Brooke Burke is getting creative with her workouts amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The TV personality, 48, opened up about staying fit in the time of the health crisis, telling PEOPLE that she’s had to come up with clever ways to keep moving by only using what she has around the house.
“My living room is the new norm. It’s the new fitness studio,” she shares. “We’re learning how to take care of our bodies at home with no equipment.”
“We’re just not using the excuse of time anymore because we’re all in this together, connected in this new way,” she continues. “It’s been really something to look forward for me.”
As many gyms across the nation are closed to abide social distancing guidelines, Burke is finding ways to use common household items as workout equipment instead. For her, at-home fitness doesn’t always require a treadmill or professional weights.
“Use a chair. Use your sofa. Use your stairs — I’m not talking about a two-story house, you can use the steps in your apartment complex,” she says. “Use water bottles as weights. Use a lounge chair mat as a yoga mat if you don’t have one. There are so many fun, challenging and creative things you can do at home.”
Sheltering in place has also given the former Dancing with the Stars host a new appreciation for fast and simple exercises.
“I’m a person — to be really honest — that used to criticize and laugh at these short workouts,” she admits. “Now I figured out how to hit all the troubled areas, compound moves, how to work head to toe in a short period of time whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced fitness guru.”
She explains, “You just have to say, ‘Okay, here were are. I’m at home right now. What can I use around my house to really take care of my body? And can I turn the news off, and get outside a little bit and get some Vitamin D?’
“That feels safe to me. Staying inside is depressing for a lot of people and it’s real,” she adds.
Burke stresses the importance of creating structure and balance in life during this time difficult time.
“The days blend into each other right now. We’re living in a time of uncertainty. We don’t know for how long. We don’t know what to expect,” she says. “I think it’s about structure, but it’s also about pleasure — and there’s a balance between that. Otherwise, you set yourself up to fail.”
“Find joyful ways of doing this. Health and wellness is a lifestyle. It’s not at all an ultimate sacrifice.”
Originally published in People.com
