Your favorite gym in town is closed, so you may think to yourself, “Oh well, looks like I won’t be able to get a good workout in now.” Believe it or not, there are some really good ways that you can exercise from home – and even make it fun! We’ll look at 10 different activities that you can do right at home. Doing any of these for 30 minutes a day, several days a week, will help you stay active and healthy and keep your blood pumping.
1. Go for a walk or a run
Making the simple choice to go outside for a quick walk or a jog around the neighborhood is a great way to get some exercise and also enjoy the weather! If you have a dog, this can help both you and your pet keep your day active. You can even download some games like Pokémon GO or Ingress on your phone to make it more interesting.
2. Living Room Workouts
These days, there are countless ways you can bring a gym workout into your home – and many of these are free! Apps such as At Home Workouts, Home Workout, 30 DayFitness, and many more can all help. There are also some great paid options as well, such as Centr, Shred, and Fitbod. You can even go on YouTube and do a quick search for different workouts, such as high-intensity, yoga, abs, and more. Usually, no equipment is required for these activities, which means you can get even more out of your home workouts and bring the gym inside your house.
3. Throw a frisbee, football, or baseball
Throwing a frisbee or a football is a great way to get exercise, and it’s a fun way to relax with your family and even have some competition. You can make a game out of it by counting how many times you can throw the frisbee without dropping it, or even counting “strikes” when someone does end up dropping it and see who can last the longest.
4. Ride your bike around the neighborhood
This is another great way to get outside and enjoy the weather while getting a good exercise in! Even if you haven’t ridden one since you were a kid, this is still a fun and relaxing way that you can be active when the weather is good.
5. Try a dance class
Just like the many different ways you can do a home workout, you can also try a dance class at home! YouTube has many great options, and there is a variety of styles such as salsa, swing, ballet, and hip-hop. Try mixing up different dance styles and get your blood pumping if ones style isn’t as challenging for you.
6. Do some yard work
Taking some time out of your day to tend to your yard is another good way to burning calories at home. Mowing the lawn, trimming tree hedges, pulling weeds, and planting flowers are all great options. If exercise workouts seem less appealing to you, getting outside and taking care of your yard can help you with your active goals.
7. Clean the inside of the house
Like yard work, cleaning your home on the inside has positive effects for your body’s health. As you move throughout your house, make it an active cleaning activity - even playing music and dancing while you vacuum or mop could be beneficial to your body’s health!
8. Take the stairs
If your house does have stairs, this is another great way to get moving from home. You may find it surprising how often you might find yourself taking the stairs each day, so turning it into a workout will build your leg muscles and help you be less tired when you reach the top.
9. Play a musical instrument
This one may seem silly, but playing certain instruments such as guitar, violin, or drums can burn many calories and use lots of energy. Not only are you getting physical activity, but you are also learning a new skill or sharpening your abilities to play that instrument.
10. Play some family games
If you’re tired of board games, there are many creative games you can play as a family that help everyone get some exercise! Try some old school games like charades or Twister, or if you happen to have a VR headset, there are many active video games the whole family can play. Beat Saber is a great option for being active. This game challenges you to slash small beat cubes to the rhythm of the music, testing your coordination and your endurance. This is just one of many options for you and the family to have an active family game night!
We hope that these help you along your journey to a healthy and active lifestyle! If you have wellness questions, visit Affinity’s Wellness Services website or call 318-807-4900.