Options to Stay Fit and Strong Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

As the current COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread around the world, keeping a healthy lifestyle is vital to reduce the risks of getting infected, especially while everyone is still advised to stay at home amid the lockdowns and community quarantines.

To maintain a healthy lifestyle, the World Health Organization (WHO)[1] recommends keeping a healthy and nutritious diet. Alcohol and sugary drinks consumption must also be avoided, as well as smoking, which increases the risk of developing severe diseases if infected with the novel virus. It is also recommended to stay active by finding time to exercise every day—at least 30 minutes for adults while an hour for children.

Just because you are staying at home during these trying times, it does not mean that your physical activities need to stop. To help you keep yourself healthy and active, Santé, a provider of premier organic health and wellness products and services, lists simple, equipment-free workout you can do at home:

Warm-Up. 

Do two sets of the following movements without rest to get your muscles loose and your core temperature up. 

Jumping Jacks (30 reps)

How to do it? Stand upright with your legs together and arms at your sides. Bend your knees slightly then, jump. As you jump, spread your legs, and stretch your arms out and over your head. Jump back to starting position and then repeat.

High Knees – 30 reps

How to do it? Stand in place with your feet hip-width distance apart. Drive your right knee toward your chest and quickly place it back on the ground then, follow immediately by repeating the movement with your left knee. Continue repeating the movements alternately as quickly as you can.

Squats – 15 reps 

How to do it? Start by standing, and then drop the buttocks back and bend the knees into a sitting position. Some people find this exercise easier with a ball between their knees.

Alternating forward lunges – 15 reps 

How to do it? Stand upright with your feet hip-width distance apart. Bend your elbows at your sides or rest your hands on your hips. Step forward with your right foot, lowering your hips until both of your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Keep your front knee directly about the ankle and lower the left knee to just above the floor. Keep your weight on your heels as you go back to the starting position. Repeat the process with your left foot forward to complete a single rep.

Workout. 

Do two sets of the following movements without resting in between. 

Push-ups (10 reps) 

How to do it? Get down on all fours, placing your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Straighten your arms and legs, then lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Pause for a second, then push yourself back up. Repeat the movement ten times.

Tricep Dips (10 reps)

How to do it? Position your hands, shoulder-width apart, on a stable chair. Then, slide your butt off the of the chair with your legs extended out in front of you. Straighten your arms while keeping a little bend in your elbows to keep the tension on your triceps and off your elbow joints. Slowly bend your elbows until about a 90-degree angle to lower your body towards the floor. And then, press down into the chair to straighten your elbows back, returning to the starting position. Repeat the movement ten times.

Sit-ups (10 reps) 

How to do it? Lie down, then bend your knees. Place your feet firmly on the ground to stabilize your lower back. Cross your hands to opposite shoulders, then curl your upper body up towards your knees. Do not forget to exhale as you lift. Lastly, slowly lower yourself down to the starting position while inhaling. Repeat the movement ten times.

Wall Sits (20 seconds)

How to do it? Lean back against a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Then, press back and slide down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Your knees must be above your ankles and bent at a 90-degree angle. Keep your head, shoulders, and upper back against the wall and hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds. 

Squat Jumps (15 reps)

How to do it? Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Curl your body to do a squat and engage your core. And then, jump. When you land, lower your body back into the squat position to complete one rep. Repeat the movement 15 times.

Cardio and Workout Finisher. 

Do at least one set without rest.

Mountain Climbers (30 seconds)

How to do it? Lie down on the floor in a prone position and get into a plank position while extending your arms directly below your shoulders. Keeping your core very taut and tight, use your strength to bring your left knee towards your chest. Hold your position for at least 30 seconds. Repeat the movement with your right leg while simultaneously moving your left one back to its original position.

Burpees (30 seconds)

How to do it? Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms by your sides. Then, bend your knees and reach forward to place your hands on the floor. Kick your legs straight out behind you and immediately lower your entire body down to the ground, bending at the elbows. Use your arms to quickly push your body back up and hop your legs back under your body. Lastly, jump straight up into the air, reaching your arms overhead. End with your knees slightly bent, and go directly into the next rep.

Plank (30 seconds)

How to do it? Start on the floor on your hands and knees. Place your hands directly under your shoulders. Step your feet back, one at a time. For more stability, bring your feet wider than hip-distance apart, and bring them closer for more of a challenge. Maintain a straight line from heels through the top of your head, looking down at the floor, with gaze slightly in front of your face. Then, tighten your abs, quads, glutes, and hold for about thirty seconds.

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While you are at it, do not forget to stay hydrated with other healthy drinks to help yourself cool down. For athletes and health enthusiasts alike, keeping yourself hydrated can also help cleanse the body of waste in the form of urine and sweat.

Choosing water or other healthy drinks instead of just those sugar-sweetened beverages can also help with weight management as it can reduce your calorie intake. Aside from water, among the healthier choices you can drink, to stay hydrated while keeping an active and healthy lifestyle is FITn’Trim, a weight-management drink that is a game-changer to working out and getting fit.

Enriched with Vitamin C that helps keep your immune system functioning optimally, FITn’Trim also has Santé’s signature organic pure barley grass powder, certified by BioGro, New Zealand’s leading organic certification agency.

FITn’Trim also has green tea and a zest of lemon flavor mixed with L-Carnitine that aids in increasing your metabolism. It helps trigger the reduction of body fat, helping you get rid of the unwanted baggage that weighs you, bringing a positive and lighter life.

To learn more about Santé, visit its website at santebarley.com