Wellness in the time of COVID-19 - Part 7

Welcome back everyone. This week I wanted to tackle a substantial topic in wellness which, thus far, much like the activity itself, we tend to avoid: exercise. I’ve recently completed the Push-Up Challenge (3046 push-ups in 21 days!) to fundraise for Headspace and mental health awareness with a team from my workplace. I recognised that it indeed was a challenge, for every person at every level of fitness.

As a person who is very committed to physical fitness, I am often asked about my exercise routine. My first response and piece of advice is: what works for me may not necessarily work for others. So before I elaborate on my own routine, it’s better if I start with some general principles.

1: Make exercise a priority.

Sit down, make a weekly schedule. Prioritise exercise in your routine. One of the most common excuses for not exercising is lack of time, but you’d be amazed at how much time is just hidden away - for example, an hour watching television, or on social media. How much time you spend exercising is up to you, but if you’re new to the game, or coming back after a break then start small and take it slow - I recommend starting with 3 sessions a week, even just 30 minutes is enough. Start with low impact exercises such as walking. If you have medical conditions, I recommend seeing your GP first and consider referral to an exercise physiologist to start getting active safely.

Think about when you are most productive. For instance, I know I’m useless at the end of the day, especially after a shift at work - I’m much more productive in the mornings. So to keep myself compliant with my routine and less likely to baulk on a session, I get up early and get exercise done for the day (yes, 4:45 is early). Then I know at the end of my shift I can just come home and relax. Other people just can’t get up early - this is fine, as long as you’ve committed to exercise in the evening.

I have a weekly schedule written out with a check box. This makes me accountable to myself- I promised myself I’d do exercise today and I want to check that box off!

2: Exercise is a priority, but it’s not the whole puzzle.

Remember that exercise is one piece of the puzzle to wellness. It’s important not to neglect nutrition as well, especially if you want to lose weight. A common trap is to exercise, then feel that this allows you to eat that fast food because you’ve “earned” it. This is a common reason why people starting to exercise don’t lose weight- they compensate with too many dietary treats. I’ve written a post about nutrition previously. Treats aren’t bad, but just remember to keep things balanced.

3: Find activities which you enjoy.

Like many people my fitness journey has not been a linear one. I’ve tried many things, often things I wasn’t really enjoying, and therefore lost interest and lost routine. One of the biggest changes I made was actually figuring out what I enjoy, what types of activities. For me, it’s weight training, pilates and yoga. For others it may be team sports like soccer or football, walking or hiking. You are much more likely to stick to something if it isn’t a chore and you enjoy it.

4: Variety is the spice of life.

Along with the above, I recommend having a variety of activities in your schedule. Doing the same type of exercise several times a week gets boring very quickly. If you vary and change things up it maintains interest. Additionally, it also aids recovery if you mix high and low intensity activities.

As an example- my weekly schedule includes weights-based sessions, yoga, pilates, a walk or hike and a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) session. This varies between high and low intensity, recovery and development. It means I’m maintaining interest, and things aren’t getting repetitive.

5: Be externally accountable.

If you make yourself externally accountable for your fitness, it means you’re less likely to make excuses. Tell friends and family you’re getting fit, or even post on social media so people can follow you in your journey.

Fitness is also more fun with friends and family- go for a walk together and catch up (whilst social distancing of course). I started my fitness journey walking the 1000 steps trail with a friend once a week. We made each other turn up and committed to a time and place each week- rain, hail or shine.

6: Recovery is just as important as the exercise itself.

When you do start exercising, remember recovery. Have rest days to let your body recover. Stretch, warm up and cool down after every session. If you’re at an immediate or advanced level of fitness and increasing activity, remember to recover more when intensity increases. This includes foam rolling and remedial massage.

Every 6-8 weeks have a de-load week- of very low intensity exercises (even just a walk or two) to allow you to fully recover. Then resume at 50%, 75% and then over 100% intensity in the 3 weeks following.

7: You don’t need a gym to get fit.

If you can afford a gym membership or personal training, it may be well worth the money. But you don’t NEED this to be successful. Even one session with a trainer to create a plan or schedule may be a good start- and many gyms offer this when signing up. If this is too much, that’s ok- start in the park, or with a free hike. Use a fitness app with a free trial. There are many low cost options available.

We are all eagerly awaiting to re-opening of gyms after the shutdown due to coronavirus. But there are many ways to stay fit without using fancy weights and machines. Body weight exercises can be just as effective as weight-based ones and many apps now have “no equipment” workout options. The only essential equipment for your exercise is a water bottle to stay hydrated.

8: Starting is the hardest part.

Well I hope this has given you some advice and inspiration. Now all that’s left is to get started – and getting started can be the hardest part. As soon as you realise exercise gives you more energy, improves your mood and your sleep, you won’t want to stop!

Until next time, get moving,

-A

Last week’s photo was taken on Breiðamerkursandur (nicknamed Diamond Beach) in Iceland. A serene and unique place where the volcanic activity makes the sand black, and the glacial ice washes up on the shore creating the illusion of diamonds strewn along the beach.