Many of us have probably lost track of how many weeks it’s been of quarantining at home and becoming all-too-familiar with our living room couches. Chances are, despite the improving weather, you may not be moving as much as you used to and your normal fitness routines may have fallen by the wayside. But that would be a terrible mistake. Regardless of how well you’re socially distancing, if you’re not keeping up with exercise, you’re losing out on all the healthy-aging benefits that come with it: boosts to your immune system, improving your mental health, warding off cognitive and memory decline, and managing many of the chronic conditions that ail you. In fact, there’s now evidence that exercise may even reduce the severity of some life-threatening coronavirus complications.

And while you may want to use the excuse that you have no space at home to exercise, or you lack gym equipment, neither of those will hold up. The consensus is clear that even tiny spaces with basic household items can facilitate the fitness routines necessary to maintain your health and well-being during this time. Modest spaces can work just fine if you create a designated area, use small pieces of equipment (like resistance bands or dumbbells), and have a wall you can work against. Or you may not need any equipment! The key is different movements for different types of goals: Cardiovascular (getting your heart pumping and lungs breathing), strength building to maintain muscle mass, and balance building, to prevent falls. Each of these can be addressed at home, with minimal equipment and space. And throw in some stretching to relieve tight muscles and joints. For some examples of easy senior fitness routines you can do from home without over-exerting yourself, put on the spandex, and click here and here.

And for those who need some inspiration or hand-holding, there’s a lot available. For video guidance, you can watch this National Institute on Aging tutorial. From Australia comes a comprehensive new website with instructional videos for safe exercise at home for older adults. If you’re looking for live, online exercise and balance classes for older adults, take a look at the website StepWISEnow. Finally, for an inspirational new guide book on how to sneak exercise into your day without even leaving your home, check out this brand new book, Fitness Hacks for over 50: 300 Easy Ways to Incorporate Exercise Into Your Life.