The medical profession strongly recommends daily physical activity. However, it is not easy when you are stuck at home, for X or Y reasons. To help you fight against inactivity, we have, in this article, grouped together the best tips for staying active at home.
Inactivity and fatigue
Have you ever noticed how tiring doing nothing is. Or rather demotivating. To avoid this “laziness” effect, you have to get moving as much as possible.
Action leads to action. A good tip is to integrate activities into your already established rituals. This helps the process of taking action. For example, if you are in the habit of brushing your teeth three times a day. Do it while doing it on tiptoe. Your calves will thank you!
If it is seasonal fatigue, first of all, you can focus on your diet. It is important to eat healthily and stay hydrated. Make sure you eat enough fruits and vegetables while limiting your intake of salt, sugar and processed products.
Secondly, look into superfoods. The West Indian cherry, better known as the acerola berry, is very rich in vitamin C, making it effective in regaining fitness and energy.
Difficult to obtain in mainland France, it is much easier to obtain and consume as a food supplement. We recommend Herbacerola or Acerola 1000 organic, two supplements approved and appreciated by consumers.
If you practice a sporting activity regularly, then muscle fatigue is probably part of your daily life. In this case, spirulina, rich in protein and minerals, will act as support, to complement your lifestyle to perfection.
The elevated desk
Working in a seated position can often be done standing up. All you need to do is raise your computer to the height of your elbows. Standing up allows you to burn more calories. Try it, you will see that it is not easy.
We suggest you challenge yourself, today for fifteen minutes, or even thirty minutes, for the bravest among you. To optimize everything, pay attention to your position; your abs must be engaged and your torso open. Not only will you be working out, but you will also be strengthening your deep muscles.
However, we prefer to specify that in extreme cases, where the number of hours spent standing, in a static position, is too great, there may be undesirable effects: such as pain in the feet or lower back, or heavy or swollen legs.
Multiply short breaks
If standing work is impossible or not to your taste, then turn instead to short breaks. And while you’re at it, make them dynamic! Take 1 minute or more to do core exercises, squats or push-ups! Repeatedly, you can’t imagine the rapid progress you could observe.
7 examples of home exercises
- From knee to elbow:Stand and bring the knee toward the opposite elbow, balancing some of your weight on the other leg, alternating sides. Find your rhythm. Attempt to do this for a duration of 1 to 2 minutes at a time, with 30 to 60 seconds of rest, and repeat this for up to 5 repetitions. This exercise should make you breathe and your heart beat faster.
- Plank:Forearms on the ground, elbows beneath shoulders, hips in line with head. Maintain this plank position for 20 to 30 seconds (longer if you can), then rest for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat as many as 5 times. This move works your abs, arms, and legs.
- Squats:Feet hip-width apart, toes turned slightly out. Squat so that your thighs are parallel with the floor. Go back to standing by pushing your heels into the floor (not your toes), and don’t let your knees go past your feet. Your back is straight and your buttocks are back. Repeat this process 10 to 15 times (or more), rest for 30 to 60 seconds, and up to 5 repetitions. This move builds strength in your legs and glutes.
- Balance: Get on all fours; position your hands below your shoulders and your knees below your hips. Extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back, alternating sides. Do this exercise 20 to 30 times (or as many as you can), rest 30 to 60 seconds, and repeat up to five times. This move works your stomach, glutes, and back muscles.
- Bridge:Lie on your back with your feet on the floor, so your heels are under your knees. Raise your hips as high as possible and lower them slowly back to the ground. Do not lift the shoulders off the floor. Perform this exercise for 10 to 15 repetitions (or more), rest 30 to 60 seconds, and repeat for up to 5 rounds. This move targets your glutes.
- Chair Dips:Position yourself with your back to a chair, your hands on the front edge of the seat, your feet about half a meter from the chair. Bend your arms as you lower your hips toward the floor, and then push yourself back up using your arms. Do this 10 to 15 times (or more), rest 30 to 60 seconds, then repeat up to 5 times. This exercise works your triceps.
- Child’s Pose: Kneel on the ground, roll your hips back toward your heels. Drape your belly on your thighs and extend your arms in front of your body with your palms on the floor. Breathe normally. Maintain this position for 20 to 30 seconds (or longer). This pose opens up your whole back and shoulders.
Otherwise, dancing, playing with the kids, or doing household chores works great too!
The wealth of the internet
Take an online course, there are thousands of them available for free, plus you will feel less alone. Whether on the internet or on social networks, you will definitely find what you are looking for. Push the furniture in your living room against the walls and have fun! Discover a dance, yoga or Pilates class. Be careful and aware of your own limits and you will only benefit from it.
The alarm to get up
Another tip to reduce your time of physical inactivity is to get up as much as possible. Ideally, try to interrupt sitting moments every 30 minutes. A small alarm on the phone is very effective in blowing off the momentum of dynamism.
For sedentary leisure activities that require time, favor cognitively stimulating activities, such as reading, board games and puzzles rather than the couch and television. Research shows that concentrating slightly increases energy expenditure.
Indoor movement
Even in small spaces, walking or marching on the spot can help you maintain a certain activity. Set an alarm on your phone to “take 100 steps”, or more.
Challenge yourself, tell yourself that some people have managed to run a marathon by walking around their house! So some movement should be possible. Think about your health and your physical well-being. The body is made to move. It is a chance.
The Importance of Being Active
Physical activities are important for physical and mental well-being. Exercise brings aloft many benefits, including healthier cardiovascular function, improved muscle and bone strength. Helps circulation, supplying oxygen and foodstuffs to tissues, and thus leading to their healthy functioning. Also, it increases the energy so that getting through daily activities would not feel so taxing upon one’s self.
Apart from physical changes, being active also carries an important factor of influence with respect to mental health. Exercise will promote endorphin release-commonly called the “feel-good hormones”-that lower stress levels, anxiety, and symptoms of depression. It can also improve sleep and cognitive functioning such as memory and focus and creativity. Consider brisk walking, yoga, or a more vigorous workout-it can do wonders for uplifting your mood and sharpening your mind.
Including regular movement in your routine also means better long-term health, reducing the risks of heart diseases, diabetes, and certain cancers. Additionally, a physically active lifestyle promotes a healthy weight, which reduces the risk of injury through good posture and flexibility.
Being active doesn’t mean heavy exercise. Even small, gradual actions such as taking stairs, gardening, or dancing are also effective. Ultimately, being active is a most potent tool to live one’s life healthier, happier, and more fulfilled.
Conclusion
Exercising at home isn’t too difficult. You can transform your living environment into your own personal gym with a little creativity and consistency. Whether that means workouts online, cleaning the house, or dancing, there are many options available to get your body moving and your energy high. Finding what works best for you and incorporating them into your daily habits is the key. Keep in mind: Movement isn’t just for physical health; it’s for feeling strong, energized, and ready to take on anything that comes your way.
Read also: 7 Practical Tips to Stop Overthinking and Achieve Inner Calm
