By: Matt Kuhlman, Owner, Sweatshop On Demand
Either it’s too hot for your daily run or the gym is closed, which leaves many of us getting creative staying fit during Covid. According to the department of health and human services, adults need at least 30 minutes of exercise per day, and teens/children need 30-45 minutes. And while moving your body is good for your physique, it’s also a must for maintaining your mental health. Research shows regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression and anxiety, relieving stress, improving your memory, helping you sleep better, and boosting your mood.
Here are five tips for staying fit during the pandemic.
1. Find something you LOVE to do
The most important part of any exercise program is consistency, which is why pinpointing something you truly enjoy doing is essential. Love to dance? Pilates? Yoga? Cardio? Biking? Find your chosen forte and figure out a fitness plan wrapped around your program of choice.
2. Get the whole family involved
Make it a family affair! Lead by example; show your kids YOU love to exercise and that will get them excited to join in on the workout. The key to motivate kids to exercise is to make it fun, whether it’s playing a game, sports, or having a dance party. Do they love Disney? Check out these interactive fitness videos– guarantee you’ll have fun getting down with Olaf as well.
3. Dump the scale
One of the most common questions our trainers get is:
“I’m doing everything right, why am I gaining weight.” Or…. “I just started working out, so why is the scale going up?”
Listen, we totally get how frustrating that can be, so let’s clear things up right now: quit weighing yourself! Just because the scale goes up a few pounds in a day or two doesn’t mean you gained “fat;” it just means that YOU GAINED WEIGHT.
In other words: set your goal to lose fat, not weight.
Progress is NOT something the scale can measure daily, as it doesn’t tell you how much fat you’re losing, how much muscle you’re building and how much better you’re looking.
4. Set yourself up for success
Stop being so hard on yourself. We are all facing the stress of covid, working from home, juggling the kids, and missing friends/family/normalcy. Don’t add losing weight to your list of growing stresses. Allot time to work out every day, even if it’s for a mere 10 minutes (every minute counts). And if you DO skip a workout… tomorrow’s a new day.
5. Consider calories
Being stuck at home makes it easy to down food when you’re bored. (We’re all guilty as charged.) I always emphasize that knowing your total calories is one of the MOST important things to know if you’re trying to lose fat/weight.
This is the formula we use at Sweatshop On Demand:
1️. What’s your “goal” bodyweight?
2️. Take that # and multiply it by 12.
That’s the number of calories you should not exceed every day.
So, for example… if your goal bodyweight is 150 lbs: 150 x 12 = 1800 calories per day.
Now let’s make it into a range. We’re going to add 100 calories to the top and subtract 100 for the bottom. That means if your goal bodyweight is 150 lbs, you should be consuming between 1700-1900 calories per day.
Moral of the story: if you consistently eating within YOUR range (at least 80% of the week) and are consistent with workouts (at least 4-5 times per week), you’ll achieve great success.
Check Sweatshop On Demand on YouTube, Instagram and Facebook! We also have 3 locations in the Chicago area.
