My Apple Watch is totally confused.
Over the last couple of years, the watch can pretty much predict my workout habits. It is rare that I get a notification that my “bars are usually farther ahead at this time of the day.” There is the occasional early morning round of golf or laziness that prohibits me from working out before heading into the office. But, traditionally, I get my 3-4 workouts done per week courtesy or T-25 or another Beach Body at-home workout. So, my watch generally knows what to expect.
But, with stay at home, self-quarantine, and social distancing orders in place, my watch isn’t sure what to make of my “new normal.” Workouts every day and walks in the evening have my watch questioning who is wearing it.
During these odd times, you have two choices when it comes to your fitness. You can get in the shape you always dreamed of (if you just had the time) or you can wallow in self-pity and eat every snack in the pantry while putting on pounds usually reserved for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Decide to get Healthy
So, your first step is deciding which direction to pursue. I decided that I want to stay sane and also get fit. I needed to figure out a routine and set a target goal for when this all ends. The goal I set was to up my fitness workouts to 7 days a week. I no longer have the excuse of “not enough time”. I know this will all eventually pass and I don’t want to look back and regret that I didn’t at least accomplish some things. For me personally, a 7 day a week workout seems possible and creates something to look forward to daily. And, these aren’t 1-2 hour workouts, they are simple, 30 minute high intensity opportunities for me to melt away the pounds and the stress. Decide to get healthy.
Find your Routine
The next step is finding the right workout routine for you. With your gym closed and classes canceled, go online and find all the tremendous free resources that have gained popularity since this all started. Companies like Planet Fitness, Orange Theory, Lifetime Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness and other national chains are offering free online classes during this time. Other online sources like Peloton, Beach Body, Daily Burn, CorePower Yoga, and others are waiving or reducing their fees for online workouts. If you scour the web, you’ll find many free fitness resources. Want to keep doing classes? Many local teachers are posting their classes online. If going outdoors is more your cup of tea, hop on a bike and find a new trail. Do you like to walk? Jog? Those options still exist. But maybe take this opportunity to find new ways to stretch your workouts. I can’t touch my toes to save my life. So, I’ve found some Yoga and stretching routines online that are providing me a chance to increase my flexibility. There is so much free stuff online that requires little to no gym equipment and ranges from beginner to intermediate to advanced workouts. Spend some time online and you’ll be spending plenty of time on the floor of your family room.
Involve People in Your Life
The final step is to challenge others. This might be family members, friends, co-workers (working from home, of course), significant others, or anyone who will motivate you to stay on task. Make it a game or a bet. Who can get more steps in per day? Who will emerge weighing less? Who can go the most number of days completing a workout? An accountable friend will make your workouts that much more enjoyable because you will know someone else is competing against you.
The stay at home initiative will be short-lived. Whether it is 30 days, 45 days, or 60 days, you don’t want to look back and wonder “why didn’t I use that time to get in better shape?” Follow the three steps above and your watch will record new, weekly activity records. You will emerge in the new world looking and feeling better than ever. And, at the rate this is progressing, it might be right in time for bathing suit season!