How to Stay Healthy When Stuck At Home — Covid 19

Health experts are advising people to stay home as much as they can to stay safe from the coronavirus pandemic and slow its spread. With a bit of creativity, you can find new ways to get plenty of physical activity and eat healthy food even while you’re staying home more. 

Exercises that you can do at Home

The American Cancer Society recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week. Moderate activities make you breathe as hard as you would during a brisk walk. Vigorous activities use your large muscle groups and make your heart beat faster, make you breathe faster and deeper, and make you sweat. Even lower amounts are good for your health and are safe for most people. Besides helping to prevent some health problems, getting some physical activity can be helpful for your sleep, mood, and energy. It’s also important to limit sedentary behaviors such as sitting, lying down, watching television, or other kinds of screen time. 

If you’re working or taking online classes from home: 

Stand up or walk around while you read and answer emails and other messages on your laptop or phone. During conference calls, stand up and pace, or stay seated and do leg lifts, knee lifts, and toe curls. Keep weight under your desk for bicep curls. 

Do standing push-ups against a wall. Take a short walk during lunch, or in place of a coffee break. Set an alarm on your computer or phone to remind you to take an activity break. For example, take a one- or two-minute standing or walking break every hour.

 

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Other ideas to get moving: 

Take a walk outside if it’s a nice day or walks inside around the house if it isn’t. Walk fast enough to speed up your heart rate and break a sweat. Walk up and down your stairs. Take every other step to give your legs a good workout. Turn on the radio and dance in the house, alone or with your partner. If you don’t have stairs or much open space, you can do jumping jacks, or walk or jog in place. Try to keep moving for at least 10 minutes. 

Use hand weights or grab an object like a soup can if you’re just starting to exercise, or a jug of water if you’re stronger. Bend at your elbows to curl your hand to shoulder level. Repeat 10 to 12 times, or until you can’t do it anymore. 

Do squats when cleaning out closets or playing with your children. Be sure to bend with your knees and keep your back straight. If you’re on social media or can search the internet, check for live-streaming exercise sessions or activity challenges that you can participate in. 

Make TV time active time:

Stand up and fold laundry while you watch. Do a few simple exercises like jumping jacks or walking in place, or by doing stretches in front of the screen. 

Make a new rule: No sitting during commercials.  

Make household chores count:

Mop or vacuum fast enough to get your heart pumping. A 150–pound person can burn about 150 calories an hour this way. Have young children or pets at home? Playing with them can burn more than 200 calories per hour. Yard work and gardening are also ways to burn calories and strengthen your arm, leg, and back muscles. Pushing a lawnmower, raking leaves, shoveling, and other outdoor chores can be an effective workout. 

Use the stay-at-home time for projects you may have been putting off. 

Cleaning out the garage or attic is another way to be productive and active at the same time. 

  

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