How to stay fit and active while in self-isolation is a question that thousands of people are asking now that the coronavirus pandemic has spread around the world and we cannot engage in the activities we did before. We cannot go to the gym or work out in a group with our personal trainer like we once did, but as long as we keep the 1-meter distance from each other, we can still maintain a routine to stay active.

If you like walking or cycling, just wear a mask and keep a reasonable distance from other people. WHO recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week to stay fit and active.

But you don’t have to go to a park to exercise, you can achieve these recommendations at home with minimal or no equipment at all. Just take a look at some fitness workout websites or go search YouTube exercising videos! Here are some ways you can continue to stay fit while in quarantine.

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Boost your immunity

The first step towards becoming fit and healthy is to boost your immunity. This is especially important now that we are facing a new virus. First, try to avoid junk food as much as possible and eat healthy dishes with lots of fresh vegetables and fruit. The next thing that will help you is doing at least 30 minutes of walking or exercising a few times a week. It is said that people who work out or walk at least 5 times a week have 43% fewer sick days than people who do nothing.

Getting enough sleep is crucial for your immunity too! According to research by Carnegie Mellon University, the people who got less than 7 hours of sleep a night were more likely to develop a cold when the researchers exposed them to a cold-causing virus! Lastly, don’t forget to manage stress and meditate. Some studies have shown that those who reported more stress in their lives were more likely to develop cold symptoms. This is because the stress hormone cortisol, can suppress certain parts of the immune system. To avoid this, meditate or spend some time in nature.

Take a walk

The stroll is not reserved only for retirees. Walking every day will improve the health of any person, regardless of age. As long as you’re able to maintain a 1-meter distance from other people outside, you can walk as much as you want. But walking will keep you active even in small spaces, walking around or walking on the spot.

Walking can help you reduce the risk of heart disease, strengthen your bones and muscles, and improve your mood. Just a 30-minute walk can make a difference. And don’t forget to wear a mask. Also, the best fitness gadgets, such as fit band or smart watch, can help you to track your steps, active minutes, calories, and heart rate every day you walk.

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Work on your breathing 

Breathing is very important during physical activities, but also important when you are  sitting at home. These past few months, people have been stressed and nervous because they were forced to stay at home in quarantine. They cannot go to the cinema, restaurants, or gatherings, which affects their mental health. Yoga, meditation, and breathing techniques, can help everyone reduce stress and feel better.

Relaxing and just breathing slowly is really important for our nervous system, and there’s nothing complicated in that. Just lie down on your back and put your hands on your abdominal region. When you breathe in, make your belly rise. Then when you breathe out, your belly should fall. Stay in that position and take 10 deep breaths. You can also search for some online breathing techniques and try them every day.

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Walk your pets

Although people can get used to being inside for a few months very easily, this does not apply to pets. Pets, especially dogs, require walking at least 2 times a day every day. Social-distancing is a good opportunity to spend more time with your pets and be active. Dogs can keep you on your feet almost 24/7. Think about walking your pets every day in a park or just around your house.

There are many ways to stay active and play with your pets in the garden. Also, walking your pets is incredibly healthy for you, as it improves your cardiovascular condition, lowers blood pressure, strengthens your muscles, and decreases stress.

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Try some easy workouts at home

You don’t have to go to the gym to stay fit and exercise. Your living room, terrace, or backyard provides enough space for you to stay fit and active during the quarantine. Although you cannot really perform all the workouts from the gym at home, there are many exercises that you can.

If you are working from home and spend free time watching TV, it means you really have to move and become active. Just doing squats or heel raises during the commercials are nice workouts! While waiting for your pizza order, you can whip out a hula hoop or even use a jump rope. It’s fun and keeps you active. Besides, it’s affordable enough for everyone and helps you lose weight.

Watch YouTube workout classes

Even though you cannot go to the gym and hire a personal trainer, you can take advantage of online exercise classes. There are many useful videos that show you how to workout at home during quarantine. Also, many of these are free and can be found on YouTube. It takes just a few clicks to find the best videos for exercising and staying fit.

Also, even beginners can watch and practice at home. You can search for exercise videos yourself, but you can also visit some recommended fitness channels on YouTube, such as Pop Sugar Fitness that features dozens of high intensity workout videos ranging from cardio to dance to toning workouts from 5 to 35 minutes long each.

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Install free fitness app on your smartphone

There are many free apps you can install on your smartphone to keep up with fitness news and workouts. Fitness apps can be very useful if you want to stay fit during quarantine or lose weight. To help you with it, we’ll recommend some cool apps you can use. Apps like Yoga for Beginners feature free 10-minute workouts that can boost your energy. The Nike Training Club app features new daily workout videos that last from 15 to 45 minutes. Such apps are free, and everyone can use them at home without paying personal trainers.

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DisDance yourself

Did you know that dancing improves the condition of your heart and lungs, improves your muscle tone and strength, while also lowering your stress and anxiety? Although we should avoid clubs because of coronavirus, that doesn’t mean we should stop dancing! We can dance in our backyard or the living room! All we need is some music.

But, if you’d like to go to a party and dance during quarantine, Social DisDance yourself! Choreographer Ani Taj , fellow dancer Sunny Hitt, theater director Sam Pinkleton, and theater producer Jenny Gersten, have invented Social DisDance - a three times a week club that happens in everybody’s home. Social DisDance takes place for about an hour on Tuesdays at 10 p.m. EST, Fridays at 8 p.m. EST, and Sundays at 5 p.m. EST. Just log into both Zoom conference and DJ mix, and dance!

Besides, participation is absolutely free, though attendees are welcomed to donate to the team for their work. Follow Social DisDance’s Instagram page for further information.