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Trapped in a sedentary lifestyle ever since the pandemic? This is a sign to start exercising.
We’ve all experienced a total change in our lifestyles in the past year. And truth be told, we may even need to brace ourselves for a bit longer as the pandemic continues all over the world. While some of us have found an effective at-home fitness routine, others may be getting frustrated or may even be neglecting their health.
Being in the fitness and wellness industry for almost a decade (and from my own personal experience as well), I can say that setbacks are truly a part of everyone’s journey. As I’ve said before: “Every body is truly different, and no journey fitness journey is perfect.”
In case you feel like you’re stuck in a rut or if you’ve been needing a little extra nudge back into the right direction, here are some tried and tested tips I find myself going back to throughout the years:
1. Re-establish your baselines
Knowing exactly where you stand is so important, especially when you’re setting new goals. Make sure you work on this first so that you can also better plan your next steps.
And remember: different goals mean looking at different starting points. For example, in case you are looking to improve your diet, I highly recommend taking a food intolerance test—like this one from Hi-Precision—to really figure out what food your body doesn’t agree with.
2. Personalize your workouts
I can’t say it enough: “Every body is different”. This means that what works on someone may not exactly be fit for your goals and needs. That’s why it’s important to try out different exercises and routines to really see which ones you enjoy and make you feel better.
However, for some, it’s really hard to find a regimen that can work for them—most especially when they have an injury or a chronic condition. If you are one of these people, I really recommend working with a dedicated coach. He or she can design a program for you, guide you through it, and will make sure that you stay safe and constantly motivated (and accountable). If you find yourself needing that extra guidance, my team at Onelife can help.
3. Add in micro workouts
Let’s face it—this pandemic has forced a lot of us into sedentary lifestyles. Everyone’s step counts are down and according to many studies, daily step counts are inversely correlated with overall mortality. Despite our best efforts to squeeze in that 30-minute to 1 hour exercise time daily, it simply isn’t enough to compensate for our pre-pandemic levels of physical activity.
This is why it’s important to start integrating micro workouts throughout your day. This means picking an exercise and setting a goal for the number of reps you want to finish daily. For example, you can set a goal of hitting 10,000 steps every day. You can break this down to doing four bouts of walking 2,000 steps throughout the day—during the morning, noon, afternoon, and at night.
4. Gamify it through apps
We live in a era where there’s an app for everything. So don’t be afraid to integrate technology into your daily routine.
If your goal, for example, is to reduce mental stress, check out Headspace. It’s an app that helps you achieve calmness and balance through guided meditation exercises. On the other hand, if your goal is to eat better, another example is the My Fitness Pal app. This long-standing app helps users track their calories, break down ingredients, and even log their physical activities.
One way to also gamify your daily exercise routine is to invest in a smartwatch. This can track physical activity, so you can set goals and milestones to hit daily.
5. Get dressed to impress yourself
I really believe in the power of having the right gear, especially when it comes to personal motivation! Wearing apparel that makes you feel good and prepared also puts you in the right frame of mind.
There are also studies that say wearing bright colors instantly puts one in a positive mood. I’ve recently come across the local brand Recess and they carry a wide array of sizes and styles for every body type (even preggy moms like me!), and they come in vibrant colors. They’re proudly local, too. Check them out if you’re looking to cart a few new items for your closet.
Remember that staying healthy is a lifestyle and it really requires us to constantly adapt. After all, life is never predictable. Life will always throw us curveballs along the way—and that’s what makes the journey exciting.
Don’t be afraid to shake things up. Keep surprising yourself and keep experimenting to find the formula. And from there, you can create your very own sustainable workouts and fitness plan.
Photos from Onelife Studio
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