Quarantine Fitness
Exercise not only changes your body. It changes your mind, your attitude, and your mood.
Like most other establishments, at some point during the COVID-19 pandemic, most gyms closed their doors to the public to abide by the recommendations set forth by the Centers of Disease and Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO). While this was necessary, many people, specifically routine gym goers, found a huge disruption in their daily activity. Many people seek exercise not only for physical gains, but for mental gains as well. For some, fitness is their only mental escape and unfortunately current events happening in our world this year has made it difficult to find a replacement to the gym.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. The AHA also recommends to increase the amount of exercises and the intensity of those exercises gradually over time. With the closure of gyms (extending to about 7 months now) and outdoor parks, some people have understandably taken time off from exercising, and others have been motivated to get creative with meeting their daily activity goals. While most public places were closed, many have discovered or rediscovered their love for fitness this year as they looked for ways to stay active around the house or in their local community. Home exercises like walking, biking, and virtual challenges were found to be an outlet and stress reliever for many people during these unique times. With new social media apps, like TikTok, dancing and fitness challenges across these platforms helped continue social interaction among the world and keep people entertained and active.
Meditation, yoga, and self-reflection are other popular ways people have exercised their mental health and well-being during the pandemic. For a few months, most daily operations were cancelled and people had more time on their hands to slow down, reflect on their lives, and adapt to the changes being implemented around the world. To prevent a sedentary lifestyle, “quarantine hobbies” were acquired, thus creating daily activities to keep both the mind and the body busy. Unfortunately, we do not know when the official quarantine or COVID-19 pandemic will end, but hopefully these lifestyle changes and hobbies are here to stay.
As someone who strives to lead a healthy lifestyle, I cannot say fitness during quarantine has been easy, but it has definitely given me a new perspective to staying active. Even if your gym isn’t open yet or you have limited resources to exercise with, I highly recommend finding an activity that gets both your mind and body moving.
Stay safe & take care,
-Marissa
Marissa Brooks, BS | mb3380@mynsu.nova.edu
