quarantine

Fun Lockdown Workouts To Keep You Motivated

June 18, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

Working out at home is one of the ways you can stay fit while social distancing is happening. Exercise is always important, but even more so now. It helps keep you healthy, keeps your mental health in check, and gives you something to do to give some structure to your day.

But one of the issues with exercising at home is finding the motivation to do it. It can be hard to make workouts fun and to get yourself psyched up to sweat each day.

So what can you do to make working out at home more enjoyable? Here are some fun lockdown workouts to keep you motivated!

Image Credit: Unsplash under Creative Commons

Challenge yourself with a HIIT workout

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts are a fantastic way to exercise. They’re short, sharp and super high-energy – not something for the faint-hearted. But that’s all part of the fun! HIIT workouts provide a fast-paced, challenging session that will help you tone up while losing fat, plus help to improve your cardio health. They’re difficult, but full of some fun moves to keep you busy. Check out some of the best HIIT workouts on YouTube and start pushing yourself.

Get yourself a rebounder

If you’re looking for a great way to exercise, get yourself a rebounder. But what is rebounding on a trampoline? Rebounding is an effective form of exercise, while also having the benefit of being a lot of fun. While many people have trampolines in their backyards for the kids, this is a type of equipment that’s more suited to the adults in the family. With so many great exercises you can do on a rebounder, it’ll certainly liven up your fitness routine.

Try partner exercises

Working out with someone else is a great way to stay motivated, so why not give some partner exercises a try? There are some great partner exercises you can do with a resistance band, as well as bodyweight moves. Partner workouts can be fun, challenging and could even bring you closer together – making for one highly effective way of working out!

Join a group workout with friends

Video calls have become a part of people’s daily routines, with both work and social lives taking place on applications like Zoom. But have you thought about doing a group workout with friends online? A video workout can be a fun way of spending time together and help you look forward to a workout. You could follow another video together, or task someone to design the workout each time! This is an ideal solution for those who miss going to classes and want a bit of company when they work out.

Staying motivated to exercise is never easy, but there are a lot of things you can try while in quarantine to stay on top of your fitness. Check out some more fun ways to workout at home to help you stay strong and healthy and keep on top of your fitness goals!

•What have you been doing to stay on top of your workout routine?

Thank you for reading!

Lifestyle

Tips to Feeling Fresh While in Quarantine

June 8, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

Quarantine Cozy. The look we’ve all been sporting for months now: sweatpants, torn old t-shirts, disheveled hair that really needs a haircut. Turns out being in lockdown really has a major effect on what you decide to wear, and how many times you choose to, uh, shower each week. It also seems like it’s crept into a lot of homes as clutter seems to be building up.

So, what are some tips to freshen up both yourself and your living space while you continue to quarantine? Look no further!

It’s time. Switch out your pajamas for some comfy clothes like high-quality hoodies, athleisure, or just by putting on shoes instead of slippers for the 91st day in a row. Again, you don’t have to wear a three-piece suit to feel good. Feeling extra fancy? Put on that beautiful dress or shirt you’ve been wanting to wear since the weather turned warm.

If you have a weekly get-together with your friends online, put your best face forward by slipping into something clean and fresh feeling, and even consider donning some jewelry or a new tie that you’ve been wanting to sport. And hey, if you’re still wearing pants, nobody will be any wiser.

It’s time for some spring cleaning! If you haven’t jumped on the Marie Kondo bandwagon, there’s no time like lockdown present. While the Kon Mari method breaks down exactly where to start de-cluttering, a less extreme way to add some life to your home is to simply analyze the clutter, and where things typically stack up. Then, take action.

If you’re continually fighting surface space, ask yourself why. If it’s because you don’t have great organization, put baskets in specific areas for shoes, keys, and so on.

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While you spring (or summer!) clean, take down any curtains, remove all your bedding, and throw them all in the wash. Get your rugs outside, and start shaking them out! A fresh and clean space will feel amazing after so much time in lockdown.

