Starting and maintaining a weight loss journey during a pandemic is not easy, especially when your favorite gym is closed because of lockdown regulations. Some people are fortunate enough to get weight sets or workout machines and make a home gym. But if you don’t have the resources or availability to purchase weights, don’t worry! We have put together some simple activities you can still do to keep yourself moving and active. Trust us, you will certainly make progress in your weight loss and fitness journey just by doing these easy activities. But always remember, the key is consistency!
Nothing is easier than this. So simple, yet so beneficial and good for your body. If you are just starting your weight loss and fitness journey, ease yourself in by taking a short 30 minute walk at first. Make it fun by bringing your dog with you, or listen to your favorite playlist or audiobook. You will not even realize how fast 30 minutes goes by! Try to walk everyday and increase it slowly to 45 minutes, then 60 minutes, and so on. If it becomes boring, try a different route or increase the intensity by hiking to a nearby hill or mountain.
When you find walking and hiking too easy and want to challenge your cardio fitness, go running. Don’t think too much-just get out of the house and run for 30 minutes. It’s ok if you struggle to maintain a run pace for the full 30 minutes. Run as far as you can, then walk. Think of it as a challenge. Next time you run, try to shorten the walking or resting time and try to continue running for the full 30 minutes. When you find running fun and you want to keep doing it, you can keep it interesting by challenging your pace or your distance. You can try beating your time by running faster, or run for more distance, or a mix of both! Using a running app can help you keep track of your progress and routes. Set up running goals, and reward yourself with better quality running gear after you achieve certain goals.
Cycling can be a great option if you like to move faster with less pressure on your joints. Although cycling requires an initial investment of a bike and equipment, it is a worthy investment for your weight loss and fitness journey! Before you go out for your first ride, research some local routes with great scenery and try them first. Take a short 5 minute rest after you arrive, enjoy the scenery with a little snack before cycling back. It is such a great activity in the summer and beginning of autumn! It feels so nice to feel the sun and wind on your skin when you’re cycling. You won’t even feel like you are working out. Try to keep track of your cycling routes and progress by using an app. It’s always rewarding when you look back and see how far you’ve cycled.
When it’s rainy and cold outside and you don’t feel like going outside, you still can have a great workout from home. It can be as simple as going to Youtube and browsing! Look for any 30/45/60 minute workout you feel like doing. On Youtube, you can find variations of HIIT cardio workouts, kickboxing, yoga, pilates, dance cardio, and many other kinds of workouts. Most of these free workouts can be done without any equipment, so anybody can do it. Play the video along with your favorite music playlist to help with the mood. Then just start moving and enjoy it-you will feel a great sense of accomplishment when you’re done!
This might be the simplest workout you can do at home. Doubt it? Go running up and down the stairs for 20 minutes without stopping. We guarantee you will be out of breath and sweating! It is a great cardio option, but one downside is that it can get boring very quickly. There are other cardio variations you can do only with stairs that we will share in the next blog article.
There you have it-very simple yet effective workout activities to help you stay active during lockdown! The weight loss journey is never easy and everybody experiences different challenges and obstacles. No matter what you’re facing in these unprecedented times, you can always find a way to keep on going when you have the commitment.