It is a struggle for everyone to maintain a healthy and fit body. The pandemic only exacerbated that struggle. Due to lockdowns in place, people weren’t allowed to go to gyms, since these places are public and are used by a lot of people. One COVID-19 person who goes to the gym can potentially transmit it to a hundred people.
Aside from that, public parks and jogging trails where people used to jog were temporarily closed too. So if you didn’t have a treadmill at home, getting your daily cardio fix could be quite the challenge. But people who are determined and disciplined enough still have ways of working out even at home!
There are many home workout equipment you can buy online to start your journey back to a healthier and fitter you. But if you are on a budget and don’t want to spend additional bucks for equipment, we still got you. Find out how you can tone those flabby arms and love handles without leaving your home with these tips!
Home workout without gym equipment
- Fitness apps – There are many fitness apps for both iOS and Android users that are free. There are different apps that can help you stay fit such as workout apps, fasting apps, and calorie counter apps. These apps can help you stay more disciplined and track your progress.
Love dancing as a form of sweating those calories out? There are also videos on Youtube for aerobic workouts you can follow.
- Makeshift weights – Is lifting weights more appealing to you than cardio? Plastic bottles from water, milk, or juice that you just emptied can be recycled. Don’t throw these out! Plastic bottles are a good alternative for dumbbells. Since they come in different shapes and sizes, you can easily fill them up as to how heavy you can carry.
Also, you don’t necessarily need many bottles. Two gallons will suffice since each gallon weighs around 8.34 lbs. If this is too heavy for you, you can just fill up just half of the container. You can keep adding as you gain more muscle, and you are able to carry more.
Developing healthy habits
- Eat healthy food – This is of course part of any diet. No matter how much you exercise, if you do not track your calorie intake, achieving the ideal weight you want will be much more difficult. To lose weight more efficiently, you need to burn more calories than your intake. Thus, a low-calorie diet might be suitable for you if weight loss is your goal. There are other diets such as low carb and high protein. There are online quizzes to determine which diet might fit you. If you have the extra money, consulting a nutritionist will also benefit you to tailor the kind of diet you should stick to.
- Buy a weighing scale – Some people weigh themselves daily. Others do it once a week. It is because it may be hard to keep track of small changes on a day to day basis and you can expect to see more significant results in a week. The best time to weigh yourself is in the morning. But be sure not to take any food or liquid in order to capture the most accurate weight possible.
- Develop a healthy sleeping pattern – Lack of sleep can sabotage many things such as your early morning run or the hours when the sunlight is not too hot to get your daily dose of Vitamin D. Poor sleeping habits may also make you crave more food, resulting in messed up diet plans. Sleep is very important too for your muscles to recover after a heavy workout session.
In order for us to sleep better, our bodies need to be comfortable, and the environment must be cool enough. The best temperature for our bodies to fall asleep faster is 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are having trouble falling asleep due to humid room temperature, consider having your HVAC system checked for possible damages. You may want to consider a new air-conditioning unit installed if this is the case.
- Find a community – There are many online groups who have the same goal as you – live a healthier lifestyle. Just searching the internet will get you plenty of results. If you are serious about leading a healthier lifestyle, you will want to surround yourself with people who have the same goal. You can help motivate each other, do workouts together (even if just through video calls), and share tips that can improve each other’s routine.
Most healthy people do not think about staying fit all the time because it is so ingrained in their daily routine and their lifestyle that it becomes a part of them. No matter how busy you are, a 15- or 30-minute light workout will go a long way. This may be hard for someone starting out, but with a little consistency and discipline, you’ll definitely get there too!
