It would not be far-fetched to say that towards the end of 2020 there was a sense of anticipation, and hope, that the new year will bring a semblance of life as it was before the pandemic. And though it’s definitely not over, there is a growing realisation of needing to move forward — to find a balance between our pre-pandemic lifestyles and the new normal.
Stronger & better
Undeniably, our minds have been deeply impacted by the stress of our changed lifestyles. Movement, being a great energiser and mood uplifter, is known to positively impact the functionality and health of the brain. And, if the movement focuses on an integrated approach towards mind and body fitness, the results will be manifold. A well-programmed fitness plan leads to:
Physical benefits of improved functionality for daily living activities.
Better health.
Lower stress and anxiety levels.
Better mood and self-esteem.
Improved cognitive functioning.
The stay-at-home effect
In the pandemic, we have had to re-arrange our lives to function mainly from within our homes. This also resulted in replacing our regular fitness routines with home-workouts, having to choose from what was available — rather than what was customised for our needs. Having our personal and professional lives confined within the space of our homes changed our routines, with lines between various activities not as clearly drawn as before. Unfortunately, over time, this has resulted in many of us experiencing a lack of motivation to keep up with our workouts.
Make it happen
We need to re-focus our daily routines to move forward into the new year with fresh goals prioritising the health and fitness of our mind and body. With time we have become increasingly accepting of, and incorporating guidelines of the new normal (social distancing, face masks and more).
Making safe and mindful choices will enable us to resume some activities, beyond the environs of our homes, towards routines closely similar to our pre-pandemic lifestyles. For many, outdoor activities such as walking, running, cycling has already become a regular part of their schedules.
However, it’s important to balance these activities with total body strength and conditioning workouts to create muscular balance, strengthen the core, tone the body, build agility and mobility. The ideal option is working with an experienced instructor who understands your current needs, along with your pre-pandemic goals, and through customised personal training sessions, is able to take you forward.
Attitude, willpower, mindset
Good things take time. As much as we may want instant results, with of course minimal effort, the truth is — it requires time, dedication, and willpower. Your attitude and mindset determine your success.
An important factor to help stay committed is the quality of your fitness programme. Workouts that challenge the body progressively, as you strengthen while keeping the mind focused and engaged with varied and customised programming that is not repetitive and limited with a one-size-fits-all approach is best. If you find your workouts interesting and challenging, they will feel less of a task and more of an activity that you look forward to.
Eating choices
A complete fitness programme must include mindful and healthy eating habits. The right eating choices help achieve the physical changes we want while positively impacting our energy, mood, and focus. The end of the year is typically a time spent with family and friends involving food, drink, and celebrations. And also, after months of staying at home, there is an increased enthusiasm to go out socially. Socialising and dining out done safely and mindfully, can work in tandem with one’s fitness programme rather than resulting in undermining your workout efforts.
Energised & motivated
A quality fitness programme enables us to stay physically active and feel empowered with a strong sense of well-being. It’s imperative that we focus our workout efforts to feel balanced, energised, and strong in our bodies and minds.
(The author works in the field of general fitness, sports, rehabilitation and special needs and is a Master Trainer for physiotherapists, sports trainers, dancers, yoga and personal trainers, among others.)