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6 ways to exercise when you are stuck at home
The NHS recommendation is to move every day and do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week. This can be difficult to achieve when we are at home. But there are many different things that we can do throughout the day to work towards achieving the recommendations. Here are 6 ideas:
Do a short 10-minute physical activity session in the morning. This can be 10 minutes of stretching, yoga or a mix of squats, sit-ups and push-ups.
If you sit for many hours, make sure to get up every 45‑60 minutes and do a few minutes of physical activity. For example, you could try walking up and down the stairs a few times, a set of squats or push-ups or a more accessible alternative – remember all movement counts! You could even use the time to do some house chores such as hoovering.
Create a mini fitness challenge for yourself. Maybe you want to do a certain number of star jumps or walk a certain number of steps every day? Do a little bit every day and record your progress. Be very specific with your goals. Such fitness challenges are great for boosting self‑confidence as you progress and move closer to your goals.
When you take a phone call, move around. This is a very easy way to increase your daily physical activity and you won’t even notice it. You can simply move around the room, if you have a garden, you can walk around that or walk up and down the stairs.
If you have young children, play with them! It’s amazing how much they move, constantly up and down, and it makes playing fun for them too.
Treat your home like a gym. For example, when you walk into the living room, walk three laps around the coffee table before sitting down or when you walk up the stairs, take 2 steps at a time; this is a great way to strengthen your muscles! (Remember to choose activities safe for your body and physical abilities.)
Staying at home doesn’t mean you shouldn’t move at home. Your body will thank you for all the movement you do. Stay healthy and keep moving.
References:
NHS “Exercise” https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise