Ever since the United States Government ordered all citizens to quarantine, life has been a series of unfortunate events. It seems like 2020 has not been a great year for anyone, nor will it continue to be. At first, people were laughing how extreme others were being- from wearing gloves and masks in public, to not even leaving their houses at all. However, these crazy habits are some that most Americans have now picked up on.
With being stuck inside comes forming bad habits, like sitting on your couch with a bag of potato chips watching your favorite show, and before you know it, the whole bag is gone. This was me in the beginning of the quarantine, thinking it wouldn’t last long and I would be able to get back to my day-to-day routine. However, recently, I have gotten the motivation to form new habits, such as watching what I eat and working out almost every day. I believe keeping yourself active in times of chaos is so important and even more, has so many benefits. Finding motivation can be difficult, however, if you are set on looking and feeling a certain way and are motivated to reach your goals, anything is possible. Although there are no local gyms open, it is easy to complete at-home workouts yourself. Here are 3 different ways to keep yourself healthy and active while stuck in the house!
Following Chloe Ting’s Workouts
Personally, I love following along workout videos because it keeps me motivated to push myself and keep up with the instructor. If I am simply following a workout that I am not in a class or following a video to, I will end up slacking off. Lately, I have been following Chloe Ting’s “25 Days Hourglass Challenge”. Not only does Chloe Ting post YouTube workout videos, but she also has a website that has free workout programs, which lay out what workout videos to do each day for roughly a month. Not only am I following her workout program, but I also Face-time my friend, Abby, to do the videos together. Having one of my best friends to do the videos with definitely helps me stay motivated; we are in this together!
Keeping up with MadFit on Youtube
One of my other favorite YouTubers videos to follow along to is MadFit. Creatively, she creates workouts to today’s most popular songs. Not only are her workouts healthy and effective, but also fun; you are able to follow along with MadFit while listening to your favorite song. Typically, the videos are only 2-4 minutes long, so doing 5-6 videos is super effective and enjoyable. Typically, I will pick 5-8 of my favorite songs and follow along! One may doubt that a video that lasts a couple of minutes wouldn’t get your heart rate going, however, after doing one, you realize that assumption is most definitely wrong. I think being motivated by my favorite song while working out is a double whammy!
Go on a Hike at a Local Trail
Although state parks and trails are closed, some local ones are continuing to stay open during this chaotic time. Typically, I am not one to willingly go on a walk or run, however, with the convincing of my mom, I decided to do a 3 mile walk on a local trail the other day. While I did break a bit of a sweat, I was never fully out of breath and was able to enjoy myself while getting a good workout in. An extra tip I have is to not bring your phone. Since our generation is so involved with our phones, I think devoting some time of your day to spending time away from it is always a great idea. It allows you to fully enjoy everything around you. I was able to look at beautiful streams in the woods and see cool trees and flowers that I hadn’t noticed before. It also provided quality bonding time with my mom!
At first, it is definitely difficult to motivate yourself to workout, but it only takes about 14 days to form a new habit. So if you start now, you will have a healthy habit formed in no time. Furthermore, sudden isolation can be difficult on ones’ mental state, but not to fear; working out releases endorphins; AKA the happy chemical in your brain. So if you are ever feeling down, jump out of bed, force yourself to switch into those workout clothes, and get moving!
