Ask the Anytime Gal: Stay committed to fitness routine at home

Question: With all the uncertainty right now, how can I continue to stay active and see results from home?

Answer: Great question, and I think almost everyone can relate to this right now! It’s entirely possible to continue to stay active from home. While equipment and the motivating atmosphere of a gym certainly helps, it’s not required! The number one trick to seeing results? Consistency. Keep exercise a normal part of your routine. Schedule it out each week as you normally would. This will help you stay committed and continue to gain progress toward your goals.

An effective fitness program should have five elements: a warm up (dynamic or cardiovascular most specifically), an aerobic portion of the workout to get the heart rate elevated, a resistance portion of exercises to build strength, a flexibility element to stretch muscles and keep you limber, and a cool down.

For example, here’s an easy at home workout: 

Warm up: Walk or bike on a treadmill/bicycle or outside at a moderately quick pace to get the body ready for exercise

Cardio: Increase speed or resistance (or both) to get the heart rate elevated and work up a sweat

Strength: Do 10 squats, 10 push-ups, 10 crunches for 10 rounds

Flexibility: Do some simple stretches. Reach towards the sky, reach towards your toes, stretch in a way that feels good for your body.

Cool down: After stretching, walk or bike for an additional 5-10 minutes at a slower pace to drop the heart rate and allow the body time to recover. 

If you’re a beginner to exercise, aim to move your body for 30 minutes per day at least three times per week. No matter what type of exercise you do, be sure to start slowly and gradually increase time and intensity. With all the uncertainty in the world, exercise is more important than ever to help us keep our immune systems healthy and our mental state in check. Exercise is a wonderful way to relieve stress and clear the mind during troubling times!

About the author: Jayme Smid is the club manager at Anytime Fitness in Brandon. To submit a question email jayme.Smid@anytimefitness.com