It can be frustrating being stuck at home during the pandemic and often detrimental to healthy habits we've built before the stay-at-home order was passed along. We can use this as an excuse to take an extended vacation and slowly slide back on the progress that was achieved when things were more 'normal'... OR there can be a silver lining to all of this. We can take this situation to better focus on our fitness goals with less distractions. There is an opportunity to reevaluate our diet, stress levels and what exercise outlets are at our disposal. Instead of allowing a backslide, this can be a chance for a reaffirmation to why we started our fitness journeys in the first place. With My Health Studio's virtual fitness classes through ZOOM, now is the perfect time to remind yourself why you began your fitness journey.
Eating: With the pandemic, restaurant in-dining options are off the table, which leaves us with two options: cook at home more, or order take-out more. Luckily, the former not only saves money, but also forces us to plan meals which can allow for a much healthier diet. This aspect of health and fitness is often the most undisciplined, yet here is a window of time where a healthy habit can be cemented. There can still be cheat days with take-out and times where we cook ourselves a dessert we've been craving, though they become the exception within our diets rather than a regular bad habit. The most stubborn pounds we aim to shed are lost with more vegetables, less sodium/fat and more scratch meals cooked at home.
Exercise: Some of us have definitely been taking a pause from fitness routines and there's absolutely nothing wrong with using this moment as a time to recollect, but outright stopping should be discouraged. Just because the gyms are closed does not mean the services they offer are suspended. My Health Studio has adapted to the pandemic and has begun offering virtual fitness classes online through ZOOM. There many not be as much fitness equipment or Bungees in your house, but the trainers are still present and ready to answer any questions or aid in modifications considering the new locale. In quarantine, it can very easily start to feel lonely and repetitive, a cycle broken by seeing your fitness community at the gym everyday. Thankfully these new virtual fitness classes through ZOOM offers a new workout each day and a chance to catch up with your peers. With the leaps and bounds technology has made, using ZOOM to participate in virtual fitness classes is a very simple process and can easily be worked right into a daily routine. And the best part is the short commute.
Routines and Goal Setting: Many of us are not unemployed or at least taking an extended work break, which means we have a lot more time on our hands to think, reflect and refocus. All of us started our fitness journey with a goal in mind. This could be an ideal weight, more muscle mass, greater flexibility or simply to become fit/healthy. Moments such as these can shake our convictions and make us question why we started in the first place or do the exact opposite and strengthen our resolve. For many of us, the routines we have built were dissolved when work was factored out of the equation, but that doesn't mean there aren't aspects of our routines that can stay consistent. This ability to control small parts of our routine can grant peace-of-mind and bring back some normality. Feeling unproductive? Did you get your workout in?
Stress: Just about everything in the news causes stress and even our home life can be a bit stressful now that many of us are not working. While the gym can be seen as a great stress outlet, the loss of out fitness routine can cause the opposite effect. It may not be exactly the same as getting away from it all to drive to the studio for a fresh new workout, there is still something very cathartic about exercising after a long break, especially a stressful break.
Time and Effort: Fitness comes down to time and effort for everyone that engages in forming healthier habits. With such busy lives, it takes quite a lot of both time and effort to factor fitness into our schedules. With quarantine, we now have a lot more time to ourselves which means a surplus of availability that can be put towards fitness. This extra effort which normally could not be afforded, can be the small push we need to reach our fitness goals and begin creating new ones with greater milestones in our future. Fitness has never been a straight, easy road. There will always be bumps, roadblocks and obstacles. The trick is not letting these completely derail your progress and allocate your time and effort to overcoming short-term problems. This quarantine is a temporary setback to those on their personal fitness journeys, but it can also be an opportunity to rise to the challenge and prove to yourself that your fitness goals will not be something you lose sight of.
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