Healthy challenges to stay well at home

COVID-19 has been a major disruption to the daily flow of our lives and has made it difficult to maintain progress toward the health and fitness goals we had before social distancing began. However, instead of focusing on the ways that your current circumstances limit you, it’s important to set challenges to keep you motivated on working toward your goals. Create your own challenges or try our suggestions below.

Challenge 1 – Stay active.

If you typically exercise in a gym, it can be difficult to adjust to exercising at home. Take this opportunity to learn new exercises or improve on different areas of fitness that you would not usually prioritize. Be sure to aim for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic every week – just 30 minutes for five days each week.

Challenge 2 – Healthy snack swaps.

The urge to snack is likely more prevalent than ever now that you are spending more time at home. Next time you find yourself reaching for the processed food snacks, use that opportunity to build on your five daily servings of vegetables and fruits. Cut them up ahead of time to make it easier to grab and go.

Challenge 3 – Practice mindfulness.

One of the biggest challenges to staying healthy at home is managing stress. Practicing mindfulness can help. Set aside short, 5-minute breaks to find a calm, quiet place and take deep, cleansing breaths. Get in a comfortable position and feel each individual breath. It can go a long way in reducing your stress.

Challenge 4 – Be a bridge.

While it is important that we practice social distancing, that does not mean we must be socially isolated. Challenge yourself to reach out to at least one friend, family member or colleague each day. Better yet, encourage them to do the same. It’s a challenge that we all can benefit from. We are all in this together!

Challenge 5 – Create a schedule.

Setting a schedule for each day can help you to be more productive and ensures that you’re taking time to incorporate healthy habits into your routine. While creating a schedule is important, the real challenge is keeping it. Set reminders on your phone or computer to encourage you to stay on track.

For more valuable advice on staying well throughout the pandemic, and to stay connected to others, we encourage you to join the QuadMed Well-being Facebook group or subscribe to the QuadMed YouTube channel, where you can find exercise videos and more to keep you active, healthy and engaged.