Light your outdoor space. While quarantine began in cooler months, it’s now transitioning into summer, and there’s no reason you can’t be spending more time outside. If you haven’t reset your patio for summer, what are you waiting for? Get your outside furniture freshened up, and hang any string lights that you take down for winter months. For some inspiration, check out our earlier article on our outdoor furniture and lighting. Lighting really does make a huge difference when you’re feeling less-than-fresh.

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Get some fresh air into your home. If you are in need of some natural light, you’re not alone. Open those windows, and let some fresh air in, as well as some natural sunlight. It can have a huge effect on your mood. However, if you’re a little more prone to allergies, keep those windows closed, those air filters cleaned, and try a different approach, like opting for diffusers for a subtle scent. With so many options on the market, you can likely find one that fits the aesthetic decor of your home.

How do you stay fresh while in quarantine? Comment below!

Thank you for reading!

Health

How to Keep Yourself Occupied During Lockdown

May 18, 2020 By lyndsinreallife Leave a Comment

The world is currently facing trying times due to coronavirus, and it’s proving to affect everyone in different ways. However, some people are using this unique situation as a way to rekindle their creative fires or as a chance to complete any long put-off tasks. During these times, it’s only natural that we may feel dips within our motivation levels and our overall mental health. This is why it’s so important to fill your days in lockdown with engaging and creative activities, and to remind yourself that you are not in a productivity competition with others. If you’re at an end with things to do to occupy yourself during lockdown other than Netflix bingeing and ab workouts, these six refreshing ideas are for you!

Get Creative

It may be hard to believe, but the opportunities to be creative at home are endless! With so much technology at our fingertips, it’s easy to get started on your own YouTube channel or create your own personal blog that covers topics that you’re excited about and want to share with the rest of the world. If you’ve been delaying writing a novel or postponing reading a trilogy, now is the perfect time to complete just that! You can also try out journaling, doodling, and painting, which can be ideal for de-stressing and to separate yourself from negative media reporting that can often be hard to ignore. To avoid procrastination, try to put away your phone or any other distractions you usually have, and set goals for what you would like to achieve or complete during the week.

Learn New Skills

The extra time we now have at home has provided us with the unique opportunity to learn new skills or to pick up on a hobby where we left off. You can learn a new language, advance your career related skills with online courses, or even try new hobbies that you may not usually be drawn to, such as learning how to give readings with tarot cards. For those who love the outdoors, why not give gardening a shot? Even if it just means helping your family out with planting a few new flowers, gardening can be a therapeutic and rewarding activity, and it’s also an excuse to get out in the sun in the comfort of your own home.

Sort Out Your Wardrobe

There’s nothing more satisfying than a clean room, and for most people, clothes can take up a lot of the space! Sort out your clothes and decide what to keep or what to give away to charity when you can. If you’re wanting a bit of extra cash, why not sell your unwanted clothes, electronics, or books? Having a fresh start doesn’t have to be limited to just your bedroom – take a shot at some DIY video tutorials, rearrange furniture in your living room, or paint walls and hang up cheerful art prints to create the impression of a fresh, new space.

Watch your old family videos and look through photo albums

There’s something so magical about looking back into the past and laughing at embarrassing photos of yourself or your siblings. This is a great way to bring the whole family together without the use of technology and screens, and it can really lighten the mood when you need it most. You can even organize and print off your recent photos to make new albums, buy scrapbooks to fill with all your favorite memories, or even create a fun video compilation from past trips and vacations that you can send to your family and friends.

Bake!

Now more than ever is the best time to grab those baking books that have been stored away for years in the kitchen and start mixing up some sweet treats. Getting creative in the kitchen doesn’t have to be just restricted baking either – you can easily gather cooking inspiration through blogs, TV shows, YouTube videos and cooking apps to organise fun dinner times where you and your family can take turns in preparing tasty meals (and desserts!).

Games Night

Why not gather the family one evening and enjoy laughs, delicious food, and a good old fashioned board or card game. As we can all often get carried away with the whirlwind of social media and technology, this can be a perfect idea to kick back and spend time socializing with your loved ones. However, this doesn’t have to mean you can’t invite family and friends to join in on the fun via video call!

How are you keeping busy during this quarantine?

Thank you for reading!