7 Effective Ways to Combat An Inactive Lifestyle
Now that working from home has become a norm, the drawbacks are becoming more apparent. No longer heading to the office means thousands of lost steps for many people. Those little steps from the parking lot to your desk, the copy machine, break room, and so on add up quickly.
And if you did not incorporate physical activity in your day-to-day before, those lost steps can impact your health in a significant way.
Yes, there is more to staying healthy than exercise, but increasing your physical activity is beneficial in many ways. Aside from weight management, it can impact your mood, energy level, and even how productive you are throughout your day.
So, your home, and now your office inside your home, is your comfort zone. But be wary! The lure of comfort can be a trap and quickly turn you into a sloth!
Good thing for you, we are sharing these seven ways to help you fight off comfort, combat inactivity, and get you up and moving while you work from home.
1. Bust a move!
You don't have to be a young M.C. to be active and get a great cardio workout.
So, turn up your favourite tunes and start dancing! Any movement that requires the entire body gets the heart pumping and ultimately leads to an effective workout.
You can find plenty of good playlists on the internet to dance to. Silent discos are another great way to keep your body on the move.
During this breakout dance session, don't worry about perfecting choreography; just keep moving.
Aim for 20 to 25 minutes of activity, or about five upbeat songs.
2. Office chair squats
Stand up, sit down, and stand up again. Squats are a great way to tone muscles and strengthen your legs, back, and core. Using a chair will help you maintain proper form. Also, it'll give you a sense of comfort, knowing it's there to catch you if you fall.
As you do these squats, the goal is to barely touch your chair as you sit and immediately stand back up. Keep your back straight and your feet shoulder-width apart. To add difficulty, you can also hold your arms out straight. Do as many as you can do, with proper form, before taking a break.
3. Desk dips
Nice try! We're not talking about the type of dips that go with chips. With this move, you can use your desk to target that stubborn area at the back of your arms. Yes, triceps dips!
Standing with your back to the desk, place the palms of your hands on the edge of your desk. Then, with your feet flat on the floor, lower yourself down, allowing your elbows to make a 90-degree angle.
If your desk is standing height, try a standing push-up instead. You can do this by facing your desk, standing an arm's length away, and placing your palms on the desk's edge. Next, with your feet flat on the floor, bend your elbows and lean toward your desk as far as you can. Then push off, without letting go of the desk, and repeat.
4. Punch the air!
It's no secret; work can be frustrating and stressful at times. So what better way to release that negative energy than with a few jabs?
Kickboxing is a great stress-reducing, energy-boosting workout. And the best thing about it is you don't need a gym, heavy bag, or gloves. Just you and the air will do!
You can do a combination of jabs, where you punch straight out, or cross jabs, where you hit side-to-side across your body.
If you want to work on your uppercuts and hooks, that's cool too! Just be sure to work both arms.
5. Take A Stair challenge
If you have a set of stairs in your home or even one step, this is a must-do. The intensity level of stair workouts can vary, making it great for any fitness level. You can walk the stairs for a few minutes at a time or attack it with speed by running up and down.
For this challenge, start at the bottom of your stairs. Then, walk up two steps and down one until you make it to the top. Then, walk back down and repeat. Once you find your rhythm, try to go faster.
6. Take a walk!
Walking is one of the best ways to combat inactivity. It is low-impact, and you do not have to go far to achieve great results.
Better yet, you don't even have to go anywhere. For example, you could walk in place while you work or if you have a garden, then do laps in the backyard!
However, if you can get away from your desk, get outside and go for a stroll.
Walking is also a great way to unwind.
If necessary, create a routine and save this for the end of each workday to create a distinct transition from work to home life.
7. Do your chores
While this may not sound fun, you'll get a great workout in and knock a few things off your to-do list at the same time. For example, cooking and cleaning are often overlooked as an exercise, but they shouldn't be. Have you tried to cook without moving your arms or vacuum while standing still? It's not possible.
You can prepare a meal while you listen in on meetings or load the laundry in between tasks. You can also take a short break and vacuum or take out the trash. Anything that gets you up and moving is worth doing.
Additional Fitness Ideas
Aside from all the tips above, there are a whole number of other ways you can keep fit which include some of the following:
- Utilize a virtual class: If you find that during the pandemic, your local gym is closed and want to carry on working with a professional trainer, then why not consider a virtual fitness class? While this not only helps keep you fit at home, but it can also help support local business owners too. If you had a trainer that you really enjoyed working with, then why not reach out to them to find out whether or not they are currently offering virtual options.
- Apps: There are literally thousands and thousands of apps on the market with fitness being one of the many categories offered in the Google Play Store or Apple’s App Store. Many of these will offer customized or pre-set programs to try out to keep you fit as a fiddle.
- Workout with a buddy: If virtual classes aren’t really your thing, then why not jump on a ZOOM call with a friend and establish your own workout routine? There are literally thousands of videos for example on YouTube you and a close friend could consider using to get fit.
- Play with your pet: If you own a dog, then why not pick up a toy and run—see what happens! Dogs can help provide a lot of intensity, especially when having a game of tag that can (let’s be honest) go on for as long as you’ll let it happen! While not all dogs are made the same, you can still bring and roll them toys to keep moving around.
- Consider Some Gardening: No, we’re serious. Mowing the lawn can be quite the workout! Other types of gardening such as raking leaves or even pruning bushes can also help work up a sweat, so why not consider a little gardening to keep your fitness levels up?
The other advantage from this type of workout not only offers improved fitness levels, but also keeps your backyard well looked after!
- Break out your video game console: If you are lucky enough to have time to own a video game console in today’s busy world, then you are in luck! Consider buying a few fitness games for it.
Not only is this a fun way to approach fitness, but it’s also a great excuse to get back on your favourite console. Playing fitness video games is a good first step toward living a more active lifestyle if you are not a big fan of the gym. The other advantage of course is that there is no monthly fee!
While there are plenty of games to choose from on the market, you are bound to find one that will get you sweating.
Remember To Approach Any New Workouts Sensibly!
So, there you have it! Many ways to keep fit if you feel like your lifestyle is currently just a little too inactive. The key to staying fit at home is to find small (but entertaining ways) to bring exercise into your routine. This way, you can keep a healthy, active lifestyle, even if you don’t enjoy using a gym.
Remember that anytime you begin a new fitness routine, it is essential to talk to your physician first.
Developing an active lifestyle requires you to push yourself but also know your limitations. Also, if necessary, modify these ideas to make them work for you.
Let's get to it!
This is a guest article by Thomas Walker
