In the wake of the current crisis, keeping fit and safe is the need of the hour. We can’t stroll down the streets these days, or visit a gym. People, who work from home these days have to sit in a chair, watch their screens at a stretch for several hours. But evidence suggests that sitting in a position for long periods or constantly standing can have detrimental physical and mental effects on the body. On the other hand, being physically active helps you stay fit and healthy, and reduce the risk of any disease. Check out these 10 easy but healthy ways to keep physically and mentally fit.
Stay Hydrated
Water is known as the primary source for generating power in our body. You should drink water daily, whether you are sitting at home or busy in your office. It is the best antioxidant source and helps revitalize the body and brings freshness to the mind. Science say that one should at least have 4 liters of water every day. This helps you remain hydrated and balanced during the day, and helps to improve metabolism. To reap the benefits of this, you can drink at least two glasses of warm water daily in the morning.
Take Nutritious Food
To stay fit and safe during the lockdown period, add plenty of nutritious fruits and vegetables to your diet. You should eat healthy green vegetables and fresh fruits because to tackle this pandemic you need to strengthen immunity. Vegetables are low in calories and at the same time rich in vitamins, minerals, fibers, and disease-fighting phytochemicals.
They are also an excellent source of antioxidants that help our body to neutralize harmful free radicals. This further prevents oxidative damage and inflammation, both of which are contributors to diabetes and heart disease. You should be eating a rainbow color of vegetables to derive maximum benefits and get an array of nutrients from them. You can also start by adding an array of healthy superfoods like garlic, lemon, tulsi, and turmeric into your diet.
Meditate
Under the current scenario of fear and uncertainty, we all need to calm down ourselves. If not by Meditation is a proven way to rid oneself of stress. All you need to do is take some time off your busy schedule, sit in a peaceful and relaxing room, close your eyes and concentrate on breathing- breathe in, and breath out. Take long, deep breaths and feel it gushing through the nose and the lungs. Relax and breathe deeply, and put away all your worries. Without a doubt, meditation will help relax your mind during the lockout and help you become stress-free.
Say ‘NO’ to Eating Outside
For most people living outside their hometowns, it has become a norm to order food from outside. Consuming outside food can have an adverse effect on your digestive system that can lead to problems like indigestion and obesity. It is best not to order food from outside these days, considering the current health crisis, and instead, cook at home to stay fit and healthy and protect yourself from contamination.
Wake Up Early
Waking up early can be beneficial for both your mental and physical health. It will make you feel more involved, and fill you with positive energy. For practicing meditation and yoga, early morning is considered as the most ideal time of the day. You need to go to bed early so that you can catch a decent sleep and can get up early. Incorporate this habit into your daily routine if you wish to lead a healthier life. Considering the current health situation, waking up early in the morning will keep your body safer and strengthen your immune system.
Take Breaks During Your Work
During the ongoing health crisis, a large population of corporate employees has been working from home. Yet sitting at home and working for long hours all day can harm your mental and physical health. Hampering your work and putting well being first here cannot be a valid choice for you. What do you do then? Well, all you need is short; regular breaks from your desk and take a stroll in your house or do little exercises like rotating your neck, hand, and waste. These small breaks will help you cut down the monotony of sitting at one place all day and will help you to stay safe and fit. It will also increase your efficiency at work.
Include Yoga, Strength Training and Cardio
Anxiety normally activates the sympathetic nervous system that can cause elevated blood pressure, loss of focus, stiff muscles, and faster respiration. Yoga is effective in calming it down. Yoga is a great way to relax and help to relieve stress in the muscles and joints which helps to calm down the sympathetic system.
Yoga poses are also found to be good for controlling blood pressure and thereby helps in reducing anxiety. If you like to work out with weights or use cardio machines at the gym, but are not able to go there due to the lockdown, investing in some fitness equipment on rent can solve your problem.
It is great to start with free weights as you don’t require heavy investment and you can get a set of dumbbells or an iron rod pretty cheaply and they won’t require a lot of space at your home either. Another useful piece of home equipment is a pull-up bar, which can be used for more than just pull-ups. Resistance bands are also quite effective and flexible as they allow you to practice anywhere, while a suspension trainer can potentially take your home resistance workouts to the next level.
Lastly, those who are willing to throw a little more cash at their home workouts will want to consider picking up a multi-gym, but you may need a decent chunk of free space for that. If cardio is your thing, then you have got a variety of options, when it comes to fitness equipment for home.
Treadmills are usually the first thing that comes to our mind, and if space is not a problem at your home, then you can get a treadmill on rent. Alternatively, you can also order an exercise bike on rent, as it occupies less space and has the smallest footprint. Cross trainers and rowing machines are another great way to work out your upper and lower body together.
Set Goals and Challenge Yourself
If you want your home workouts to be simple yet effective, then a 30 days challenge is the way to go. Choose one workout, or a part of the body you want to hit, and just work it out for a whole month. You’ll be surprised how far you can develop, and also how you can boost your overall fitness even though you do only one form of exercise over and over again.
Hopefully, by the end of 30 days, you’ll have caught the exercise bug and then you can embark on a more comprehensive workout program. Use a journal to chart your progress and recognize any potential breakthroughs you might have. Write down that too when you’re having a rough day. We have five challenges for you to take on for 30 days. Set milestones, such as training to lose 5 kilos or training for a race of 5 kilometers.
A target should be something you can’t do right now, but you know that is within your reach. Give yourself mini-rewards along the way: a new fitness journal, your eye-catching workout tights, or a new pair of sneakers. And most importantly, make exercise an integral part of your life as sleeping and eating are. You have to think of it as a shift of lifestyle. Remember, it is something that doesn’t stop after a while. Get out of the mindset that exercise is something you’ll only do for a period of time.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
A routine of regular sleep should keep stress at bay. If you stick to a routine you can fall asleep faster and sleep better. Try going to sleep at the same time in the night, and wake up in the morning at around a fixed time. Turn off all your electronics and gadgets at least one hour before sleep, as they emit blue light that interferes with melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleep. If you find it difficult to get to sleep, try to drink herbal tea, take a hot bath or shower, or write down any thoughts that keep you tossing and turning around.
Stay Positive
Finally, and most importantly, the best way to remain mentally fit is to stay optimistic. Staying at home and witnessing unsettling news about the pandemic, will build tension and fear within you. The need of the hour is to preserve composure and positivity. Remember that history is full of stories of difficult times and how people successfully evaded them by keeping themselves positive. These turbulent times are tough, but let them not be a threat to your physical and mental health. During these times of social distancing, taking these measures will help you feel better and reduce your chance of catching up with any disease by improving your immunity and your confidence.
