How To Stay Active At Home If The Gym Isn’t An Option
So the gym isn't an option, and you can't take any workout classes. How do you stay active? Whether you work from home or simply don't like exercising outside, you still have plenty of options to stay active. Simple life changes can keep you fit even without a gym membership.
Simple changes, such as choosing the stairs and sitting on a different chair, could improve your physical health. Research in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that ten more minutes of exercise can extend your life. Learn how you can activate those ten minutes while you're at home.
Stay On Top Of Your Chores
Any physical activity can extend your lifespan. In 2017, research in The Lancet concluded that people who do more chores have healthier hearts. Doing the laundry, washing the dishes, scrubbing in the bath-- all can burn up to 200 calories if you do them for a while.
However, chores don't replace a full exercise session. Irish scientists noted that relying on chores for exercise makes people heavier. Although housework isn't as sufficient as going to the gym, it can still increase your physical activity and mood.
If You Can, Stand While Working
Standing up more during your workday could do wonders for your health. In the Journal of Physical Activity and Health, a study discovered that employees with standing desks burned more calories. If you don't have a standing desk, getting up for five to ten minutes per hour may make a difference.
"A little change like standing instead of sitting can go a long way," says personal trainer Rich Gaspari. Because standing places strain on your legs, it burns 50% more calories than sitting, he explains. Time to stand up!
Master At-Home Workouts
Can you manage a good workout at home? Yes, says Kevin Steele, an exercise physiologist and vice president of 24 Hour Fitness. With a yoga mat or some dumbbells, you can transfer your gym training to your house. "The key thing is that you do something, somewhere, sometime," Steele told WebMD.
Exercise physiologist Richard Weil recommends following this format: warm-up, aerobic work, strength-building, stretching, and then cool down. But a quick walk and some strength training can also keep you fit without the gym.
Deskercise
There are dozens of exercises that you can perform while sitting at your desk. Personal trainer Badrul Islam suggests doing push-ups using your desk, or trying "knee tucks." Sit on the edge of your chair, touch your ankles together, and lift your knees to your chest.
You can also buy tools that are built for desk exercise (or deskercise). For instance, you can buy elliptical, bike pedal, or left swing tools that sit underneath your desk. When you're feeling fidgety, try some exercises.
Schedule Your Workout Time (And Write It Down!)
Decide when you want to work out, and write down your plan. Although many people consider a time and place, few write it down. In 2018, researchers concluded that people who record their goals are 1.4 times more likely to succeed at them.
While planning your exercise routine, pinpoint when you'll work out, where you'll do it, what you'll do, and how long it'll take. After you write all this down, you'll be far more likely to pull through because you'll remember it better.
Always Choose The Stairs
Walking more can make all the difference to your physical health. According to research in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, climbing stairs to get a snack improved participants' fitness. Further research by Harvard concluded that people who choose the stairs have longer lifespans.
"Walking more does have added value, especially when you walk briskly for a longer duration, up hills, or use your arms for more than just a comfortable gait and swing them with your body," says fitness expert Debra Gray. When you have to choose between the stairs and the elevator, pick the stairs!
Pair Workouts With The TV
If you listen to a podcast or watch TV while exercising, don't stop. In 2018, a study in the journal Appetite concluded that people who work out while watching TV have a more positive experience. They were more likely to exercise longer and more frequently with some entertainment.
Researchers from Columbia University suggest that TV watching could be the worst type of sitting. Those who watched TV for four hours a day are 50% more likely to get a heart attack or stroke. Lower your odds by exercising while watching.
Dress The Part
What you wear influences how you think. In 2012, researchers at Rice University discovered that clothes could change our mindset. For instance, participants who worked in lab coats paid more attention during meetings, while those in a painter's coat did not.
The same applies to exercise. If you dress up in workout clothes, you'll feel more empowered to get active. But if you wear pajamas, you won't. "It's all about the symbolic meaning that you associate with a particular item of clothing," said lead researcher Hajo Adam.
Sit On An Exercise Ball, But Not For The Whole Day
If you don't have a standing desk, you can sit on a workout ball for a certain amount of time every day. "Sitting on it forces you to stabilize your abs," personal trainer Amanda Russell told Everyday Health. It "kickstarts" your abs and can lend you a brief workout.
However, don't plan to sit on that ball all day. In 2006, Canadian researchers at Waterloo University noted that exercise balls did strain the abs. They noted that working the full day sitting on a ball may be too tiring. You can start off with ten to 20 minutes of sitting on the ball per day.
Take Walking Meetings
Do you take phone calls or Facetime meetings? If so, talk while moving around. A daily brief walk can enhance your health and lower your risk of chronic diseases, according to a study by the University of Miami. "Walking meetings" can give you some much-needed physical activity.
