No gym? No park? No problem! Introducing our free physical activity resource guide to stay active & healthy
Physical activity plays an essential role in maintaining our physical health and mental well-being – especially given the uncertain times we currently live in.
Despite being limited in our ability to visit our favourite hiking trail, local pool or nearby basketball court, the best way to stay happy and healthy right now is to incorporate at least a bit of movement into every single day.
To help you and your family stay active and healthy, we’ve rounded up some of our best resources and some others from awesome organizations who also promote active living and are making their resources available online.
Family fun
Being active together is a great way to build and nurture family bonds, which are essential for kids’ social and emotional development. Research shows that parents have a direct influence on their kids’ physical activity levels. In fact, the more parents move, the more their kids move, which is more important now than ever. Check out the following tools to help keep your family active.
ParticipACTION blog – 15 ways for you and your family to stay active at home. https://www.participaction.com/en-ca/blog/15-ways-for-you–your-family-to-stay-active-at-home
Cosmic Yoga – Yoga, mindfulness and relaxation for kids. Interactive adventures which build strength, balance and confidence! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5uIZ2KOZZeQDQo_Gsi_qbQ
Active for Life – As Canadian families isolate at home, it’s important for parents and children to stay physically active. The Active for Life website has hundreds of activity ideas especially suited for indoor spaces and safe outdoor areas. 6 active games kids can play with a pair of socks.
Today’s Parent – 15 ways to keep your kids active indoors, even if you don’t have much space. https://www.todaysparent.com/family/activities/15-ways-to-keep-kids-active-indoors-even-if-you-dont-have-much-space/
Ophea – Ophea is providing a collection of health and physical education content to use with your kids to stay healthy and active at home. These resources can be used to continue learning while at home and are appropriate for parents and caregivers and as part of your child’s teachers’ health and physical education lesson planning. https://www.ophea.net/node/7476
Movement for mental health
Research shows that physically active people are more satisfied with their lives and that exercise itself is strongly linked to happiness.
To be happier, it’s important we focus on what we can directly and immediately influence.
Moving more and sitting less is proven to boost your mood and improve your energy – two game-changers when it comes to promoting mental health. To get started, try a few of the below links for a natural boost of happiness and energy.
Yoga with Adriene – Browse the library of free yoga videos to find a practice that suits your mood or start a journey toward healing. https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene/videos
Mindfulness and Meditation – Free online mindfulness courses. https://mindfulnessexercises.com/free-online-mindfulness-courses/
Core Power Yoga – Enjoy free access to a new collection of online classes every week so you can keep your practice moving – wherever you are. https://www.corepoweryogaondemand.com/keep-up-your-practice
ParticipACTION blog – Five types of exercise that can help with depression. https://www.participaction.com/en-ca/blog/5-types-of-exercise-proven-to-help-with-depression
Active at home fit breaks
Fitting physical activity into your daily routine can help break up the day and give you a much-needed pick-me-up.
Regular activity breaks increase blood flow to your brain, resulting in better focus and attention.
But it can also help you enjoy work more and manage stress. What’s not to love about that? Here’s some resources for at-home exercises:
ParticipACTION: Get fit as you sit – This is a simple workout you can do while sitting at work or at home. And it’s a quick way to add a little physical activity to your day. https://youtu.be/Ra9TWisWBuY
ParticipACTION: Kickstarter – To kickstart your new at-home routines, it’s time to add in some physical activity. Let’s start with this quick, easy workout you can do at home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ULGzH_mV-0&t=18s
ParticipACTION: Health-boosting workout – Download this handy PDF and follow along for a total-body, moderate-intensity workout for immunity-boosting benefits.
ParticipACTION Facebook Live Fit Breaks – Join ParticipACTION on Facebook every weekday at 12 p.m. EST to get active with our live 10-minute Fit Breaks.
Canadian Disability Participation Project – Get In Motion is a free, telephone-based Physical Activity Coaching service for Canadian adults with a physical disability such as spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, cerebral palsy, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, post-polio syndrome, or an amputation. https://cdpp.ca/get-involved
ISPARC – FitNation offers fundamental movement videos every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The movement videos all have variations that include lower impact moves. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYIQySv3v93Q3zRpD7TmQ9Q/featured
Heart-pumping workouts
Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week. This heart-pumping activity will cause you to sweat and to breathe harder or be out of breath and has so many amazing benefits.
YMCA360 On Demand – The Y is providing group exercise classes for all ages right in your own home at no charge for a limited time. https://ymca360.org/on-demand#/
Orange Theory at Home – A new virtual workout every day to keep you strong at home. https://www.orangetheory.com/en-us/athome/
Fitness Blender – 600 free full-length workout videos & counting! Subscribe to never miss a new workout. https://www.youtube.com/user/FitnessBlender/videos
Remember: practicing physical distancing and listening to healthcare practitioners’ recommendations is crucial right now, safety always comes first.
