There’s no denying that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has put a stop to almost all outdoor activities. With increased home quarantines and social distancing measures, cancelling outdoor adventures has become the new norm. This may leave you bored, anxious, and searching for ways to stay fit. We feel ya! That’s why we’ve put together this guide with ways to stay sane and active during the pandemic.
HOW TO DEAL WITH A COMPLETE 180 OF YOUR LIFESTYLE
To give you a quick background on us, Reet and I travel full-time, most of it in an RV exploring top outdoor destinations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. We spend part of almost every day mountain biking, hiking, paddleboarding, kayaking, snowboarding or rock scrambling. Needless to say, our lifestyle and our company revolve around recreating in the outdoors.
When we’re not in the RV, we take an international trip to India for a few months every year (typically in winter), as that’s where Reet was born and raised. We love to visit family, eat incredible Indian food, experience and learn from the culture and expand our initiatives to help the stray dogs of India (our other passion aside from the outdoors!).
This is where we are now, on March 25th, 2020. STUCK, INDOORS.
That’s right, India instituted a mandatory curfew (the strictest version of a lockdown) across the entire country a couple days ago. This means we literally cannot leave our house, past our driveway. Our worst nightmare…but also 100% necessary. So, we are trying to make the most of it and practice acceptance. We believe that the Indian government is actually doing the right thing to stop the spread of COVID-19, and is taking this threat to the people of India very seriously.
So, to help you cope (and perhaps even flourish!) during this time, we want to share our top tips for keeping our sanity and what we are doing to stay active during corona virus.
BENEFITS OF STAYING ACTIVE & GETTING OUTDOORS DURING A QUARANTINE PERIOD
Boredom is not the worst thing about being stuck indoors. Staying indoors for an extended period can cause lethargy, restlessness, disrupted eating habits, fatigue, and moodiness. Spending all of your time indoors can even cause a weakened immune system – something we all definitely want to avoid during this crazy time.
Physical activity is also very important for both your body and your mind. Studies show that staying active will help you manage your weight, lower blood pressure, strengthen bones and muscles, and recover from illness faster.
Exercise is also a proven mood booster, reducing depression and anxiety, decreasing stress, and improving sleep and brain function. All things that we could all use a bit more of at this present moment!
Lastly, breathing in the fresh air of the outdoors and receiving a healthy dose of Vitamin D from sun exposure can help strengthen our immune system.
But how can you enjoy getting outdoors safely while on quarantine or social distancing?
WAYS TO STAY ACTIVE & GET OUTDOORS WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR HOUSE
Since we are homebound for at least the next 21 days, we’ve had to get creative around spending time outdoors and ways to stay active during corona virus. The good news is that there are more resources than ever before, as gyms, studios and workouts are being added online constantly to keep up with the online demand. Even better news: many of them are free!
A quick visit to YouTube alone will reveal a thousand and one home workout routines that’ll help kick your butt and build you some abs before the quarantine is lifted. Below we also list some top gyms and studios that are also offering free online workout classes.
WORK OUT IN YOUR BACKYARD
No need to worry about going to a gym – they are mostly closed now anyway. Your backyard is waiting. Hanging out in your backyard will help you get that fresh air, sun and outdoor exposure necessary for your immune system. Working out in the backyard will help you emerge from the quarantine with those abs you’ve always wanted.
Here are some top gyms, yoga studios and other resources that are offering FREE online workouts!
