How to stay fit at home
By Elaine Law
Staying fit at home is actually much easier than you might think.
If you think of it from a literal perspective, it’s only two steps:
Go into anything you fit in at home
Don’t move
You’re done. Now you can stay fit, and even better, at home!
Just kidding, now let’s get into the non-literal perspective.
We’re all getting a little lazy while stranded at home from COVID-19, but there’s one thing that we all have in common in these times: wanting to stay healthy. When going out isn't as safe as it once was – and if you're one of those folks who isn't even allowed to go out anyway – it may be difficult to maintain physical fitness.
There isn't always enough time in the day to workout.
RCHK Physical and Health Education (PHE) teacher Jeremy Chiang’s fitness routine has changed a lot since group fitness classes have been suspended. "Currently, my fitness routine involves going for walks, jogs, hikes, cycling, and some home body weight workouts such as HIIT, mobility/stretching, and core yoga," he says.
Head of P.H.E, Lee Burns explains that: "As a sports person, [changing fitness routines] is a process that occurs naturally with age, but as a result of the many restrictions that have been placed upon us from within Hong Kong, I have turned my hand to new challenges."
"Hiking is not a pastime that excites me. In fact, it can be pretty boring at times, but perception is important when weighing up the benefits of exercise and maintaining one's health."
Thankfully, even when all gyms, pools, and other potential exercise grounds are closed during COVID-19, even when we’re locked in, there is still a way to work out and stay fit — at home! Here are some tips from both teachers to stay fit and healthy, even when quarantined:
1. Check out the online workouts
There are tons of video workouts available on sites like YouTube that you can follow at home! Although when following a workout video, always be aware of your individual limitations. You might not be able to workout as long or do as many repetitions as the people in the video without hurting yourself.
2. Have a nutritious diet
Fitness isn’t all exercise. It is also extremely important to also keep a nutritious diet. Try cutting down on sugary beverages and foods, and eat plenty of natural foods such as fruits and vegetables.
3. Make good use of your time
Take advantage of the screen breaks in online school! Sitting for too long isn’t good for your body, so try to reduce that time by standing up and walking around. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), we should stand up every 30 minutes.
It can be difficult to stay motivated when your limbs and core seem so unable to keep up, and it becomes tempting to cut ourselves some slack and do the easy stuff (or simply not do anything at all). So what can we do to ensure that we are engaged and motivated to stay fit?
4. Do activities that you ENJOY
Don't feel guilty that you're not doing enough home workouts! You can also do light exercise in the form of taking walks, playing with your pets, cleaning up the house and more.
5. Set a SMART goal and then track your progress
SMART is a mnemonic we’ve all heard of that stands for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound. We can use the mnemonic to set small and achievable goals. It is easy to lose motivation if you set goals that are way out of your reach. "Small but progressive, achievable goals pave the way for greater accomplishments," says Burns.
An example of a SMART goal is to do three 30-minute HIIT workouts this week. “Make a note of it each time you do it, and if you succeed in your goal, treat yourself to a small reward!” says Chiang.
6. Shift your focus!
Focusing on the things you have control over is a good way to ensure that you maintain a positive mindset. Do not focus your energy on things that you have limited to no control over.
"The first and most important realisation is, much to my disappointment, there are no tricks that can help with fitness," Burns acknowledges, "Fitness is hard work for everyone and anyone that wishes to stretch their abilities and capacities.” There are no shortcuts to fitness, so we should all make an effort to do exercise even at home.
Burns also says on behalf of the PHE. department that they have been trying to create a self awareness of the importance of creating personalised targets in students so they keep up with fitness. He says, “The RCHK PHE department is 100% ready to increase the safe provisions for sport, health, and fitness as soon as we are permitted to do so, and we hope all students will partake in what is a hugely important factor in health as well as academic achievement. "
Remember that there is no right or wrong method to staying fit: Everyone has their own limits. If you are aware of the importance of keeping fit and what is best for you, then take action!