With gyms closed during this stressful time, you don’t have to turn into a couch potato.
Let’s get creative and design a fitness routine at home. It requires you to think “outside
the box”.
Keep the same time and day that you normally go to the gym. Walking is the easiest
exercise you can do. The hardest part is putting on your sneakers and deciding which
route you will take. Once you’re outdoors, nature will motivate you! If you are used to
challenging cardio workouts, pick a hilly route. If you are a beginner exerciser, take a
route you feel comfortable with and enjoy your surroundings. The key is to walk 30-60
minutes 5-7 times per week.
Walking is invigorating and will reverse the sombre tone of the times we are all facing.
Walking at a good pace, not a stroll, will get your heart rate up, reduce stress and
enhance the mind/body connection. It will give you a chance to sort out problems in
your mind while doing something healthy for your body. Keep a regular exercise routine
as you would a business meeting. Commit to get fit and stay fit no matter how long we
are home.
When you return from your walk, find a space in your home and do a few minutes of
body conditioning with free weights. Use 5-10 pounds and work the shoulders, biceps,
triceps, lats and chest. If you don’t have an exercise mat, put a towel on a carpet and
lie on your back first. Do a series of 3 or 4 core exercises (known as crunches). Do a
set of 12 reps for each exercise. Vary the exercises so you work your upper abs, lower
abs and obliques. If you enjoy Pilates exercise, do some of the routine you know. It’s
fun to see what your body can do (or can’t do). LOL. Then, roll onto your stomach and
do some back stretching and strengthening. Lie with your arms straight out in front.
Then, lift both arms and legs off the floor a few inches. Hold this position and release.
Repeat 6 times and relax. This will strengthen your back.
Roll onto your back again. Extend both legs out straight in front of you. Lift one leg and
wrap your hands around the back of the thigh to stretch the hamstring. Lift your upper
body off the floor and hold the stretch for 10 seconds. Repeat on the left side and then
relax.
Another aspect of life that may change while at home is your diet. With restaurants and
bars closed, your diet is now in your own hands. There are no excuses to not eat
healthily.
Here’s a way to persuade the whole family to prepare healthy meals. Get the kids in the
kitchen, if you have kids. They will love to chop and stir and eat the finished product that
they prepare. It’s a fun activity! If you live alone, google healthy recipes and get
creative. My 17-year-old daughter made a spicy, delicious chicken, spinach and whole
wheat pasta dish recently. We asked her to repeat it so we could enjoy it a few days
later. How great is that?! Just sit back and let your kids take over. After all, we want
our children to learn how to cook for when they’re on their own. Remember, if you eat
too much of the wrong foods, not enough of the right foods, you will always be fighting a
losing battle. You can not “out-train” a bad diet. If you exercise regularly and eat
healthy 85% of the time, you are on the road to a healthy lifestyle — one you can enjoy
forever.
For exercise ideas, visit me on Instagram,
stream Roberta’s Fitness DVD’s here: Back Shape Up Series,
Roberta’s Fitness for Kids, Say Goodbye to Wrist Pain and Pain-free Pregnancy.
Stay tuned for my “Kids in the Kitchen” You-tube videos on the Roberta Bergman
Channel on YouTube and on Instagram. You can always email
me questions as well.
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