No one expected a “Worldwide Pandemic” to throw us off our fitness goals in 2020. With everything we have experienced in the past months, getting back on the Fitness Bandwagon might be challenging you right now!
Scientists say that if you stopped training for four months or more, you’ve lost enough muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance to merit starting out at a beginner level. Or if you’ve had a high fitness level before, you might need to start off slowly and modify the workouts you were doing pre-COVID for a few weeks to help you get back on track.
Here are some quick tips to help you FALL back on the Fitness Bandwagon this fall!
Avoid too much too soon. Even though you know what you used to be able to do, starting off easy will help you stay injury free. For some of us, it has been a while, so, slow and steady wins this race!
Don’t get discouraged when life gets in the way of planned exercise. Expect setbacks, such as an unplanned meeting at work, sickness, a family vacation, holidays, or a long night out with friends. As long as you establish a regular exercise routine and resume it after you had to miss a workout or two, you won’t lose your fitness and start from scratch, again.
Studies have shown that people who exercise early in the morning tend to be most successful in sticking to a regular exercise program. If you have trouble getting out of bed, find a friend or a group to meet up with you in the morning to exercise, especially now that the days are getting shorter and colder.
Leave your gym bag at your front door at home, in your car or at your work to avoid excuses about leaving your exercise gear behind.
By planning each workout in your calendar like you would any other daily appointment, being active will soon become as important to your life as work, family and other obligations.
When you don’t feel like working out, remember how much better you’ll feel afterward: Exercise is a great stress-reliever, energizer and the best way, combined with a healthy diet, to establish and maintain a healthy weight.
Avoid the “all or nothing” mentality. Something is always better than nothing, so if you only have 20 minutes, DO IT! Healthy doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
Don’t worry about what “everyone else thinks”. This journey called fitness is about you and your life, health and happiness. What you think anyone else thinks, doesn’t matter. Remember everyone has to start or start back somewhere.
If lack of motivation is a factor, hire a personal trainer to help you establish a regular routine.
Balance your workouts with strength, cardio and flexibility workouts. It will help prevent aches and pains as well as boredom.
Warm up! Do yourself a favor by warming up with some easy dynamic stretching. Your workouts will feel a little easier if your muscles are loose, and you’ll lessen your chance of pain and injury
Cool down. Don’t just stop and call it a day. Take a moment to tend to the muscles you’ve used by doing some cool-down stretches. Also, use these cool-down moments to congratulate yourself for completing a workout and making healthy choices.
Returning back to “normal” following a pandemic is new for all of us. Be kind to yourself as you FALL back on the fitness bandwagon this fall.
Sources: