“Quarantine 15” and “pre-quarantine pants,” are both terms that have been thrown around quite a lot since the pandemic began closing gyms and making baking bread one America’s most popular pastimes.
“In the beginning, I found myself slipping into unhealthy coping mechanisms,” Rita Horter – who has worked as a fitness instructor and holistic health coach for the past 14 years – admitted, “turning to food, stress baking, drinking more than I normally do. I had to draw a hard line in the sand to take me back to a place that I felt better, more like myself again.”
For Horter, the key lay in joining a fitness team. And thankfully, with a plethora of classes, everything from yoga to kickboxing, offered online, continuing her usual workout – and sharing it with others – was a cinch.
“I partner with Beachbody and use their online workout library and nutritional programs with the clients I work with online in my virtual bootcamps,” she explained. Adding that, for those who have never tried a virtual exercise program, now is a good time to start.
“It’s like having a world-class gym/studio at your fingertips. Classes have come a long way from the old VHS tapes I used to do growing up.”
But exercise doesn’t have to mean joining a class and it doesn’t have to be indoors, as the weather improves and hiking, running and biking trails open up, getting outside is also a great way to start building back muscle.
“Start now,” Lainie Pyper – a Fitness Instructor at Anytime Fitness for over five years – advised. “Just move. Maybe it’s going for a walk with a friend, glute squeezes while you’re doing dishes or heel raises while you’re watching TV. You don’t necessarily need to come back to the gym, just start moving.”
And starting somewhere is important – both for those whose fitness routines were derailed by the pandemic and for those who have never established a routine in the first place.
“I used to have this mentality – I’ll just wait until Monday,” Pyper recalled of her own struggles with fitness, early in life. “Then I just decided, that doesn’t work anymore.”
Now Pyper, the mother of five, sees staying fit and healthy as more than one more chore. It’s who she is.
“It’s become a way of life for me that I can’t live without,” she confessed. “It’s so hard for mothers to have their own identity as individuals and as themselves but here,” she motioned to the gym around her, “I am Lainie.”
That sense of belonging and of being a part of a like-minded community has been one of the things missing for many during this time of physical distancing and self-isolation. It can be an inhibiting factor to establishing a new, healthy routine.
“Having people to do this with you and connect with you throughout the process gives an extra layer of accountability,” Horter explained. “Just like raising a baby… it takes a village!”
That is one of the aspects of building a fitness regimen that gyms are adept at, personal trainers, fitness coaches and mentors, as well as other participants often work together to cheer each other on.
“When you’re ready to come back, we welcome you,” Pyper said.
Another helpful tactic can be making fitness a family-wide mission.
“Lead by example,” Pyper encouraged. “There are so many things you can do together around food, health and fitness. I just love hiking, walking and being outside with my kids. Throw a ball, a frisbee or shoot hoops. Anything kids would want to do.”
Even when the weather makes getting outside difficult, exercising as a family can still be fun, according to Horter who said dance is one of the best ways she has found to get her kids to move.
“I love turning on a song and creating a dance fitness routine on the fly while the kids do the same,” she said. Adding that there are also several kid-friendly, online exercise platforms as well.
“From my son’s teacher’s suggestion, we’ve done PE with Joe on YouTube and loved it. Cosmic Kids Yoga is another fun one.”
But while exercising is a start, true health combines both movement and a nutritious diet – another aspect of life that has been affected, for many, simply by a lack of routine.
“So much of what you eat is a part of your routine,” Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Gabrielle Smith said. “Everything dictates what you eat.”
Which is why, keeping a daily food journal, in order to determine exactly where unhealthy habits have crept in, can be helpful place to begin.
“I feel like I would probably start by looking at how different their diet is now,” Smith proposed. “Then, identify or pinpoint exactly what those behaviors are and adjust those, as opposed to going cold turkey or doing anything drastic.”
Horter agrees with this step-by step approach, suggesting, “Take out one thing. Maybe that’s nightly drinking. Or your pre-bedtime ice cream.”
Then begin adding healthy items in, such as fresh fruits and vegetables as well as healthy fats and proteins.
“It’s amazing what eating the right foods does for your mood and outlook,” Horter noted. Adding that in order to stick with any healthy eating routine planning can be a huge help.
“Meal prep,” she said simply. “And plan. I’ve struggled with trying not to grocery shop as frequently so that means I’ve really had to plan my meals in advance. It takes a little more work on the front-end but makes things so much easier and less stressful the rest of the week. I usually plan/prep up to three days in advance but I know people who love doing it for a week at a time.”
When building all of these systems and routines – whether it be for exercise or nutrition – the main goal should always be longevity.
“We should change our thinking to be long-term,” Pyper suggested, “for life. And then enjoy the journey.”
Tips for getting back to healthy
• Be kind to yourself – replace negative self-talk with affirmations.
• Start now – today.
• Establish an accountability buddy.
• Don’t expect overnight results.
• Change one thing at a time.
• Instead of elimination, focus on adding in what’s healthy.
• Keep a food journal. Keep track of goals using a calendar.
• Mitigate stress by practicing mindfulness, meditation or yoga.
• Involve the whole family – lead by example.
• Limit sugar and processed carbohydrates.
