Gym Closed? Stay Fit At Home...

Quarantine Getting You Down?

Start Getting Fit at Home 

(Without Overspending!)

Written by Sheila Olson for Foot Pursuit.

For many, life in a pandemic is proving to be a real challenge. With the threat of a killer virus looming on the horizon, trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy can feel next to impossible. Widespread lockdowns and quarantines have also deprived people of creature comforts, which makes the ordeal all the more difficult. However, there are actually many things you can do to stave off the boredom and unease—one of which is by keeping yourself fit and healthy. Here’s how you can get started.

Staying home is a “fit” answer.

Interestingly, you might find that in a time when social distancing is the norm, getting fit is actually more than doable, even with no gym or fitness center to go to. In fact, exercising at home can even be pleasurable with the convenience and privacy it offers, not to mention the considerable savings from not having to spend on gym fees and transportation. 

Get the gear.

First thing’s first—few things can motivate one to get off the couch and start moving more than new exercise gear. Indeed, it’s not so much an expense but more of a sound investment toward your health. As a matter of fact, Well and Good notes new workout gear and clothing can provide the extra inspiration to get one moving, so it’s definitely money well spent.

Thankfully, you don’t even need to break the bank to equip yourself and your home for fitness, especially if you head to larger retailers. You can put to work some Target shopping tips to save on home exercise equipment. Case in point, signing up for the Target REDcard makes you eligible for a five-percent discount and free shipping on purchases, as well as gives you more leeway on returns. Moreover, you can earn cash back via sites like Rakuten, plus downloading the Target app gives you first dibs on special offers and coupons. 

Make the space.

Of course, you’ll need space to be able to exercise in the comforts of your home. The best part is, this actually need not be a fancy one. In fact, you can make use of any spare room in your home as a fitness nook and even create a home gym with stuff you already have in your home. You just need to be creative in a pinch—possibly not even spending a single cent while you’re at it.

Even with a tiny apartment, PopSugar points out that you can still workout. As long as you have enough room to roll out a mat, you can do yoga, which is quite a compact exercise that requires little more than the length of your body. You can even do intense workouts in a confined space by making use of just a few handy equipment or your bodyweight, taking us to the next point. 

Go online. 

Go online. working out in a gym or yoga studio essentially means that you’re on your own, with no trainer or teacher to guide you. Thankfully, modern technology provides many ways to circumvent this little hiccup. In fact, there are countless fitness professionals offering their services online, so you can actually get instruction on just about any kind of exercise under the sun. it’s even an opportunity to try out different disciplines to see what works best for you.

Even more important than the diverse options made available to you is the fact that many online videos and websites are free. Furthermore, there are also many top-rated home workout apps, which offer more personalized instruction while costing no more than a few dollars to subscribe to, so these are worth exploring, too—in quarantine and beyond.

Indeed, how well you adapt to this difficult time in modern history hinges heavily on what you do to keep yourself engaged and healthy—while sticking to a budget, of course. Ultimately, getting and staying fit will not only help you fend off this killer virus, but keep you sane and grounded, too. All the better to get out of this strange time unscathed!

*Sheila Olson has been a personal trainer for five years. She believes the best way to achieve physical fitness and good health is to set and tackle small goals. She encourages her clients to stay positive and incorporates mindfulness and practices for reducing negative talk into her sessions. She created Fit Sheila to spread the word about her fitness philosophy.