Avoid the Quarantine 15 by Staying Active + Healthy at Home

Over the past few weeks, it seems like life as we know it has changed overnight. With mandatory lockdowns and self-isolating practices employed in most places, our lives and routines have gone from 100 to 0 reaaaal quick, and our present-day reality has swiftly morphed into unfamiliar territory.

While adjusting to this new norm, it’s really easy to give into the call of Netflix and snacking in bed all-day – after all, classes are all online, restaurants and theatres are closed, as are all gyms and fitness classes – and while I’ve discovered tons of new positives in this new situation, I’ll admit my activity levels have taken a turn for the worse.

Many of us are no stranger to the “Freshman 15”, but it’s distant cousin, the “Quarantine 15”, is here to say hi. Luckily, avoiding the Quarantine 15 doesn’t have to be a chore! Even if working out was previously absent from your repertoire, what better time to form healthy new habits than now – whether you’re looking for a way to keep fit during quarantine or have been looking for a home-based fitness guide to save for a rainy day, keep on reading for 3 easy tips on how to stay active and healthy from the comfort of your own home!

1: Find Motivation

It’s been said that the hardest part of any task is actually starting, (and I can, unfortunately, vouch for that being true, personally). It’s like when you put off that assignment until the last minute, but when you actually begin, you’re like “This is so much easier than I thought! Why didn’t I start earlier?”. There are many underlying factors contributing to this, but the main one is simply motivation. When you’re stuck at home, it’s natural for motivation levels to go down – especially when it comes to working out. So, the first, and simplest tip is to get motivated. Work to create a mindset where you view your daily physical activity as a way of having control over your life, during a time where so many external factors seem uncontrollable. If you’re still having trouble motivating yourself, call up some friends and arrange facetime/skype workouts! Kind of like a virtual accountability buddy. Once my friends and I began working out together, not only did we have an excuse to stay in touch regularly, but we also were more motivated to get through even the toughest home workouts. A win-win situation overall!

2: Plan for it

Now that you’re in the right headspace, next is actually planning where and when you’re staying active. Creating a comfortable space to workout is key! It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or even close to a full gym set-up – I like to lay a yoga mat on my bedroom floor, play some hype music, and call up my friend (who prefers to workout outside in her backyard). Even at home, you have a variety of places to choose from: from the balcony to the basement, or living room and foyer, being at home doesn’t mean you’re stuck in one place! Change up the scenery as needed to help keep things fun and fresh!

Allocating a specific time throughout the day/week just for staying active is also a huge help in making sure you follow through with your plans. Whether you choose to work-out as soon as you wake up, in the middle of the day, or before you go to bed, try and stay consistent with it! Put it into your calendar or daily schedule, and before you know it, it’ll be a part of your routine faster than you can say “wash your hands”.

3: Determine physical activities

Finally, it’s time to figure out what workouts/fitness routines work best for you! Everybody’s different, with different schedules and preferences, so ultimately however you choose to incorporate physical activity is up to you. You have the freedom to be as creative or by-the-book as you want! Don’t know where to begin? Here are a few of my current favorites:

Fitness Apps

Even before quarantine, my go-to fitness app has been the Nike Training App! They have a full range of workouts, from yoga to boxing to bodyweight strength training, and even let you create your own fitness plan. There are tons more in the app store, so you can find one that resonates with you the most!

Instagram/Social Media

In the age of social media, personal trainers and fitness gurus are posting their workout plans and even working out with followers on IG Live! Personal trainer Mark Cuevas (from Love is Blind) goes on IG live daily with his quarantine workouts, and you can follow along too!

Fitness YouTuber, Blogilates, has also shared her 14 Day Quarantine Workout Plan. In just 30mins a day, you can achieve your fitness goals!

Create your own!

Staying active doesn’t have to be your typical workout either! Go for a run outside for some fresh air, or follow a youtube dance tutorial for some fun cardio. You can also incorporate fitness right into your daily home routines – get some steps in while vacuuming, do push-ups while waiting for your water to boil, try some jumping jacks while watching Netflix – the possibilities are endless!

Whatever methods you choose, the most important way to stay healthy is to give yourself time to sleep and rest properly. Workout and have fun but listen to your body. Give yourself days off and be kind to yourself. If your fitness regime is a bit off-balance, that’s okay – it’s not the end of the world! Times are crazy right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t leave space for normalcy. You still have more control than you realize. Strive to keep activity levels up, and practice self-care. Stay safe, stay healthy, and most-importantly, stay-inside. You’ve got this!

-- Mahiya Habib, Alpha Omicron Pi