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Gyms are closed, and we are all social-distancing and some of us are in self-isolation in a bid to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. This has not only caused a lot of stress, new pressures and worries in our home but it has also left people wondering how they are supposed to kit healthy and fit while social distancing or self-isolating.
With all that is happening and the uncertainty that is in the world at the moment, it is still important to give yourself some time to calm down and look after yourself and those around you. We are all in this together and it’s important for us to play our part. And part of this means making sure we are healthy and fit while we stay at home.
The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has snuck up on us and in only a few weeks it has caused an upheaval of our normal lives, changed the way we work and interact with each other. More and more people are spending as much time at home as possible and for good reason.
While being at home is great, it’s essential that you keep a close watch on your long-term health and fitness through this time. It’s not all about the physical either. Stress is at an all-time high, however, if you keep moving, eat well and plan activities to keep you busy it will all result in you feeling less stressed and it can relive your mind.
So, what can you do to help yourself stay healthy and fit during social-distancing and isolation? Let’s have a look below at some of the things that might help:
Eat Healthily
Even though there are some people who are panic buying and clearing the shelves in some supermarkets, it’s still important to try ad eat as healthy as possible. Not only does a healthy diet keep you feeling great it also helps to improve your mood and immune system, keeping it strong and fighting fit. We have been promised that food supplies aren’t going to go short so, hopefully, we should all be able to stick to a healthy balanced diet that includes dairy, protein, fibre, healthy carbs, fruits and vegetables. If you can’t get what you are looking for in stores at the moment you could use it as an opportunity to try some different foods that aren’t as popular. Remember it’s also important to try and support the smaller local businesses as they are struggling at this time, so if you have a local farmers store or greengrocer nearby, it might be worth trying these first.
Stopping Bad Habits
There has never been a more pressing or better time to thinking about quitting bad habits. Whether it’s smoking, drinking more than you should, eating fast food too often or using recreational drugs. It’s going to be much wiser and better for you in the long-run to stop these now rather than later. If you are trying to stop smoking, one way that people try to cut down before they stop completely is to use items that you find at a vape shop and if you’re someone who indulges in one too many takeaways a week consider cooking a fakeaway at home instead. You could try to focus your time on something else, perhaps learning a new craft, supporting the local community or starting and exercise routine.
Exercise
Even though you may not be leaving your home very often, it doesn’t mean that you can’t keep fit. Try to make sure you are still getting your recommended thirty minutes of exercise five times a week. Whether you choose to follow an exercise routine online, do some strength training, go for a walk (make sure to follow social-distancing guidelines), go for a run or cycle, they are all great ways to keep you fit and stop you from feeling like you are cooped up and getting bored. Exercise is also a fantastic morale booster as it helps you to release natural endorphins that make you feel better, happier and relieves stress. Why not think about writing yourself a schedule and fit in a section for exercise five times a week. If you’re after a little bit of relaxation why not have a look at some online yoga classes? Even if you haven’t done yoga before there is an abundance of different levelled videos available online.
Speak To Your Friends And Family Digitally
Even though we are now all following social-distancing at the moment it doesn’t mean that we need to lose touch with our close friends and family. In fact, it’s more important than ever to make sure we support each other and keep each other sane. Yes, it’s going to be different to the usual meet up for a coffee or afternoon at your mom and dads house with the kids but just speaking on the phone or chatting through messenger or WhatsApp can help dramatically to making you feel less alone. This means you are going to help prevent stress, anxiety and other mental issues that may come with social-distancing. Why don’t you set up a group chat with your family or regular friends that you meet up with where you can all share what you are up to, offer advice and support each other. You could also have regular video conferences where you all chat and see each other at once, kind of, just like you are sitting together like normal. For special occasions, you could even think about all cooking the same meal and sitting down to enjoy it digitally together, play games online and even listen to the same music. This is all going to help look after your mental health through this awful time.
These are just four of the ways that you can look after yourself and make sure you stay fit and healthy while social-distancing or if you are in self-isolation. Is there anything that you and your family are doing to help you through this uncertain time? Please share your ideas in the comments below.