In this post, one of our amazing librarians, Elizabeth, shares resources for staying active and healthy during this stay-at-home time.
Being cooped up at home doesn’t mean you should stop being active. I have found so many different ways to stay healthy! (However, I may had a few too many cookies from Little Chunk of Goodness!)
With gyms, yoga studios, and other work out facilities closed, some may use it as an excuse to not maintain a healthy routine. I took this as an opportunity to explore new ways to be fit as well as push myself in my normal workouts. Here are some ideas to motivate you!
First off, I have been walking a ton! My husband and I have either been on a walk or run almost every day that I have been working from home. Even some of those colder days we still took a short walk around our neighborhood. We have done a few hikes too to change up the scenery! Here are a few of my favorite trails:
Middle Branch Trail I love walking by Gervasi. Hey, did you hear they are making hand sanitizer?
Brandywine Falls So pretty, whether you want to just view the falls or walk on the trail, it is perfect.
The Gorge Another beautiful trail with water. My parents got engaged here!
Hoover Trail I had to add this one because I walk it so frequently! It is close by, so it’s easy to walk or bike through.
I also love yoga! Hoopla, one of our digital library resources, offers numerous yoga instructional videos! Also, there are so many YouTube videos available for yoga beginners as well as advanced Yogis. Another option is to check with a local yoga studio. Yoga Strong has been streaming yoga and barre classes on Facebook and Instagram as well as through Zoom (to give you some accountability). They ask for a donation for the instructors that are teaching on social media and there are class passes for the Zoom classes. 6th Street Yoga has streamed a few classes as well! I had never taken a barre class before, and I had a chance to try a yoga/barre mashup from Yoga Strong in the comfort of my home.
Another route to get you outdoors is to take up running. There is a phone app my entire family has used called C25k (Couch to 5k) that has helped us all to build up the strength and stamina to run a 5k. I had never run a day in my life (I remember walking most of the mile in high school gym) and it got me to actually run 3.1 miles straight!
There are so many options right now! Hoopla has workout classes that are “Bonus Borrows” which mean they won’t count against your 15 monthly borrows. Click here to view the classes. Most subscription services are offering longer trial times such as the Centr app (Chris Hemsworth’s workout app!). I encourage you to push yourself out of your comfort zone, whether that be to walk or run around your neighborhood, try a yoga class, or just keep moving.
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