Having the perfect body is a dream for many of us. We adore and envy those Greek and Roman sculptures, where their bodies exude perfection, strength, and yes, even sex appeal. There’s no need to be shy about it! For sure, it’s one of our ultimate goals in our lifetime. But more than the body image, it is also about getting fit and healthy. But if we’ve been geeking out the whole day playing video games or surfing the internet on our computers, then don’t expect your body to transform into a bangin’ body. It’s like wanting to win the lottery without ever buying a lottery ticket.
If you’re a self-professed geek, then that’s no reason for you not to get fit. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tells us that an average adult should at least do any of the following for a certain period of time in order to stay healthy:
- Moderate exercise or physical activity amounting to 2.5 hours every week and strength training that involves all muscles at least twice every week, or;
- Intense exercise or physical activity amounting to 1.25 hours every week and strength training that involves all muscles at least twice every week, or;
- A combination of moderate to intense exercise and strength training that involves all muscles at least twice every week
At first it sounds crazy hard to do especially if you’ve gotten used to being a couch potato. You may even cringe at the sight of a gym if you had no other choice but go there. But actually, it’s easy to adopt some physical activity in your daily life if done gradually. And the good news is, you don’t really have to go the gym. Certain workouts, which combine plyometrics, cardio, high intensity interval training (HIIT), and strength and endurance training, can more or less be done at home. The various Les Mills workouts are great starter routines for this as it combines different exercises to engage all your muscles.
But if you want to start with the bare essentials, here are some exercises that you can mix and match yourself right at the comfort of your home.
Get yourself moving
This is the first thing you’d want to do. Getting out of your couch or chair is a start. The goal is to simply get your body moving so you can start losing some calories. A lot of everyday physical activities can already burn some 200-300 calories at an average of 30 minutes to one hour. Brisk walking, jogging, or even cleaning the house can already make you sweat. If you can commit yourself to doing this on a regular basis, along with regulated food intake, you can maintain your weight or even lose a couple of pounds.
Establish a basic routine
Once you’ve allowed your body to adjust to more physical activities, then it is time to do some exercises. Strength training becomes a vital aspect here, but without the aid of gym equipment, the best thing to do is to use your own weight in your workout routine. You can start with a warm up like jumping jacks, a plyometric exercise that engages all parts of your body. This will raise your heart rate and prepare you for other exercises. You can then do some push ups, squats, and crunches counting from 10 to 1 for 3 to 5 repetitions. You can then add some burpees to include more complex movements, and cool down with some stretching exercises to end your routine.
Challenge yourself
If your body gets used to a routine, it can hit a plateau. In order to break this cycle, you need to do more challenging tasks. You can either increase the intensity or frequency of your exercise routine, or you can introduce new variations of exercise to your mix. It’s also good to step out of your comfort zone and try out some outdoor activities or sports.
One does not need to be a jock to be fit and healthy. Even geeks can look great too! Just remember to stay active, eat right, and be stress-free!
Photo: Helmuts Gelgo
