Staying Healthy at Home: The Complete Guide

If you’re following guidelines and quarantining, you’re inevitably spending more time at home.

As health experts encourage the entire population to stay home and safe, our gym-hitting days seem like a distant memory. But it is possible to stay healthy at home.

Isolation is well and truly upon us. For some, the idea of staying indoors for any prolonged period of time might seem scary or repetitive. Especially if you’re someone who regularly chases that muscle pump feeling.

But it doesn’t have to be. Here at 4 Gauge, we have a foolproof plan to help you take care of your health – mentally and physically. So, let’s embrace lockdown, eat well and get the most out of your training. This is your ultimate guide to staying healthy at home.

In this complete guide, we’ll cover:

• The ideal at-home diet
• Targeted exercises
• Staying motivated while self-isolating

Let’s go!

What to eat

A healthy, nourishing diet is important to keep well and maintain a healthy immune system. Eating well can help you feel good, never mind look good.

Eating healthily means eating a variety of macronutrients in the right proportions. Don’t forget, calories still matter! You could be blasting through the toughest, strictest home workout regimes – but it won’t help you stay trim unless you’re handling your energy intake properly.

Pile your plate with plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, plant and animal proteins and healthy fats. This will make sure you’re getting all the essential nutrients you need for overall health and normal immune function.

These are the types of food you should be eating to stay healthy at home:

Lean protein

• Lean ground beef
• Eggs
• Turkey
• Pork loin
• Chicken tenderloin
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Tofu
• Chickpeas
• Black beans

Complex ‘good’ carbs

• Sweet potato
• Beetroot
• Brown rice, pasta and bread
• Oats
• Quinoa
• Corn
• Lentils
• Kidney beans

Healthy fats

• Avocado
• Dark chocolate
• Fatty fish – herring, mackerel, sardines
• Flaxseeds
• Nuts
• Nut butters
• Olives
• Coconut
• Greek yogurt

There’s no need to totally omit the foods you love. Try to adopt the 80-20 rule. That’s 80% of your food coming from foods like the above. The remaining 20% can come from foods you enjoy like pizza, ice cream and fries.

Remember to stay hydrated and drink enough water throughout the day too.

At-home exercises

You might not be able to stick to your normal gym routine but fear not. There are ways to stay physical and achieve that muscle-pump feeling in the comfort of your own home. All you need is your own bodyweight. You could even grab a few tins of soup to make your home workout routines a little more challenging.

To train for that muscle pump feeling, try to hit high volume sets with minimal recovery. This forces more blood to your working muscles.

These are the best exercises to stay active at home:

Bodyweight squats

Squats are a great calorie burner, adding shape to your thighs, glutes and quads. Even better, your own bodyweight will make these a killer move to add to any home workout.

1. Stand with your feet a little wider than your hips and point your toes out slightly.
2. Place your arms out in front of you and keep your chest proud.
3. Keeping your weight on your feet, bend at your knees and hip your hips backwards. Imagine you’re about to sit on an imaginary chair.
4. Keep your knees aligned with your feet and squat as low as feels comfortable. Engage your body as you bring yourself back up.

 

Lunges

Set your legs on fire with this special move. Lunges place particular focus on your glute muscles and hamstrings, toning your lower body nicely. Grab some canned goods to make this exercise harder.

1. Take a long-controlled step forward with your right foot and lower your body as you step.
2. As you lower your body toward the floor, be sure to bend at the knee at a 90 degrees angle.
3. Press your right heel into the floor, bringing your left leg forward.
4. Step into a lunge on this side to complete the rep.

 

Push-Ups

Push-ups are the ultimate test and use your entire bodyweight to challenge muscles. They’re guaranteed to give you the muscle pump feeling you crave!

1. Get down on all floors on the ground.
2. Place your hands a little wider than your shoulders. Ground your toes into the floor to steady your body.
3. Engage your core, tighten your glutes and keep your back flat as you lower your body to the floor
4. When your elbows reach 90-degree angle, push back up to the starting position.

