By nature, hospitality is an active industry. Virtually all roles require you to be on your feet or move multiple body parts throughout the day, which clearly helps to keep you fit. However, the spread of Covid-19 across the globe means that millions of people, inside and outside of hospitality, currently find themselves in quarantine or at home for the foreseeable future. As you can no longer pop to the gym after work, and the majority of outdoor exercise is prohibited, you might ask yourself, how can I keep fit in quarantine?

Hosco wants its hospitality community to stay fit and healthy during these difficult times, so we’ve researched 6 interesting ways that you can keep fit in quarantine. These methods might not fully replicate your daily exercise/calorie burning, but it’s crucial to remember that any exercise is better than nothing.

Why is keeping fit in quarantine important?

Exercising on a regular basis is crucial to support a healthy body and a healthy mind. Getting a sweat on at home will help to boost your immune system, prevent weight gain, and keep you flexible. It’s also important to underline how the endorphins released in your body during exercise will reduce stress and anxiety during this difficult time. So, let’s jump straight into the 6 interesting ways that you can keep fit in quarantine.

1) Stretching and Yoga

A great way to kickstart your day with some exercise is by stretching. It’s quick, easy, and anyone can do it. As soon as you wake up, begin to stretch your major muscle groups to increase flexibility, prevent stiff joints, and maintain proper blood circulation.

The popularity of yoga has increased across the globe in recent times as more people discover the physical and mental benefits of the practice. There are various types of yoga that you can practice, so find the style that suits you and try it before a day at your home office.

2) Guided workouts

Need that extra motivation to get you moving? A guided workout could be for you. They’re the beating heart of gyms around the world. People pay good money to attend classes with highly-trained instructors who demonstrate each movement, all while pushing you to reach your limit. These classes have also been available online for years, but their usage is soaring now more than ever as life has moved 100% indoors and online. You can find free, inspirational workouts for all levels and ages on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Professionals are also looking to share their knowledge for free during quarantine by offering free trials of their paid services and apps, so be sure to look out for them!

3) Housewalking

Maybe you haven’t heard of housewalking; it’s quite literally what it sounds like, walking around your house. Perhaps it’s not the biggest calorie burner; nevertheless, all of those steps really do add up. You can walk up and down the stairs, move between the kitchen and the bedroom multiple times, or even pace around the room as you watch tv! The only piece of equipment that you need would be a fitness tracker, it’s not essential, but it gives you an idea of the number of steps and the calories burnt. If it’s your first time housewalking, aim for 5,000 steps per day. As you get used to it and find the “paths” in your house, take it up to 10,000, and so on. It’s not only a simple way to burn calories and maintain good circulation.

4) Bodyweight workouts

Want to burn more calories while toning your muscles? There are plenty of exercises you can do at home with no equipment by just using your bodyweight. The main exercises that we want to highlight are burpees, planks, standing long jumps, push-ups, sit-ups, squats, and lunges. Create a circuit that suits your ability and resistance, and you’ll really feel the benefit. You can use this simple plan and increase or decrease the numbers over time.

• 30-second plank
• 10 squats
• 20 lunges
• 10 push-ups
• 20 sit-ups
• 10 standing long jumps

5) Dancing

We think that everyone secretly loves to dance, even just a little. It’s actually an excellent way to burn calories while having a great time, as it doesn’t feel like a traditional workout! As with the guided workouts, there are thousands of dance-exercise videos available online that you can follow. It’s reported that you can burn anywhere from 200-400 calories after dancing for just thirty minutes. There are various styles to follow, the most famous being Zumba. After a quick search online, you’ll find your favorite dance/music genre has been transformed into an exercise class.

6) Makeshift weights

If you’re a big fan of using weight lifting machines at the gym, then keeping fit in quarantine may appear more difficult for you, but it doesn’t have to be. You need to think outside of the box and use what’s around you to craft heavy items to do your reps. Grab canned food, fill up water containers, or put books in a bag. Obviously, this isn’t going to replicate the machinery at the gym; however, it’s better than nothing at all.

Keeping fit in quarantine is all about finding the measures that work for your body and the space around you. Don’t feel disheartened at first if you don’t feel the same burn as you usually do in the gym; it’s okay. Little by little, you’ll adapt and overcome to find your perfect quarantine workout.

Equipment to help with quarantine exercises

We find the following 12 pieces of exercise equipment to be relatively inexpensive and small yet very useful for indoor workouts. You can find all of them on online sports retailers.

• Yoga mat
• Resistance bands
• Skipping rope
• Kettlebells
• Dumbbells
• Balance trainer
• Exercise ball
• Upper body workout bar
• Ab roller
• Push up bars
• Suspension straps
• Foam roller