Staying fit indoors

Síðast uppfært Miðvikudagur, 10/07/2024

No gym, no problem! It can become a bit more challenging to stick to a sports routine without leaving home, but it is completely possible and highly beneficial for you.

Being active throughout the day should be an unavoidable “must” in your daily routine. It has physical and mental benefits that can help you enjoy a healthier and more balanced lifestyle. Leaving your home to go exercising is not always possible: be it due to unpleasant weather conditions or mobility restrictions, but this is no reason at all to become a couch potato and forget about sports.  

How to move without leaving your place

There are many options to stay active that don’t imply a sporty activity such as cleaning around the house (who doesn’t love grabbing the mop with great music in the background!), but we will focus on encouraging you to set yourself in a sporty mindset that helps you to become fitter mentally and physically.  

You won’t change your location to start your activity, but you can, and definitely should, change your clothes and put on your best sports gear. This will put you in the mood of your activity and help your mind to prepare for what will follow.

Once you know whether you will be flowing into asanas or jumping, choose the right music for it! This will be the cherry on the cake of your home-gym setting.

Don’t skip your date

Save a time slot on your agenda for the day, perhaps you prefer early in the day before starting to study or work; or enjoy dedicating that time in the afternoon to get some movement (stretching, dancing, you decide!). You should make a commitment with yourself which is for your own well-being and overall health.

Regardless of the time of the day you prefer, it is also important that you choose a sport that you enjoy, so you will see that “sports time” in your agenda as a treat to make you enjoy, relax and become healthier. It can be dancing, pilates, yoga, HIIT training, or traditional workouts consisting of different exercises. Find what suits you best regarding your style, physical condition and your mood.

If you thought that this time was only to use your body, it can be more than movement and enhance your creativity! As it’s not probable that you will be keeping at home all the sport equipment that you would have had available at a gym, you can put to work your imagination, for example in case you may need dumbbells why not use water bottles, or rice packets. Nothing should stop you from getting healthier and stronger!

There are many gym buddies and instructors out there for you

If you miss the community vibe and mutual encouragement that you find in the gym centre there are many virtual classes, either live or recorded, that can help you feel that group training environment.

At European level, the European Commission launched the initiative #BeActiveAtHome to create a community between those who are eager to take care of their health and encourage others to move when staying at home.

This initiative that started to support each other and propose fun and innovative ideas to stay active at home was built upon the success of the #BeActive community, which has been continuously growing since it was launched in 2015.

To discover more about it, check out all the inspiring ideas posted with #BeActiveAtHome on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and post your own ideas to motivate others.

Don’t forget to find your own way to move your body to help maintain a healthier lifestyle.