A “How To” during Quarantine: Develop an Active Lifestyle at Home

So it’s get fit or get fat time – or a bit of both . (The brownies that I baked disappeared in 2 days, 🤷‍♀️. And my kids were gone for the weekend, so I can’t even blame them!) But despite my increased brownie consumption, my fitness routine hasn’t changed at all over the past 2 weeks.

Why not? Well first off, I’m not a gym person. I never have been; the atmosphere is not relaxing, nor is slugging it out on a stationary machine for 22 minutes….

Classes? Well, I used to love yoga, but after having kids, it became too much. Too much time. I’ve realized that heading to a gym or a class creates a lot of wasted time: driving somewhere, finding parking, dropping off kids, coming home and showering, etc. It also adds unnecessary stress to my day because I live in a big city, and the less I have to battle traffic, the happier I am! So you’re probable wondering, okay, so what do you do – workout videos at home?

No. I tried that. And again, it felt like a lot of work. I got distracted by my kids, and I spent too much time hunting around for something I liked. It just wasn’t me.

Most people think you need a HUGE workout with weights and machines in order to see results. I promise you – you don’t. I’m actually not naturally thin, and have fought weight gain my entire life. I tried every fad diet out there, and would constantly start and stop new workout routines. But since my mid 20’s, I finally figured out the secret to weight loss, without really trying! 

I was living in Portland, OR, without a car. So, I walked everywhere! To the grocery store, to the bus stop to get to work, to wherever I needed to be. Now I know that’s not feasible for most of us, because we are moms with kids. But it’s more the “active lifestyle” that helped me lose weight and maintain it. Want another example? If you’ve been to Europe, you know they walk everywhere. You experienced it. Walking is the easiest form of exercise, but most people dismiss it, saying it’s not a “workout”. Well, I’m here to argue that it definitely is.

So what do I like ?

➡️ Going on walks (preferably by myself or with a friend). But right now, of course, I’ve got my kids all the time. So even though they are 3 and 5, I’m putting them in the jogging stroller with snacks and books, and pushing them around for 30 minutes in the morning or afternoon (earbuds in to keep it zen).

Psst… The core workout I’m getting is insane!! Any slight hill that requires me to push them up is killer – I feel like I’m doing my own version of #CrossFit. The stroller weighs 30 pounds, and my kids are both around 40 pounds, so that’s over 100 pounds right there….

I also love to ride my bike {again, by myself – but that’s not always going to happen.} So we ALL get on our bikes (start them young!) and cruise the neighborhood! Yes, we are quite urban and there are tons of cars, but they know to stop at the corners and wait.

If you need encouragement getting on your bike, check out the matching pink bike baskets I bought for my daughter and myself! And the cute helmets I discovered, much cuter than mine!

Because I’m divorced, I do have a few hours twice a week when my kids aren’t with me. During this time, I typically walk or bike for 30 minutes because it is truly my only alone time for the week, and the routine helps me de-stress. (And if you haven’t ridden a bike in a while, you’ll feel like you’ve gone back in time and revisited your childhood, in a good way!)

But even with a different schedule, you can make it work. If you are married or have another adult in the house, ask them to watch the kids for 15-30 minutes while you head out on your bike or go walking! It will calm you down, is great exercise, and you get alone time! I am SO passionate about getting outside to exercise – the benefits are incredible. (And so is alone time, but that’s rare. So even if it’s only once a week that you get that bike ride or walk in all by yourself, take it!)

So – if all this time cooped up in quarantine is driving you crazy or causing you to throw all fitness routines out the window – maybe try a different perspective! Now might be the perfect time to implement a new “active lifestyle” mindset, instead of a new “workout routine” that is the latest IG obsession.

Because right now, we have lots of time.

LOTS of time.

And, if you are like me, you are still putting off cleaning out the junk drawer and closets. Eeek.

A walk a day has MAJOR benefits, not only for your physical health, but also for your mental health. So lace up your running shoes and plug in your earbuds, or dust off your helmet if you have one, pump up those tires and start peddling! (But don’t worry about you how you look – it’s difficult to look very cute in a giant, silver helmet! I tried, failed, and accepted the truth. So I bought a pink bike basket instead!)