I was having a moment; eating right, working out 4-5 days a week and feeling pretty freaking amazing about myself. Being comfortable and confident in my body has always been a struggle for me, but this semester everything started to fall into place. Seeing my body become toned and building a healthier relationship with food, I was having a glow up.
Then everything kinda fell apart with the coronavirus. Losing group exercise class access and gym equipment also meant losing my gym motivation. I’m one of those gym-goers that do better and work harder in a group setting with an instructor there to hype me up and keep me focused. Choosing workout classes with my friends and then sweating out our stress and frustrations for an hour or so during the day was one of my favorite activities.
Exercise is important not only for your physical but mental health. Finding a way to get those endorphins up and to tune out the noise of the world, especially right now, is something everyone should try and make time for. Here are some tips to stay motivated and how to work a fitness routine into your schedule.
- Pick a certain time to workout
-
Booking an hour of your day to workout will help you build a fitness routine back into your schedule. Just as we’re all trying to figure out how to section off the day for academics, doing the same for working out will help make it routine.
- Go into the workout with a plan
-
Since I’m no longer being encouraged by an instructor and pushing myself to keep up with the rest of the class, I’ve found myself scrolling through Instagram when mid ab workout. It’s easy to get distracted at home; your dog lies down on your yoga mat or your sibling starts to bother you, it’s okay. Make sure you’re using the time you set aside to workout to the best that you can. Screen the workout videos before you start them, have a note up with all the moves you want to do, set your equipment out. Going in with a plan does help!
- FaceTime your friends and workout together
-
Yes, this helps! I’ve done this with my friends and it’s definitely a lot more fun than working out solo. Sweating it out with someone else can help the workout go by faster and make you push yourself more. This is a creative way to motivate yourself and stay sane while practicing social distancing!
- Find a way to hold yourself accountable
-
I know people who have fitness planners where they can track workouts and progress. Apps and smart devices are great ways to keep track too. My friends and I share the workouts that we do. Even giving yourself incentives for working out consistently can help!
- Don’t put too much pressure on yourself
-
There’s a lot going on in the world right now, and some days working out can feel like the least important thing. It’s okay to lay around and watch Netflix all day or stress bake. Working out should leave a positive impact on your mental health, not harm it. Take rest days, stretch, meditate. Take it easy on yourself.
Here are some resources members of our Her Campus chapter have suggested for workouts:
-
Live virtual fitness classes being offered by VT rec sports, these are open to anyone!
-
Blogilates
-
Nike Training Club app
-
Cat Meffan on YouTube
-
Self.com workouts
-
Couch to 5k app
-
Workout Women app