Mountain climbers

This exercise will definitely get that heart rate racing, testing your core and arm strength too. With mountain climbers, you’ll also target muscles in your chest and lower legs.

1. Get down on the ground into a push-up position.
2. Hold your body weight on your hands and toes, keeping your body straight.
3. Raise your right foot off the floor and drive it upwards into your chest while keeping the rest of your body rigid.
4. Return to the starting position and alternate with each leg throughout the exercise.

 

Glute bridge

This one might look easy but it’s far from it. This move targets and activates the glute and hamstring muscles. It also isolates the core and strengthens the stabilization of the spinal cord – excellent for better posture.

1. Lie on the ground facing up. Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the ground. Place your arms at your side with your palms down.
2. Raise your hips off the floor until your knees, hips and shoulders form a straight line.
3. Hold this bridged position for a couple of seconds before slowly lowering back down.

Jumping jack

The jumping jack is a great cardio move which works to elevate the heart rate. It also engages the muscles in your arms and legs.

1. Place your feet together and keep your legs straight.
2. With your arms by your side, jump up, spread your feet hip-width apart and bring your arms up above your head.
3. Bring your legs back together and return to the standing position. Repeat the movement.

 

Burpee

The dreaded burpee is ideal for eliciting a cardiovascular response while adding strength to your upper and lower body.

1. Squat down and place your hands on the ground.
2. Kick both legs out and get into a plank position.
3. Return to the squat position and then jump up as high as you can, raising your hands.

Plank

This isometric exercise specifically targets the core but there is an element of upper body strength involved too.

1. Get on the ground and place your hands directly under shoulders like you’re about to do a push-up.
2. Push your toes into the floor and squeeze your glutes to keep your body straight.
3. Keep your neck and spine neutral
4. Hold the position for at least 20 seconds – holding it longer as you get more comfortable with the move.

Staying motivated and positive

Nothing feels normal at the moment. You might feel like setting yourself up on the sofa every day and feeling sorry for yourself. But there are things you can do keep yourself driven and positive. Here are some tips to help you stay focused, productive, healthy and happy.

Stretch every morning

Spending time to stretch your muscles in the morning helps them perform better throughout the day, increase flexibility and prevent injury. Stretching may also kick-start your energy levels and aid circulation, giving you the best start to your day.

Get outdoor time everyday

If you have a garden or a park nearby, make sure you spend some time getting some fresh, outdoor air. Research suggests time outdoors is good for you, raising your vitamin D levels and helping you feel happier[1]. Nature can calm the mind and help you feel at ease. Opening a window to breathe in fresh air can also help if you don’t have any green space nearby.

Supplements

Supplements can help plug a gap when you’re unable to get the nutrients you need from diet alone[2]. When it comes to working out, supplements like pre-workouts may offer more than just an energy burst. 4 Gauge, for example, turns up the dial on performance, boosting focus and energy without the energy crash. This boost may be just the thing you need when staying motivated at home.

Get quality sleep

Lack of good quality sleep can negatively impact physical and mental health. It can also reduce the immune system’s ability to fight infections and keep you healthy. Aim to get at least seven to eight hours of quality sleep every night. Prioritize good sleeping habits, stick to a routine and disconnect from your phone before going to bed.

 

Stay in touch

Try and maintain emotional wellbeing by staying in touch. This could involve engaging in video chats with family and friends and trying to make things seem as normal as possible. Modern technology is amazing – so make use of it!

Summary

There is no right or wrong way to feel right now. But adding a sense of normality through exercise, nutrition and mental wellbeing will help. Keep that muscle pump feeling going with these handy home exercises, stick to nourishing, filling foods and try to maintain a routine to stay healthy.

Just because you’re at home doesn’t mean you can’t maintain that same sense of determination. You can still take your training to the next level with the help of 4 Gauge. The all-natural pre-workout is packed with performance-enhancing nutrients to help you push harder than ever before.

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4 Gauge is an exhaustively researched, all-natural pre workout designed to rip the lid off your gym sessions, sports games or workouts.

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[1] https://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/spending-time-outdoors-is-good-for-you

[2] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/supplements/art-20044894