Staying Fit During ~The Q~ Pt. 1
We@T Health Series
As a Miami native, I can’t say I was too surprised after learning that my fellow Floridians upstate in Clearwater, FL spent their Mondays protesting outside of two courthouses, calling for the reopening of gyms. I couldn’t help but start chuckling when seeing footage of protestors squatting and doing push-ups as an act of protest, ironically demonstrating the re-opening of gyms is in fact, non- ~essential~, as outdoor and in-home workouts are a feasible option, even for those without access to any equipment. (Luckily, body-weight workouts can be super effective!!) (Stay tuned for more posts on our current favorite online/at-home workouts made available since Mid March).
Not all of us are as fitness crazed as these protestors, and don’t really care about gyms being closed because TBH we didn’t have a membership in the first place. Walking up our dorms’ 4 flights of stairs everyday, sweating our a$$es off dancing in dirty dive bars, playing soccer or softball on our company’s intramural league, yeah, that just about sufficed.
Unfortunately, a lot of these ACTIVities that were once built into our weekly routines seem to have vanished overnight. Consequently, they’ve been replaced with some good old vegging time on the couch catching up on Black Mirror and Too Hot to Handle, or “working” at our at home offices, and by working, of course I mean rewarding ourselves for every sentence written with 30 minutes of Tik Tok videos.
To hit you with the #facts, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Physical Activity for Americans recommends “Adults do at least 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 to 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both.” Basically, that amounts to an average of 21-42 minutes of moderate intensity workouts (examples including brisk walking, light tennis doubles, or even mowing the lawn) all 7 days of the week, or 15-30 minutes of vigorous exercise (hiking, jogging at 6mph, soccer games, or carrying heavy loads) 5 days per week.
It’s easy to gloss over these guidelines and think “eh whatever, summer bodies aren’t really a thing this year”, but staying active has some pretty indisputable benefits we should all know about. Besides weight management, exercising within these guidelines lowers our risk of developing hypertension, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes. Even more, staying active can help regulate stress levels, reduce insomnia, and reduce risk of anxiety and depression. Find yourself totally off on your sleeping schedule or waking up on the wrong side of the bed all too frequently? You are not the only one. That’s why, now more than ever, this is so important! If you are anything like me, in order to be properly persuaded you want the #empiricalevidence; checkout these studies by the one and only, American Journal of Psychiatry, and Jama Network (Journal of the American Medical Association). After all, the proof is in the pudding.
From a less data-driven perspective, ever felt that almost-euphoric high after pushing yourself through a run? That victorious, energized, no one can stop me, walking on sunshine type of high? Those, my friend, are the endorphins rushing through your body, released as a direct result of the exercise you just did. Think running is the enemy? I don’t blame you. Here are some fun ways to stay active during this period that trust me, you may actually enjoy.
Walking
Am I the only one who thinks walking is so underrated? Take your dog out!! Listen to your favorite podcast (checkout WE@T’s daily recommendations to discover some underrated gems) or ring friends and family who you somehow never find the time to catch up with. You can even walk around the house while on work calls. Time flies by, you get those steps in, and it will just feel good to get outside. You may not even have to shed a drop off sweat.
Dancing
I’m not kidding when I tell you I frequently have solo dance parties in my room. (These always happen door closed, for my brother has already once posted incriminating videos of me twerking to Roddy Rich on snapchat). In the mood for something more legit? Checkout 305 Fitness’ videos uploaded daily, I promise you, you will end dripping in sweat. Am I a good dancer? Not a shot. Do I imagine I’m Cardi B while doing it? Absolutely.
Hiking
Live in the Northeast? Chances are, you live within driving’s distance of somewhere to go hiking. Immerse yourself in nature, make a day of it!
Biking
Another way to get outside, which if you can’t tell, I really like doing. Light biking is great- maybe try some hills if you are trying to do some lower body toning.
Yoga
Unfortunately our muscles have to pay for all the extra time spent sitting, which can really tighten up our hip flexors and put a strain on our backs. Always rain checked on your yogi friend trying to drag you to a hot class with her? Don’t have a clue what a cat to cow is? Now’s your time to try it out! (Without necessarily having to suffer through a long or heated class.) There are 1000s of videos available online, from beginner to difficult levels. If yoga isn’t your jam, even just taking stretching breaks during prolonged periods of sedentary behavior can make a big difference.
Online Workout Classes: Barre, Pilates, HIIT, Boxing, Weight Training and More
Feeling motivated? The pandemic has made some of the hardest and most appraised workouts available in our own homes. Some of the ones in my personal repertoire these days are Core Power Yoga, and HIIT, guided runs, and stretching videos from Peloton (available free through the app). Need more recs? Stay tuned for WE@T’s Staying Fit During ~The Q~ Pt. 2, for more online fitness class recommendations. Personally, I’ve been face-timing friends while doing classes together, it’s a good way to stay motivated- to feel like you have a team to hold you to your daily burn.
“Unlike just about everything else going out right now, how active you are is in your control. Long story short, get that booty off that couch, your body, and mind, will thank you for it later. ”