With gyms shutdown again in Arizona, the sun blazing outside, and the fact that we are experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, it would easy to fall into couch potato ways during quarantine.

However, it is important to stay active for both your physical and mental health. Luckily, Heart.org has a lot of suggestions for fun home activities to keep you active while social distancing. Here are a few examples.

Dance

Dancing can be a lot of fun, which is why most folks forget that it’s actually a great way to burn some calories. Plus, since you’re home alone, you don’t have to worry about anyone judging your moves that wouldn’t quite cut it on the set of “Footloose.” Put on some comfy clothes, make sure you’ve got plenty of space, crank up some fun music and express yourself through the art of flailing around. Just make sure the curtains are closed. You don’t want the neighbors to assume you are under siege by a swarm of those killer wasps.

Gardening

With all that extra time at home, now would be the perfect time to start that yard project you have always dreamed of. Pick out a patch of land and prep it for planting seeds, dig out that old tree stump that’s been an eyesore forever or simply just mow the lawn. You’ll feel a sense of accomplishment once the project is done and you’ll burn a few calories along the way.

TV fitness

One way to make exercise a part of your daily life is to sneak it into something you do every day like watching television. Walk on the treadmill or pedal a bike while binging your favorite shows. Don’t have a treadmill or a stationary bike? Then get creative! Challenge yourself to see how many pushups or sit-ups you can do during a commercial break or simply run in place. Set five minutes aside between streaming episodes to do some jumping jacks. Even something as simple as standing up to watch TV will help you be more active.

Date night

Are you ready for an extreme date night? Okay, it doesn’t have to be extreme, but there are plenty of fun and healthy ways to flip the traditional date night of dinner and a movie on its head. Instead of a movie, you and your partner can take in a nice, relaxing walk after dinner or, if you’re feeling up to it, go on a doubles jog around the block. Set a goal that both of you can work toward and keep each other focused on achieving it. Being active is great, but being active with someone you care about is a fantastic way to keep each other motivated.

Gentle workout

A lot of people are discouraged to work out because of the stress it takes on the body. All that pulling, pushing and sweating lead to soreness that can last for a couple days. So why not try an exercise that is easier on the body; something like yoga or tai chi? These exercises can relieve just as much stress as a jog can but won’t take the same toll on the body. While taking classes right now isn’t really feasible, go online and you can find plenty of beginner videos to walk you through the basics.