Odds are you’re probably reading this from home. Over the last several months, you’ve probably done most things from home: work, eat, sleep, and maybe even socialize if you’re lucky (or unlucky) enough to live with others. And while spending most days at home might have you feeling stagnant or frustrated, there are always measures you can take to spice up your normal routine!
Working out from home might seem like a bit of a challenge at first. In the pre-pandemic world we had access to a ridiculous amount of workout classes and gym spaces. Maybe you loved to exercise at SoulCycle or your local gym and have been struggling to find the same motivation to workout without these in-person resources. While these options aren’t necessarily available right now, that doesn’t mean that your workout routine has to suffer! The truth is that you have just as many (arguably more) options for working out at home than working out outside of your home!
Thanks to the internet, you can truly do anything you want. There are countless online workouts available to you through YouTube, Instagram, or subscription-based exercise platforms! To give you a jumping off point, here’s a short list of some examples:
Free Online Options:
- Chloe Ting’s 2 Week Shred Challenge has been all over social media this summer! It starts with 2 short videos (one HIIT routine and one Abs routine) and slowly builds over the course of the challenge, adding additional videos to intensify the workout and even granting participants “Active Rest Days” to make sure they’re not overworking their bodies. While it’s not the most sustainable workout routine to adopt for the long-term, it can serve as a fun short-term goal to complete! Check it out here: https://www.chloeting.com/program/2019/two-weeks-shred-challenge.html
- There are countless Instagram accounts that post regular At-Home Workout content! One example of these accounts is @aliceliveing or Alice- Daily Live Workouts. She’s a PT who hosts live streams on her account of workout routines that viewers can follow along with. Once she finishes filming these classes, they’re then uploaded permanently to the IGTV section of her account, so even if you can’t tune in live, you can always go back to complete the class videos on your own time. The workouts range from Core-focused to Pilates to simple stretch routines. And if Alice doesn’t have a specific workout that resonates with you, one of the other thousands of fitness accounts that are on Instagram is bound to, such as:
- One tip for finding an Instagram account that posts workouts you might like is to see if your local exercise studio hosts online Instagram classes. A lot of instructors have been posting daily IGTV workouts in place of holding in-person classes, so it’s worth checking to see if your studio has been doing the same!
- And of course, YouTube has about as many workout options as you can imagine. Whether you’re feeling Yoga, Zumba, Strengthening, etc, there’s bound to be an at-home workout video that works for you. For example, if you’re missing your Yoga classes, try doing one of Adriene Mishler’s Yoga routines on her channel “Yoga with Adriene”. This channel community has over 7 million members and hundreds of videos to choose from! You can still take a high-quality fitness class led by a professional teacher, even from home. Check out her channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene/videos?app=desktop
Subscription Online Options:
If you’re craving something more personalized or can’t quite find what you’re looking for on social media platforms, paying for an online fitness subscription might be a better option for you! Below are just a few examples of paid-subscription options that offer high quality, at-home exercise classes:
- This platform gives users access to thousands of different workout videos from HIIT, to Yoga, to Pilates. If you’ve been struggling to find a class you love, DailyBurn will almost certainly help fill your niche! Check it out here: https://dailyburn.com/landing#!home
- This fitness platform specializes in audio workouts and can help guide you through your fitness routine whenever, wherever, and however you want! Check it out here: https://aaptiv.com/
- Melissa Wood Tepperberg is a mom of two and a certified Yoga and Pilates instructor! She promotes fitness on the foundation of self-acceptance and self-love. Each Monday she posts a new weekly workout schedule and workout routine. Check out her website here: https://melissawoodhealth.com/
Finding a new at-home routine that you love can be so exciting! View this time as a challenge. A new opportunity to better yourself. A new beginning in learning how to love your body! Prioritizing your health is always essential, but it especially matters in times of stress and uncertainty. Take comfort in the fact that no matter what the world looks like, you will always have control over yourself and your dedication to your health.