9 Easy Workout Habits You Can Do At Home

While COVID-19 has unquestionably affected your day to day routine, there are certain things that you are expected to do and things you are unable to do. In short, learning to adjust and adapt is something you need to do to get through any situation. One of the major concerns you may have during this pandemic is the fact that you are no longer able to go to the gym due to prevailing lockdown. Create workout habits to work into your daily routine to keep your health and fitness a priority.

Or have you been sitting at home binge watching Netflix and eating everything in sight? Don’t worry, I’m guilty of late night bowls of ice cream too. Apart from being confined indoors, your health and fitness should remain a priority, or become a priority if it never was before. Boosting your immune system is so important especially during a time like this and exercise is one of the ways you can help boost it.

Here are 9 workout habits you can start today:

Set a daily reminder

Is your gym currently closed? Working out at home can seem daunting, but it’s a lot easier than you think. That is why it is important to come up with effective ways of sticking to your exercise routine regardless of where you are. You can still stay motivated to exercise during lockdown. Start by setting a daily reminder. This can be an alarm you set on your phone, write it down on your daily to-do list, or whatever you need to do to remind yourself to exercise. This will be a great workout habit to keep you motivated. You can start the day off with a 15-30 minute exercise. Benjamin Franklin said it best, “Early to bed, early to rise, will make a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

Make exercise a priority

Making sure you stick to your workout schedule is very important. Make exercise a priority. We all have top priorities and staying healthy and safe during a pandemic is one of them, therefore, exercising routinely should also be at the top of your list.

Put on proper workout attire

When working out from home it is important that you wear proper workout attire. Wearing proper gear will get your mind to tune into that activity and give you a bit more motivation to do it. Put your workout gear on first thing in the morning to help get you into the habit of working out during the day.

Join and follow an online workout program

You may think there are specific exercises that are limited to the gym and are impossible to try out at home. For example, the kind of exercises that require lifting weights, machines etc. There are many free apps and websites that can teach you alternative home-based exercises that can be easily carried out with no equipment. I highly recommend Beachbody On Demand. There are so many great workout programs on there. I myself personally use and love 21 Day Fix and Yoga Retreat. If you have a Fitbit, the Fitbit app is also offering Fitbit Premium FREE for 90 days!

Keep a record of your progress

Keeping a record of your progress will help you stay on track and remain focused. You could record your weight the first day you begin exercising and keep a log for each week as you continue with your workout routine. But what may be more important than tracking your weight is tracking your measurements. Remember, there is a big difference between a pound of fat and a pound of muscle. Muscle has greater density than fat and therefore takes up less room. So measure your chest, waist, hips, arms and thighs and you can track your inches lost as you progress through your workouts! Good workout habits show progress!

Avoid exercising alone whenever possible

Accountability is another way of ensuring you stay motivated and on track. Find someone you can exercise with at home and hold each other accountable. You can set goals or commit to exercising daily for 30 minutes or so. It will all depend on what you both agree on and what you can do. Start out slow. If you can only get in 15 minutes, that is better than nothing. If you have no one to workout with at home, you can find workout buddies online or use workout apps. Don’t push yourself to the extreme. You will burn yourself out and lose motivation quickly.

Have a variety of exercises

Do a variety of exercises. It’s best to have a mix of both aerobic and strength exercises. Varying exercises will also help keep you interested in working out. If you get bored with a routine, you’ll become idle. Keep your exercises on some sort of routine so you can develop good workout habits.

I like to start my morning off with yoga. Then we usually take a long walk before or after dinner. These are daily musts for me. I will then squeeze in any other workouts that I can sometime throughout the day. I also like to do yoga before bed because it helps me relax and get a better night’s sleep. I know yoga isn’t for everyone, but it helps me both physically and mentally so I don’t go crazy through all this.

Pay attention to your diet

Even more important than exercise is your diet. All those workouts aren’t going to do any good if you eat 15 Twinkies before bed. Paying attention to your diet is the only way of enjoying the full benefits that working out offers. Make sure your exercise routine goes together with proper meals. Avoid junk snacking while you’re binge watching a new show on Netflix. Yes, that one episode you just watched, could have been your workout routine.

Reward yourself

Make sure you reward yourself whenever you manage to stay true to your goal. Small rewards can be a great way of not only keeping you determined to exercise but they can also aid in helping you maintain the positivity that you need. It’s OK to eat that piece of cake, have that glass of wine or buy a new pair of shoes as long as you do so in moderation.