Staying Healthy at Home – Your Fitness Buddies

Let’s do a bit of a reality check here. 

The world is still recovering from the ill effects of the latest pandemic and not everyone can comfortably stay home for prolonged periods nor stay out to mingle with other people with zero fear of contracting the virus. 

Even with the vaccine and other social distancing systems in place, the world will never be quite the same and the “new normal” has truly set in.

So, what do we do if we want to continue leading a healthy and fit lifestyle, but we are yet to completely come out of our lockdown situation? Or perhaps, our favorite gym has opened its doors to the public, albeit to a limited number of patrons, but we are not exactly brave enough to be around sweaty, huffing, and puffing people while they exercise?

Here’s the real deal: you can still reach your fitness targets even at home! The secret? You must have fitness buddies! And what are these, you might ask? Read on to find out.

Fitness app

If you are serious about forming the habit of a healthy lifestyle, what better way than to have a handy device that will help you commit to your resolve and sustain it?  

Today, almost everyone you know has a smartphone, and you can install applications for whatever needs that you may have. 

There are a plethora of options at your fingertips when it comes to apps that will support you in your fitness program and you can choose based on your unique needs and preferences. 

A fitness app can provide you with healthy recipes, workout routines, daily challenges, a community with like-minded people, alerts and reminders, progress tracking, etc. 

If I may just say that it’s really not a requirement to go digital but it will matter a great deal if you can have something like it to help you out.

Now that you have set up your journey in your fitness app, you can work on your physical environment to assist you in committing to your health regimen. 

Water bottle

If you’re on a particular diet and have prepared regular physical routines for yourself, it’s only necessary that you have a personal water bottle. 

Apart from being able to track your water intake, more importantly, it will help keep you hydrated throughout the day as you engage in physical activities and make you feel “full” as you begin eating moderately. 

Your water bottle will likely be your closest friend. So, pick a good one that you can bring anywhere in the house or outside and that will last you a long time.

Workout garb

So, you have decided to become a fitness enthusiast, you might as well look like one, right? In all seriousness, putting on workout clothes is not only for aesthetic purposes but to make sure you are comfortable and safe while you exercise. 

Plus, it gives you that motivation to keep going because if you dress like a fitness buff, you will be pushed to play the part! 

Believe it or not, if you prepare your workout garb the night before, on your bedside, you are more likely to exercise when you wake up, and I don’t even need to give reference to a scientific study to back this up. Mind setting, by way of preparation, is key.

Exercise playlist

Other than your sporty clothes, an upbeat playlist of your most favorite music will also jumpstart and sustain your workout for the day. There is nothing like danceable songs that can create the perfect ambiance for your goal-filled day! 

It sets the right mood, wouldn’t you say? 

At times, just hitting that play button instantly gets your fitness juices running. 

Dumbbells and exercise mat

Again, these are not required and there are alternatives to these things but if you can buy them cheap, then why not? 

I remember using a bath towel and some canned goods or bags of rice when I was still mulling over my decision to work out on a regular basis. Back then, I had no intention of doing it for the long haul, so I wasn’t willing at all to spend on anything. 

But I soon figured out that my body needs exercise, though my mind is not willing. And when I bought my own exercise mat and dumbbells, I was more motivated to use them because I felt that I was finally invested in my fitness journey.

Weighing scale

Now, you are physically active and monitoring what goes inside your body in terms of food, beverages, and maybe supplements, there has to be a way to track your progress, right? 

This part is where your trusty weighing scale comes in. 

I know that for some of us this device is not really something that conjures up happy thoughts. In fact, if you just decided to start getting fit, it may be because you have tipped the scale beyond your limit one too many times and it’s somewhat frustrating.

But, if you overcome the anxiety that comes with stepping on the scale, it can be your best buddy as it displays how you are advancing in your fitness goals. 

In fact, there are weighing scales today, like the FitTrack, that showcases 17 different metrics including your BMI, Metabolic Age, Body Fat Percentage, Muscle Weight, and 

Protein Rate, among others. It’s like your trip to the family doctor with several lab tests done! 

The FitTrack also comes with a Fitness App that can keep your historical records so you can check your body changes over time. 

Accountability partner

I know that the “fitness buddies” that we have talked about so far are lifeless (though quite helpful!) devices that serve only to make your life easier as you strive to live healthily. 

They will surely help, there is no question about that, but there also has to be somebody in your life to whom you can be accountable in your desire to be healthy.

Some fitness apps have a support group, as mentioned earlier, that you can join to keep track of your daily challenges. 

But if you’re honest with yourself, people who are strangers to you don’t necessarily give you that much-needed push when you just can’t find it in yourself to get up and work out or you can’t seem to resist your junk food cravings. 

If you have a dear friend who is willing to hold you responsible and remind you of your goals, then you are one blessed individual! 

This person is your go-to friend whom you can count on to give you that motivational speech when you are down in the dumps, will not hesitate to speak the truth in love to you if you are veering away from your intended path, and will be your dependable cheerleader all throughout. 

I can’t stress enough the importance of having somebody who will hold you up and push you as you trek this challenging journey. 

Find your real-life fitness buddy – it’s a MUST!

Wrapping up

Like with any endeavor, it’s best to seek help. Though our success relies heavily on our own efforts and perseverance, it’s rarely accomplished without the support of other people and whatnot to make things fun, and sustainable in the long run. 

I know you can add to the list your own “personal effects” and no one’s stopping you. In this path towards holistic wellness, we need all the motivation we can get, wouldn’t you agree?