5 Exercises to Try at Home

Summary 

Regular exercise is key to maintaining a healthy body and mind, even with a busy schedule. It helps with weight management, boosts cognitive function, and reduces chronic pain. You don't need intense workouts to stay in shape can be done at home without equipment. By incorporating these exercises and maintaining a balanced diet, you can stay energized and fit.

Working out regularly keeps you trim and keep your cardiovascular health in check.

It is important for your overall well-being. You may think refraining from exercise may not have that big of an effect on your health but you couldn’t be more wrong, especially if you indulge in carby and fatty foods.

The myth that people lose weight when they don't consume too much food has been debunked because most people are immobile throughout the day and then eat an entire week’s feast in one sitting.

Light workout and healthy eating habits are going to keep you energized and trim throughout. You don’t have to go all out, the timing and intensity of the workout session can be tweaked according to your preference, but some type of physical activity shouldn’t be ignored.

Scientific research suggests that working out has many positive effects on the human body.

Best Time to Exercise

Fast paced life can result in interrupted sleep patterns, going hungry the entire day and lack of water intake can throw us off balance. Following your fitness goals is easier than you think.

There isn’t a single best time frame during which you can exercise. But there are two good options, the first one is an hour and a half before your meal and the other is after your meal intake.

The reason why it is recommended to exercise right before meal is that you can replenish soon after. Also, exercising on a relatively empty stomach has been proven to help with fat oxidation or burning fat in layman's terms.

Exercising over an hour after your meal intake is also beneficial. You may not lose a lot of weight, but you may have enough energy to weight train and perform other more vigorous physical activities.

5 Best Exercises to Try At Home

Now that we have discussed the most suitable time to exercise, let’s move on to the five best exercises you can try at home. These exercises require no equipment, and you can easily do them in your living room. Some exercises are to strengthen your core, while others involve low-intensity cardio.

High Knees

High-knees is a cardio-intensive exercise. Don’t fret! You can adjust the intensity according to your needs. Slow the pace of the exercise for a low-intensity workout, go faster if you really want to get sweatin'!

You can pair this exercise with other fat-burning exercises done at home. There are different variations of this exercise. For instance, to really get your heart rate up carry a pair of 2kg dumbbells in each hand.

Muscles worked: Legs, glutes, quadriceps, calves, and hamstrings.

Step-by-step:

• Stand tall in your room shoulder-width apart
• Lift one knee and bring it to your chest, switch and bring your other knees towards your chest
• Continue with both the knees alternatively
• It's like running or sprinting but stationary

Push-Ups

Push-ups are excellent to build your core and upper body strength. You can do different variations of this exercise.

Muscles worked: Chest, shoulders, abdominals, and triceps

Step-by-step:

• Position yourself on all fours on the floor
• Hands should be shoulder-width apart
• Extend the legs back and balance on your toes and hands
• Squeeze your core and as you inhale slowly lower yourself by bending your elbows
• Come up to the starting position as you exhale
• Repeat the motion 6 to 8 times

Mountain Climbers

This exercise sounds simple but it targets your entire body resulting in a rapid increase in your heart rate. It is a great exercise to add to your workout routine especially if you are at home and wish to get some cardio.

Muscles Targeted: Shoulders, core, quads, and full body

Step-by-step:

• Start by positioning yourself in a plank and make sure your weight is distributed evenly
• Before starting it is crucial to check your form. Position your hands shoulder-width apart, core engaged, back flat and head aligned
• Pull the knee to your chest, take it back, switch to your other knee
• Alternate between your knees and don’t forget to breathe while you are at it

Wall Sits

Wall sits are great for your leg muscles. It strengthens your thighs and is usually done to build endurance. If you are feeling adventurous you can pair it up with different lower body workouts.

Muscles worked: Calves, quadriceps, and glutes

Step-by-step:

• Stand with your back against the wall
• Position yourself with your shoulder-width apart and a couple of feet from the wall
• Engage your core and slowly go down making sure the legs are parallel to the ground
• While going down make sure your knees don’t cross your toes
• Hold your position for 30 seconds
• Come back up to the starting position and repeat

Seated-Knee Tucks

Seated knee tucks also referred to as reverse crunch and are great for strengthening your core muscles. It doesn’t require any equipment and can be done anywhere and any time of the day.

Be careful not to do this exercise right after food. Wait an hour before doing any exercise which targets your stomach.

Muscles worked: Hip flexors, abdominal muscles, hamstrings

Step-by-step:

• Sit on a mat, keep your core tight and back straight
• Place your hands behind you flat on the mat, lean back, and raise your legs
• Bend your knees
• Bring your knees in and squeeze your abs
• Extend your legs and then bring your knees to your chest
• Extend your legs again, lift them up then bring them back to your chest
• Repeat

Benefits of Working Out

Reduced Aches and Pains

Many people across the globe suffer from chronic aches and pains. It is mostly because of the sedentary lifestyle and lack of healthy eating.

When you sit in one place for too long, it can put a strain on your body. A big chunk of aches and pains that people experience, is usually because of a lack of mobility. Working out has proved to be very helpful.

It keeps your muscles mobile reducing pain and stiffness while keeping you trim and active.

Improved Cognitive Health

Exercising while fasting exponentially improves your cognitive function. Your concentration levels improve and your mind is sharpened. A 40- to a 45-minute-long workout routine can come a long way.

Increased Energy Levels

Every time you work out your body releases a hormone known as Endorphin. This hormone is responsible for making you feel stress-free and happy. Endorphins help increase your energy levels, especially when you are in need of more energy.

Weight Loss

Besides exercising what you consume has a huge impact on your weight. If you incorporate healthy foods into your diets, while working out every day, you’d be able to reap the full benefits. Remember you are what you eat!

Key Takeaway

It is important to keep things light and fun. Do not start vigorous exercise routines or start new diet regimens immediately. Allow your body enough time to get used to the new healthy lifestyle.

As long as you get in some form of physical activity and try to eat fruits and vegetables, you are good to go. If you need a little more guidance on healthy or low fat meals check out this blog about healthy desserts to help you make a smooth transition.

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