Barely—that would be my response to this question. The constant lockdowns do take their toll, but I think we still can do something about it.
For quite some time now, I’ve stopped measuring my activities in terms of kilometers. I’ve instead shifted to the number of steps per day—10,000 ideally. But as the pandemic came along with lockdowns, getting outside became a privilege, and even meeting that proved to be a challenge. Now, over a year hence, I feel the muscle loss from the lack of exercise. With the few times I was able to run, I could say that most of the distance was spent walking—like I was running for the first time again!
But despite the movement restrictions, I think we still can add fitness into our routines. If not pressed for time, we can walk instead of drive or commute to get to do the groceries or errands. If you’re up for it, you can even jog or run if you don’t mind getting sweaty. And instead of using pushcarts, you can use the baskets in the grocery as your “weightlifting” exercise, especially if what you plan to buy can fit and weighs within what you can comfortably lift for some time. I actually find myself carrying two baskets on occasions!
For those who miss group exercises in the gym, there are a lot of workout videos online and shows on free TV that you can follow in the comfort of your own home. Some of them only requires a small space for you to move around and it has the advantage of not having anyone see you make a mistake.
With the end of the pandemic nowhere near in sight, our prolonged sedentary lifestyle may be even more dangerous than COVID-19 so if there’s even the slightest opportunity to get our muscles pumping, do so! You should also be prepared to accept the fact that you may not be “as good” as you were before the lockdowns, but it’s OK. What’s important is we get our blood flowing just to prevent our health from declining.
I surely miss doing long runs outside but as exercise can occasionally be prohibited, I grab any opportunity to do even a long walk. That’s why I sometimes I end up buying things at the grocery even if I don’t plan to as I needed a long walk not just to get some exercise—but also to ease my mind. Sure, running for me now is a struggle, but I can settle for a long walk for now.
runningpinoy 