Dr. Alberto Caban-Martinez, co-author of a pilot study on walking meetings, says that they have many benefits. Not only do they advance heart health, but they also boost your mood. A brief walk-and-talk can also increase your productivity levels.
Exercise While Cooking Dinner
You're already up and moving while cooking a meal; why not take it further? You can perform lunges or wall sits while waiting for the water to boil. In between stirring, you can do five squats. Lift your knees to your chest whenever you have to roam around the kitchen.
Not only will you get in more exercise, but you'll also eat a healthier meal. During a 2020 study by the University of Washington, people who cooked at home had healthier diets than those who didn't. They also saved $60 a month!
Force Yourself To Take Breaks
If you get so absorbed in your work that you forget to move, schedule breaks. Monica Thakrar, CEO of the business MTI, recommends getting up every 90 minutes. Set alarms every 90 minutes to walk around, use the restroom, do the dishes, or perform some other physical activity.
If these activities seem too little to make a difference, remember that the World Health Organization recommends taking short breaks every day. Play with kids or pets, lift the laundry basket, or sweep your porch. It'll make an impact.
Take A Virtual Class
You don't have to go to the gym for a class. Some gyms, such as Planet Fitness, stream classes that you can watch online. If nothing else, you can search for tutorials on YouTube that will guide you through any workout, from yoga to weightlifting to core strength.
Although many of these programs are free, paying for one could keep you accountable. In 2017, research in Circulation showed that paying for a class motivates people to attend it for longer. Try a virtual class and see what works for you.
Blast Music
Certain songs can motivate you to move. In 2006, research in Psychology of Sport and Exercise found that fast-paced music made participants run faster without feeling more tired. Because people enjoy matching their pace to the music, they don't feel as fatigued, scientists explain.
Listening to music after your workout session can speed up your recovery, according to the Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology. Songs release serotonin and dopamine, which make you feel happier. And a joyful workout is more likely to be repeated.
Log Your Time Sitting VS Standing
How often do you get up and walk around? If you don't know, write down your schedule. Recording your daily habits will tell you how often you sit, and with this knowledge, you can plan to get up more. In 2014, research in Psychological Science noted that writing down notes (preferably on paper) helps you learn and remember more.
Once you know how often you get up, you can plan to stand up more or less. According to the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, writing a to-do list makes you more likely to pull through with it.
Adopt A Dog
Scientists assert that dog owners get more exercise. According to research in BMC Public Health, dog owners walk 22 minutes longer than those who don't have a pet. And they didn't just walk longer; they also increased their pace and grew stronger.
In another study in Nature, dog owners were far more likely to achieve the recommended 150 minutes of exercise per week. Less than half of Americans meet this goal. If you need more motivation, consider adopting a new friend.
Keep Exercise Equipment Nearby
The phrase "out of sight, out of mind" is true for exercise. James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, recommends making your goals visible to do them more. For instance, if you leave a bowl of apples on the counter, you're more likely to eat them. Likewise, if you keep workout equipment nearby, you'll be more likely to do it.
Joanne Markow, chief of staff at GreenMason, recommends leaving out yoga mats, weights, or push-up bars. When your exercise equipment is "in your way," you'll remember to do some reps during your break.
Leave Snacks In The Kitchen
Don't leave food at your desk. When you leave food in the kitchen, you'll stand up to prepare meals or snacks, which will force you to walk more. Brian M Harman, the owner of Business Management Hallmark, uses this simple technique to be "less lazy."
Although it sounds too easy, walking in and out of the kitchen makes a difference. The American Heart Association recommends standing up and sitting down at least ten times a day. If you have to get up to refill your water, you'll hit that goal easily.
Find Someone To Keep You Accountable
If you're struggling to work out, team up with someone to keep you accountable. According to research by the American Society of Training and Development, if you commit a goal to someone, you'll be 65% more likely to achieve it.
You don't have to exercise with someone to keep yourself accountable. You can text someone after you've worked out. If you find someone with the same goal, you can both work toward it together. You can also download a habit-tracking app, such as Habitica or Goalify, to log your exercise sessions.
Get a Fitbit, Pedometer, Or Apple Watch
Devices that log your steps, such as a Fitbit or Apple Watch, can motivate you to move more. A small study performed by User Testing showed that Fitbit owners felt more motivated to exercise. Simply buying the device encouraged participants to change their life habits.
These devices can also remind you to move more. According to a 2012 study, receiving reminders pushes people to exercise more. That said, Berkeley scientists noted that the Fitbit's calorie counter isn't very accurate. But it can still motivate you.
