Adapting to a Virtual Fitness Routine

With the COVID-19 pandemic, most people are social-distancing and staying in quarantine. We have to change our routines and lifestyles to help ourselves healthy and physically fit. Most people understand that being physically active is essential and good for their overall health; however, we see people sitting, binge-watching, and stress eating. Some say these things are considered a coping mechanism, but it also could be because we don’t know what to do with ourselves.

Exercise can help reduce stress, boost your immune system, prevent weight gain, and improve your sleep. To keep ourselves in our best health while undergoing the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to adapt our fitness routine to more virtual outlets.

Set an Exercise Goal

When you no longer have a group fitness class to go to, where you can find motivation from your instructor, or cheering on the other people in your class, you need to find a way to motivate yourself. In the early morning or after work, your will power will only get you so far before that bed or couch looks mighty comfortable. The best way to motivate yourself is to set an exercise goal and post it where you can see it most often. When you have a goal in mind, and there is a why behind it, you are more likely to resist the couch’s temptation or get yourself out of bed.

Set Up Your Workout Space

Set up your workout space or determine your workout area before you start searching for virtual workouts. Even you have to set up and take down your workout space each time you work out, having that space in your mind will make it easier for you to finish your workout. When you have an area designed around your workout needs where you are comfortable, and with minimal distractions, you are more likely to complete your workout.

Use Everyday Home Items

We see the stores and online shops sell out of home work out gear such as free weights or workout mats, but you can use everyday items to provide a good workout environment. Household items that can be used for easy workout weighting include:

• Canned soup or veggies as small hand weights
• Bags of flour or sugar for a basic bodyweight for squats and lunges
• Tubs of liquid laundry soap as a kettlebell
• Clothes baskets filled with dirty clothes for deadlifts
• Duffle bags filled with clothes or other items for sandbag training

Find a Virtual Class

You might be lucky enough to attend a gym that is now offering virtual and online options to their regular classes, but there are many virtual classes or workouts now available if you are not. If you choose to work out alone, you might choose a streaming service or an intense 30, 60, or 90-day challenge. You can also employ a personal trainer that walks with you through your fitness journey. Another option is to find virtual group classes. Some gyms are offering fitness classes via Zoom, Google Meets, or Facebook Messenger. These options would work as long as it is interesting to you, and it helps meet your fitness or exercise goals.