We get it: This is a difficult time unlike anything most of us have ever known. Taking care of your health right now might seem like a luxury. But in reality, it’s a necessity. Why? Maintaining your physical and emotional wellbeing can help you manage stress and fend off illness.
The average adult should get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity each week. Try the following suggestions to get you moving.
5 Daily Physical Fitness Tips to Stay Healthy at Home
Monday: Do the Housework! Workout You don’t need lengthy exercise sessions to get 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week. Shorter sessions of activity count, and that includes housework! Vacuuming, mopping, cleaning windows, and other household chores qualify as a moderate intensity workout if you can talk while doing them, but you’re not able to sing.
Tuesday: Try an Online! Workout Video Missing your favorite fitness class? Follow along with a 10-, 15-, or 20-minute workout video focusing on strength, endurance, mobility, or yoga. Find them under the Workouts tab in the Resources section of the portal.
Wednesday: Brush Up on Strength Training! Adults need muscle-strengthening activity, like lifting weights or doing push-ups, at least two days per week. Check out the strength training e-learning materials under the Curriculum tab in the Resources section of the portal for exercises you can do at home. And remember that you can use objects like cans of food if you don’t have hand weights.
Thursday: Get to Gardening Want to get outdoors while maintaining social distance? Try planting or tending to a garden. Besides the physical benefits, taking care of a garden may help relieve stress and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Friday: Dust Off That Old Equipment! Did you purchase a treadmill or elliptical that has gotten more use as a clothes rack? Now’s the time to clean it up and work out. Or take a look at the sports gear you have in household storage—maybe you’ll find a ball or Frisbee to toss around with your kids in the backyard.
Tips and information provided by BeWell@Red Cross.