Social distancing measures mean we can’t hit the gym or pool for a workout right now, but according to a new poll of over 24,000 Americans by consumer insight data company Pipl Say, many of us are focused on boosting our health during lockdown. 42% of respondents said they are exercising at home, and 32% said they are enjoying healthy eating during lockdown.
Pipl conducted the nationwide poll of adults aged 18+ online this month, and found that while just under half of respondents are using home exercise to stay fit, 26% aren’t focused on maintaining their physical fitness right now. 12% of those surveyed are jogging as a form of exercise, whether outdoors or inside their homes – we have a guide to the best treadmills if this appeals to you – while 29% are using bodyweight exercises to stay fit.
There's been a surge in the sale of the best fitness trackers too, but if you don't yet own one, take a look at our guide to the best Amazon Prime Day Fitbit deals to get great savings on these world-class activity trackers.
Other forms of exercise were popular too, including:
27% of respondents said their workout routine hasn’t changed during lockdown, while 19% said it has increased significantly. Interestingly, 20% said it has reduced significantly. That could be due to extra pressures many of us are now facing with working from home, homeschooling kids or looking after elderly or vulnerable people who are shielding, leaving many wondering how to workout at home when you don’t have much free time.
You're not alone if you enjoy creating your own workouts, as 67% of those polled said they also prefer to exercise on their own without the aid of a workout tutorial or class. 25% said they do follow workout videos, and 8% use audio-based fitness programs to guide their exercise routine.
Staying active during work hours, even if it’s standing up more and stretching at regular intervals, is important for our health. 32% of respondents said that they stretch while working, while 18% said that they walk while on work calls.
The World Health Organization’s Physical Activity and Adults guidelines recommend that people aged 18-64 to undertake 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise a week, or 75-minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise.
Everything adds up during lockdown, from cleaning your house to going for a brisk walk as part of your daily exercise outdoors.
Free online fitness resources during lockdown
For those of you who want to exercise at home more during lockdown, there’s a growing raft of free online fitness classes and extended trial periods of various subscription-based services for you to try. These include a 90-day free trial period of Fitbit Premium, and Peloton Digital, that latter offering thousands of online classes, from yoga and strength training to bootcamp and meditation. You can also access free at-home fitness classes with leading personal trainers.
Taking care of your mental health is just as important as maintaining your physical health, and right now you can get a two-week free trial to mindfulness app Headspace to help you learn how to relax and manage stress a little better.
