day, maybe at a particular time of day).  Experts say that you CAN walk, jog, or hike outside at this time as long as you maintain the 6 foot social distancing. And your dog will thank you for it as well!

Can’t go outside? Go for a walk indoors. You can use your treadmill, an elliptical, or it may sound crazy but you CAN get a good indoor walking workout if you use your stairs! Put on your pedometer or fitness tracker and see how many steps you can get in around the house.

#4: Get up out of your chair (or off the couch) each and every hour

Move more. Most smartwatches and fitness trackers have a feature that reminds you to move every hour if you’ve been still. Use it! Don’t sit for many hours on end hunched over a keyboard. It’s not a viable option in the long term.   Get up, stretch, have a beverage, go look out of a window for a few minutes.

#5: Play

Your pets and your kids could do with some attention, and you could use some fun. Dust off your Dance Dance Revolution. Get out that Wii fit and play some virtual tennis. Your family members will enjoy it (well, most will), and you will feel much better.

#6: Online yoga or Pilates

Group yoga and Pilates classes are out for the moment, but there’s a lot of great yoga and Pilates to be found online, either in the form of live classes or pre-recorded stuff. Look for practices that put a lot of focus on the breath, because that’s a brilliant stress-buster.

#7: Convict Conditioning

Really need a good workout but the gym is closed? No problem!  Convict Conditioning is a book that was written by Paul Wade that consists of a series of bodyweight exercises that, as the title suggests, can be done while incarcerated. Sounds ideal when self-isolating, right? You need only minimal equipment and a small space, and while the exercises sound simple, they really aren’t.

#8: Ride it Out

If you are lucky enough to have a Peloton, you are riding high right now. That system allows you to do virtual spin classes, which makes you sweat, release endorphins, and still feel like you’re around others who are working it out with you, so you’ll feel less isolated. However, if you DON’T have a Peloton, and they are a bit pricey, you can do something similar with a regular home exercise bike. Mount your tablet and go to Youtube. There are a lot of cycling classes you can link up to, and take a ride – inside.

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Photo Credit:  Maridav / Shutterstock.com