Self-Care Roundup
September 20, 2023
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Reading Time: 3 minutes A roundup of self-care ideas from a fresh perspective.
It seems like right now everyone is looking for stay-at-home ways to stay fit, and staying fit for the holidays is an annual challenge anyway. In the spring and summer it was easy to get a little extra exercise by going outdoors to walk or ride a bike. But as the seasons turn colder, going for a stroll in the park is a lot less tempting.
But you don’t have to let the cold weather, rich foods, or staying at home impact your physical activity. In this post I’m sharing 6 stay-at-home ways to stay fit fo the holidays in 2020.
ProsourceFit is an online retailer of home workout equipment. At the time of writing they are launching their Black Friday 2020 sale with prices up to 50% off! Having purchased and used several items from their website this year, I’m happy to share with you some of my favorites below.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you use them to make a purchase. You can read my full affiliate disclosure here. Thank you for your support!
Bungees were sold out everywhere for months this year, but many suppliers have had a chance to restock. Get in on this while you can! Bungees are an incredibly versatile and transportable way to get in a good workout.
Bungees are wonderful for mind-to-muscle connection workouts. I usually use them in pilates-style workouts and for exercises where the idea is to keep the muscle operating under resistance for an extended period, rather than doing a flex-and-release repetition.
If you’re someone who regularly weight trains, don’t expect bungees to take the place of that. Bungees come in a variety of resistances denoted in pounds (i.e. 20lbs of resistance), but the actual resistance is lighter or heavier depending on how much slack is in the bungee at any point in the range of motion. Basically that means that pulling on a 20lb bungee isn’t going to feel the same as curling a 20lb dumbbell.
Most bungee sets come with a pamphlet of exercises to try. You can also run a simple search for “bungee workouts” on YouTube and come up with a variety to choose from.
Bungees are great for full body workouts, but to target some muscles more closely, resistance loops like these are even better. These fabric loops are wonderful because they don’t slide around or roll up on you. And when I say they provide resistance, I mean it. They set includes Light, Medium, and Heavy resistance, and I’m honestly still working up from what they call “Light”!
You can add these around your thighs above the knee to make weight-lifting moves like squats and lunges more challenging. Or you can place them above or below the knee (but never right on the knee joint) for moves like lateral walks or air squats.
I can attest to the fact that these have been game-changing in terms of helping me recruit my glute muscles better for all of my workouts.
If you’re looking for the more traditional style made of latex, you can grab those here.
A recovery tool should be part of your stay fit for the holidays arsenal. I overlooked (ignored, really) recovery activities for years because I never fully understood how necessary they were.
This massage roller stick works like a rolling pin. Each colored segment spins individually on the axis, and since you control the amount of pressure you can achieve targeted deep tissue massage or apply gentler pressure more generally.
I use this on my quads, hamstrings, calves, shins, and traps. Because the roller is smaller, textured, and firmer than a foam roller, it’s far more effective in working out tight knots. And because it has handles, you will have better control over where the pressure is applied.
If you are looking for more traditional foam rollers, you can try these. They come in different sizes and densities to suit your needs.
In our stay-at-home world, staying fit includes fitness for the mind and spirit, too. ProsourceFit’s yoga equipment has you covered at extremely affordable prices and quality that doesn’t disappoint.
Their yoga and pilates mats come in a variety of thicknesses. I think everyone should have a yoga mat. Even if you don’t practice yoga, a cushioned mat comes in handy for any number of workouts. I use mine during HIIT workouts when I’m jumping and need a shock-absorbing platform. I also use it for any floor work. Their use definitely isn’t limited to actual yoga.
But if you are a yogi, ProsourceFit doesn’t stop at the mat. Check out their selection of yoga straps, yoga blocks, yoga wheels and more. They offer a variety of colors to suit your style.
Don’t forget to check out their other pilates and stability training equipment here.
Slam balls are your one-stop shop for stay-at-home ways to stay fit for the holidays. They have sold out at ProsourceFit over and over again this year, but don’t worry, they’re restocking as fast as they can!
Why are slam balls so effective? They can be used to strengthen your entire body. And since most moves involve recruiting multiple muscle groups to properly throw or slam the ball, it gets your heart rate up. I’m not someone who likes to spend hours getting an effective workout, so any time I can incorporate a cardio element into my strength training, I’m in.
I use a 20lb and 10lb classic slam ball in my home gym. They range from 5lb to 50lb so you can find a sweet spot that works for you and build up. ProsourceFit also offers rubber medicine balls like this one and soft medicine balls like this.
Jump ropes are another amazing way to get a good cardio workout while staying fit at home. Yes, you can just jump up and down in place and whip and invisible jump rope around yourself. But using an actual jumprope is more challenging and more fun.
At these prices, everyone should be getting a jump rope as a stocking stuffer this year!
Using an actual jump rope is also a good way to make yourself get out for some fresh air, even if only for a couple of minutes when the weather gets colder. I can’t use an actual jump rope in my basement gym because the ceiling is too low. And while I would much rather stay inside until it’s summer again, using a real jump rope to get my blood flowing sends me out into the garage or onto my driveway for some much-needed fresh air.
If you are someone who is traveling for the holidays this year (or who intends to travel pretty much as soon as travel restrictions are lifted), jump ropes are a great idea for you, too. They are lightweight, take up little to no space in your luggage, and they’ll help you put indulgences to good use in a quick and effective exercise session.
These 6 stay-at-home ways to stay fit for the holidays are some of my favorites, but you can also browse traditional strength training equipment with Prosourcefit on their website here. Their sale is running through December 11th, but items are selling out FAST so if you see something you’d like, snatch it up while you can!
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