5 Tips to prevent sedentary lifestyle during lockdown
Staying healthy and physically active is quite a task in itself on any regular day, and now with more than a third of humanity in the world under a lock down, physical activity has taken a big back seat in our lives. While the lock down seems to be a great measure to prevent the spread of COVID - 19, it certainly seems to have a downside on our overall health and well being. Many of us have been forced to work from home taking away even the little bit of action we saw on a daily basis to virtually none. Our daily routines have gotten altered and we seem to be stuck in a triangle that goes from the couch, to the bedroom, to the kitchen! We all know that Sedentary Lifestyle is bad for physical and mental health and staying active is essential for a fit body and mind. But how does one avoid this while being constantly locked up in the house?
Well we have a few tips that will help you stay active even while you are stuck at home.
Stay Busy: It certainly sounds easier than doing it, but the trick is to constantly keep yourself engrossed in some activity. The moment we are bored we tend to turn to the couch or the bed and out goes any effort to keep the body fit. We all have lists of things that we put away due to our daily schedules, this is the right time to pull out those lists and get cracking. The pile of clothes that have been waiting to be arranged in the cupboard to the whole house that looks like in the need of a good spring cleaning, now is the time to finish all those pending chores.
Stand Often: We spend too much time sitting, which is a huge culprit behind an unhealthy lifestyle. Since you are stuck in the four walls of home even for work, make sure you try and do it standing up. Rather than a comfortable position on the bed or couch, place your laptop on a high table and stand for a while as you do your work. Have an important conference call from work, take it while walking up and down the breadth of your house. Have to cut vegetables for dinner, do it standing at the kitchen counter rather than sitting in front of the TV. The more you stand the more activity your body gets.
Work Out: Well we all know this is essential for staying fit and keeping those extra kilos under check. Since most of us do not have access to fancy gym equipment right now, it is best to go back to the basics. Remember the simple PT routines we had back in school, time to put those simple exercises back to use. All those work out videos you have seen on the social media waiting to try them one day, well you have to wait no more, give them a try and find a work out routine that suits you best and stick to it daily. Dedicate at least 20 to 30 minutes daily for working out and if you want to make it interesting, make your work out videos and challenge friends and family to do the same.
Cook & Clean: This might be more of the need of the hour, since the lock down has taken away the luxury of our household helps. With no maid to cook and clean, you are pretty much on your own to do so and it certainly is a good way to keep those kilos at bay! You can try some new recipes and whip up a good meal for yourself and your family, surprise your loved one with some exotic dishes and even try some healthy meals to stay fit. Nothing beats the good old house cleaning work out to shed some weight and get the house spotless clean while doing so. Every member at home can be assigned tasks of cleaning and cooking to take the work load off.
Meditate: Being constantly confined at home can be mentally exhausting and it is important to relax your mind and nurture your mental health as well. It is essential to indulge in an activity that works out your brain as well. Take out a few minutes in the day for some silent introspection. Meditation and deep breaths can help you calm down and relax your mind to a great extend.
It is definitely a time of difficulty and uncertainty for all of us, but somethings are under our control and that is our health and well being. So whatever your situation, try to stay active, eat healthy and stay safe.
