THE BLOG
As we continue to adapt and navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing light shed upon what may likely become new realities in every facet of life. Exercise has been and will continue to be one of the most important things we do on a daily basis to promote health and wellbeing, whether or not we are able to access gyms with equipment to help facilitate the process. In this blog we will discover 5 simple tips to help keep you active in a changing environment. These were created with the reality of gyms being closed in mind, but with our current state of society, it is applicable to daily exercise in any capacity.
1. Make Movement a Priority:
There is no secret, that which we give energy to will become our main focus and ultimately our reality. If you truly desire practicing regular exercise to reap the myriad of positive effects, you will find a way to prioritize it and make it happen. There are several ways to boost exercise as a priority, but one of the best things that we can do is tie it back to our short and long-term goals. Keep your vision top of mind and use that as the driving force to get your workout in!
2. Schedule Your Workouts:
This goes along with point 1 in that having specific time set aside to workout will help you accomplish it. Taking a realistic look at your schedule and recognizing what times will work best for you in advance will help you stick to a workout plan and help you accomplish your goals. Along with that, be honest about what time of day will actually work for you. It is ambitious to plan to work out at 5:30 am 5 days a week. If we stretch so far that we do not succeed, we may become discouraged and do more harm than good. Long story short, schedule your workouts at times you KNOW you can complete them.
3. Know What Workouts You Will Do:
Again, having a plan and knowing what to expect is an excellent and proactive way to get ourselves to engage in any type of behavior. When it comes to workouts, have a plan for what exactly you will be doing and how long it will take. This will help when you are fitting it into your schedule and also motivate you to follow through and complete each workout 100%. When we go in with no plan, we cannot expect any specific result! If you need workout ideas and accountability to follow through, consider hiring a trainer or coach. Otherwise, if you are feeling intrinsically motivated, there are tons (literally…) of workout resources for free on the internet. Just go to Youtube and type in what kind of workout you want to do (i.e. 20 minute legs and abs workout no equipment) and you will find a plethora of options all curtailed to what you want. Know in advance what youare going to do, THEN GO DO IT!
4. Drop the All or Nothing Mindset:
Rock Climbing is one of countless ways to get moving!
I have talked about this in podcasts and blogs in the past, but dropping the All or Nothing mindset will create space for you to flourish on your health and wellness journey. We know that ALL movement helps increase metabolic rate, which is one of the hallmark benefits of exercise. Something I educate my clients on regularly is how movement throughout the day can add up and make a huge difference. A 10-minute walk here and there paired with yoga and a few bursts of squats or push ups accumulates and in the end you can amass 60 minutes of movement without even thinking about it. On the flip side, if you find yourself with only 15 minutes to move in a given day, make those 15 minutes count and try some high intensity interval training (HIIT), and keep in mind that some movement is always greater than none. If you are interested in my free bodyweight exercise guide, send me an email at michael@coachkrug.com.
5. Be Diligent with Recovery:
Recovery is just as important a piece of the puzzle as movement is. When we exercise, we tear down our muscles. When we recover properly, we build them back up plus some. That is a very basic interpretation for how we build muscle as humans, plain and simple. Sometimes we get so preoccupied with the exercise part of the equation that we forget about recovery, which can leave us feeling drained and run down in the long run. Things to keep in mind for recovery include: adequate quantity and quality sleep, high frequency foods, drinking plenty of water, and stress management. I have created a free cookbook for my clients to help give understanding of how I approach food, which is what helped me lose 160 pounds and keep it off! If interested, all you need to do is ask and I will send it your way 🙂
Movement is so important for our health and wellbeing that Dr. Mark Hyman once said if he could put anything into pill form and have patients take it daily, he would choose exercise. The research cannot be refuted, and if you talk to anyone who exercises regularly they will share with you how great it is for body, mind, and spirit. If you are interested in moving more but are unsure about where to start and how to get moving, you may be in need of a health coach. Email me at michael@coachkrug.com or text me at 651-500-8162 and let’s get moving!