Staying Healthy at Home

One of the biggest barriers to exercise for many people can be finding the time to get active regularly. Sedantary jobs and busy schedules often mean that we simply can’t make the time to hit the gym as often as we would like! That is why better understanding how to get a great workout in at home can go a long way to boosting your health and fitness efforts!

Bodyweight Workouts

One of the best ways to embrace fitness in the home, without any equipment at all, is to learn some basic bodyweight exercises. This basically means using your own body instead of weights, machines, and other fitness equipment. Read on for some easy but effective bodyweight moves.

 

Squats

Squats are great for your body and aren’t difficult to master at all! Begin with your feet positioned just wider than the width of your hips. Your toes should be pointed slightly outwards. Bend at the knees to bring your body down towards the floor and push your hips back, as though you are going to sit down.

 

Once your thighs are parallel to the ground then push through your heels to bring your body back up to the start position. You may find it helpful to clasp your hands together in front of your chest for balance. Aim to do 10 squats at first and then begin to increase this number with each workout. You can progress this workout by adding a pause at the bottom and a jump at the top!

 

Lunges

Begin in a neutral standing position with your feet hip width apart. Step your right foot forwards so that both knees bend at a 90 degree angle. You can then push through your right heel to return to the starting position and repeat by taking the left leg forwards.

 

 

Aim to do 10 lunges on each leg at first and then begin to increase this number with each workout. You can progress this exercise by lunging backwards.

 

Glute Bridge

Lie on your back on the ground with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Push through your heels to lift your hips up towards the ceiling, creating a bridge like shape with your body. Hold for a second and then return your body back to the ground.

 

Aim to do 10 glute bridges at first and then begin to increase this number with each workout. You can progress this exercise by bringing each knee towards your chest when you are at the top of the movement.

Warming Up

When you are exercising at home then it is still important that you warm your body up in the same way that you would in the gym. It is likely that when you are in the gym you use a cardiovascular machine, such as the treadmill or crosstrainer, to do your warmup. However, this can be replicated in the home by jogging on the spot for a few minutes, doing jumping jacks, or getting your jump rope out! 

 

Only when you are feeling warm and flexible should you embark upon your workout.

 

Healthy Eating

 

If you are trying to find ways to stay healthy at home then your diet is going to play a huge part in this. If you are exercising often but still eating a diet that is high in calories and saturated fat, then you may find that you are sabotaging yourself. 

 

Although there is a huge amount of conflicting advice when it comes to healthy eating, the general rule is that avoiding processed foods in favour of fresh, whole foods, is a good idea! Opt for fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, grains, and seeds. That’s not to say that you can’t enjoy foods that aren’t whole foods, but that you should do so in moderation. 

 

 

When foods are packaged, processed, or pre-preared, then it is likely that this food has been flavoured or preserved with something that isn’t going to best enable your healthy eating plans. These foods might be high in sugar and salt, as well as containing a range of additives. Check out our past article on foods that are surprisingly good for your bones!

 

Staying Healthy at Home

 

Staying healthy at home doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking, and with a few small lifestyle changes you could soon be on track to living a healthier life. 

 

Find ways to reward yourself for your progress that aren’t connected to food, and be sure to check in with your goals regularly. This will help you to keep your motivation up and keep moving towards your health and fitness ambitions!

 

In you are unfortunate enough to injure yourself whilst enjoying some physical activity at home, then getting a speedy diagnosis can truly help you on the road to recovery. At Onto Orthopedics we offer a comprehensive range of sports injury care that is designed to get you up and running again as soon as possible!