Exercising Regularly Promotes good health more so during times like these (COVID 19 pandemic lockdowns). That is because with less physical activities to take part in and with many of us working from home, there is an increased risk of people becoming overweight or obese due to sedentary lifestyle.
The world Health Organisation (WHO) has recently updated its physical activity guidelines, and now recommends that adults undertake 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, or 75-150 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity per week. The new guidelines now extend to people living with chronic conditions or a disability. To help you get started (or re-started) on working out here are some tips:
Start LOW, Go SLOW -
If you have not been exercising for a while and you see your self gaining those extra pounds, you might have the urge to catch up and rush back into it. Doing so could be counterproductive, as your fitness level now would be different from before. Your body now would be different from before. Your body will need time to adapt and progress to your desired level safely without injuries. So please take time to figure out the pace or intensity which you are presently comfortable with. It is perfectly fine if you need to regress to a lower level for better consistency.
Bite-Size workouts is good too -
We often think of exercise as something that has to be done for a long duration (in one go, at a stretch) to be effective. But more and more health coaches and experts now support the idea that accumulating shorter periods of physical activity throughout the day can be just as beneficial as one continuous session, and perceived as a more achievable and enjoyable arrangement. Work life balance ~ Work workout balance
Explore your options -
During this pandemic many people have found different ways to increase their activity levels. Some have gone outdoors to get fresh air (where possible), while others have stayed indoors and used technology to connect with exercise buddies online. Mix and match your options, pick a hobby.
Activity Tracker -
It’s easy to loose track of time while leading a sedentary lifestyle in times like these and hence these trackers do come handy and really do help motivate you. The Apple Watch and Fitbit activity trackers measure steps taken, distance travelled and calories burned. They also show you how many minutes you've been active during the day. Each tracks your progress over time and can store historical data, and you set daily goals for yourself.
Do share some of the ways in which you have kept your self active this last year and what’s worked for you. We are all too eager to hear about it.
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Team SOROR
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