As the world is going through unprecedented changes, staying active has never been more important than right now! Regular exercise and staying active is always important for leading a healthy life. Physical fitness is not just crucial for a healthy body but imperative for a healthy mind and emotional well being. With work from home and staying indoors, lack of activity can be very injurious in the long run. However, the benefits of the passive exercise we do in our daily lives are not being realized.

The WHO (World Health Organization) advises at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week – just over 20 minutes a day – along with muscle-strengthening activities two or more days a week. 

It’s even more important, because exercise also lowers inflammation in your body and promotes the release of growth factors: brain chemicals that influence the health and development of brain cells and blood vessels in your brain, reports Harvard Health. And it promotes the release of feel-good endorphins, elevating your mood and combating stress.

Exercise has both physical and mental benefits

There are many benefits to including regular activity that extend beyond weight loss like:

  • Maintaining muscular strength and bone health
  • Higher energy levels: We feel more rejuvenated after medium intensity work out.
  • Improved mood: Exercise leads to the release of endorphins, which elevate our mood.
  • Better sleep: sleep is important for the restoration of the body – for cell repair to help maintain the integrity of our immune system and general health.
  • Better circulation: to get the blood and immune cells around the body to where it is needed for regeneration and repair, and also to get cell waste products away from cells and eliminate them from the body.
  • Stronger bones and joints: helps keep the skeleton in the optimum position by improving the posture resulting in fewer aches and pains and better balance.
  • Weight regulation: maintaining a healthy weight means less work for the lungs and heart when undertaking daily activities.

Home workouts are a great substitute for your gym sessions. There are a number of different types of home workouts/exercises:

A) Using your bodyweight alone

B) Using basic equipment such as dumbbells, resistance bands/tubes

C) Using everyday household items such as backpacks, water bottles, buckets and even brooms

Ideas to help you work out at home during the pandemic

Get creative with our recommended home workouts:

  • Your terrace or balcony can be converted into a dedicated workout location to help you maintain the feeling of going to the gym.
  • Exercises that require more area like running can be converted to running or jogging on the spot. You can also dig out a skipping rope and jump that. You can use the stairs for exercise.
  • Simply draw a chalk line on the floor, or lay a meter of masking tape, and hop forwards and backward over it.
  • Exercise can even be a pleasant activity like dancing vigorously for around 30 minutes.

Planning your home workouts 

Even though you will have an idea of what all workouts you can do at home, you will need to plan properly so that a specific routine can be followed:

  • Use online workouts, apps and YouTube to find the workouts you want to do
  • Set out a specific time for activity each day
  • Set up a designated space for physical activity

Thus, you can make sure to remain healthy and happy during this on-going pandemic.