When the news that people had to stay indoors circulated, various workout videos and trends made rounds online. People worldwide danced and worked out to songs, both old and new, and Instagram was flooded with photos of people in their gym clothes. For most people, the pandemic was a wake-up call to take care of the body and set new goals.
With most people glued to their phones for long hours at a time, a myriad of challenges to keep healthy went viral. Virtual workouts became the norm as people switched from outdoor activities to indoor sweat sessions.
Since the World Health Organization brought to light that there was also a pandemic of a sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity, many have set new goals to work out more often. The necessity for indoor gym equipment was evident during the lockdown. People showed off their new treadmills, indoor bicycles, and sets of weights that accompanied them during their gym sessions.
For the lucky few that had space and money to set up their home gym, staying fit during the pandemic was not a problem. Among those that gained popularity in the year that we were in lockdown, bodyweight training is perhaps the most noteworthy of them all.
How can you work out if you don’t have access to the gym and equipment?
Not many people have access to gym equipment in their homes at the ready, so people turn to use their body weight as they exercise. Examples of these workouts include deep squats, push-ups, crunches, and sit-ups. Basic bodyweight training is easy to learn, especially when you have YouTube and a personal trainer. It also saves you the time you would probably use to set up machines, thus making it a convenient way to work out. And because you do not carry weights around, there are significantly fewer chances for you to drop one and injure yourself.
Due to the demand for wearable technology, tech giants such as Apple, Samsung, and Garmin took full advantage of releasing smartwatches that help users measure one’s temperature, heart rate, activity level, and other biometrics. These watches also helped users feel more connected to their peers even when in quarantine, as you can view your friends’ workouts on specific applications.
Whether you succumbed to present trends a year ago, what is important is the habit you built in taking care of yourself. Your body is a reflection of your lifestyle, and it is no secret that if you take good care of your body, you take good care of your mind as well.
Physical health starts with a healthy mindset; this was the wake-up call most people got during their time in isolation. The habits that you make today will significantly impact your future self, and don’t you owe it to yourself to make sure that you are the picture of health?
You are the most valuable investment you will ever make
Consistency is the key to breaking bad habits and forming new ones. With the advent of technology, our friends and peers are but a touch away. When you feel like you cannot stick to your routines, it is always handy to have a workout buddy or a friend to motivate you.
As humans, we are driven by healthy competition to get better results, so use this to your advantage. Work out as a group or challenge a friend. This will inspire you to be more consistent in achieving your goals. Having other people’s opinions also helps us to try new things.
What is the key to a healthy lifestyle?
Perhaps a key to being active is to challenge yourself with exciting new hobbies. You might have said no to learning to ride a bike two years ago, but when you have people who inspire you to be a little more adventurous, you might discover a new hobby you will love. Soon enough, you will find yourself doing exercise every day, not for the sake of getting it over with, but because you genuinely enjoy it.
A healthy mind lives in a healthy body. If you do not allow yourself to explore different ways to achieve your fitness goals, you will never get there. With so many alternatives to outdoor activities brought to us by a vast selection of workout videos, dance challenges, and whatnot, there is no excuse for you to fail at transitioning to a healthy lifestyle. To quote Edward Smith-Stanley, “Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness.”
