Work Out Routines At Home: 3 Tips To Stay Fit Working From Home

Let’s talk about the thing we don’t want to talk about, staying fit working from home.

There is enough on your plate. Staying fit or getting in shape is usually the last on your to do list. Even when you have the convenience of work out routines at home, it still seems like an impossible task. How to stay fit while working from home? Is it possible?

There is so much that demands your attention, and if you add one more thing to your plate you might just break it. Working from home is hard. Homeschooling kids is hard. Add them together and you have a special kind of chaos. Working from home with kids is exhausting. You are juggling a lot throughout the day.

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Then there are all the temptations lurking around every corner. The pantry beckons you to indulge, the fridge cries out for attention, and the couch calls you to rest. It is hard to fit in work out routines at home, even those that promise only 30 minutes per day.

But your mental and physical health are your two biggest assets in life and in business. You need to take care of both. 

Why You Need Work Out Routines at Home

Some people prefer to go to the gym and work out. The act of taking the time to drive there solidifies the commitment to exercise. I’m not one of those people. If my body is going to shake like a bowl full of jelly, then I want to do it in the comfort of my own home. Not to mention my lack of coordination. Trust me it is a public service working out at home.

Whether you go to the gym or workout at home, know that sitting all day long is not good for you.

Here are a few facts. Most people sit more than they realize, and all that time sitting without activity causes some legitimate health risks. Sitting for long periods every day, over a long period of time, increases the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular events. But there is worse, sitting too long also makes your butt bigger. Yikes!

It is so easy to think that you are moving enough when you are working from home. You feel tired often. Honestly, I am not sure what it feels like to not be tired anymore. So thinking of adding work out routines at home makes me feel even more exhausted. But here’s the catch, I do feel better when I start working out on a regular basis. As a mom working from home, it sometimes feels like you are running a marathon every day. Your mind can trick you into thinking you are getting enough movement.

Here’s the challenge to see if you are moving enough throughout the day. Get a fitness watch that will count your steps. Garmin, iWatch, Fitbit—I’ve used them all. Get one that you like and works with your budget. Any of these watches will get the job done. I’ve found the Garmin to be the most cost effective, and I haven’t been disappointed with it. At the moment, I have an iWatch because we switched to iPhones, but either will work. Wear it and see how many steps you take during the day, you will probably be shocked. 

When I first got my smartwatch, I was curious to see how working from home changed my movement. And I was shocked. On average I only clocked in about 1500 steps a day (the recommended daily goal is 10,000 steps). I was not moving nearly as much as I thought I was. It was a stunning reality check.

Do you know how many steps you are getting in each day?

3 Tips to Stay Fit Working from Home

So you want to stay or get fit. You don’t want to increase your chances for diabetes or cardiovascular events. And you definitely don’t want your butt getting bigger. Here are my tried and tested tips for staying fit while you are working from home.

1. Move at your desk

This is actually one of my favorites. Any easy way to multitask is a win in my book. I spend so much time at my desk. I need an option to can work out while I’m working. This is a great way to add work out routines at home.

If you decide to use a standing desk (I’ve tried it, but it didn’t work for me). You can get a Simply Fit Board and twist at your desk. I would strongly suggest not buying generic. I did and the board cracked within a month. My actual Simply Fit Board is still in one piece more than 5 years later.

You can use hand weights to lift at your desk. Put a mini exercise bike under your desk. You can try a wobble cushion that helps with your core. There are also desk ellipticals.

Currently, there is a desk elliptical under my desk. When I use it. I turn on the workout for my smart watch. This is how I know that I am intentionally moving and keeping up a pace that counts as a workout. I also like to see my ring close and get rewarded for my workout.

There are so many ways that you can start moving at your desk and start your journey to getting fit. And we still need to talk about actual work out routines at home.

2. Drink water

This is one of those things that is easy to forget even with the kitchen right there. Or you might even be working out of your kitchen. But it is so easy to keep going throughout the day and not think about drinking water. Drinking water helps you stay full and this will help you not overeat. The pantry is right there and the fridge says, “Hey, come on over and see what’s inside.”

Anyone else eat out of boredom? Sometimes you just need a break from your computer, and the easiest place to go to is the pantry. In an office, you would probably walk over to your friend’s desk for a distraction. At home it’s the fridge or the pantry to distract you. So instead of heading to these two place, head for the water instead.

3. Work out routines at home—make it part of your daily routine

Although you added more movement at your desk, it is time to add actual work out routines at home. It is recommended to do 150 minutes of moderate exercises or 75 minutes of intense aerobic exercise per week. That is 30 minutes 5 days per week, or 50 minutes 3 days per week. For intense workouts that is 15 minutes 5 days per week, or 25 minutes 3 days a week. Or just get a smart watch and the app will track this time for you.

You can do this! Pick how many days per week you want to work out, and then start working towards the time frame. Make it part of your daily routine, so you can start forming habits. Once a habit is formed, you do it without thinking.

You don’t have to start your intense workout immediately. Build up to it. If you are going from nothing to 30 minutes of intense workouts, your body is going to be worn out. You will increase the likelihood that you won’t follow through or keep up the routine.

Start slow. Aim for 15 minutes a day to start out. The key is to do it at the same time every day, so that you create a habit of working out at the same time every day. This will increase your chances of sticking to the routine for the long haul.

Here are some of my favorite work out routines at home: pilates, treadmill, exercise bike, and more. Follow my Pinterest board for workouts I like that include Tabata exercises, kettlebell, and treadmill interval exercises.

At the moment, I am focusing on weight training. The more muscle you build the more calories you burn at rest.

Conclusion

Are you convinced that you need to work out more? Part of my reason for writing posts like this, is so I can remind myself that I need to do this too. Are you ready to get moving? Or at least start adding movement at your desk? What is the first step you will take to get started?

For my ideas for workouts you can do, be sure to follow me on Pinterest!