Its no secret that thispost-quarantine reentry periodhas provoked a whole array of feelings.
Yet,movement is so healing.
Being around a community is healing.Building strengthcan be empowering.
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Get vaccinated if you are able.
Andall COVID-19 vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness.
COVID-19 isnt over, so continue to abide by the guidelines.
Knowing youre following the science can help ease some of the gym-reentry anxieties.
Maintain a distance from other people at the gym, especially if you are unsure if they are vaccinated.
Additionally, keepwashing your hands.
This isnt just a COVID-19-specific recommendationitll also help prevent common colds and flu.
Wipe down all the equipment you touch.
If you need or want to wear a mask, do it (see below).
Remember that if you sometimes forget to do some of these things, so do other people!
Dont feel pressured to put away your mask.
I know wearing a mask during a workout is cumbersome, but we already know COVID-19 is farbeyondcumbersome.
(In fact,it might be necessary and requiredin some places.)
If you want to wear a mask to protect those that cannot get the vaccine, do it!
Dont let anyone shame you out of wearing a mask.
If you dont feel safe going maskless, get yourselfa mask that is especially made for working out.
From a mental health and self-esteem standpoint, this is an important but also very challenging thing to consider.
Shame surrounds us and can suck you up into its spiral really quickly.
We could all stand to let that pressure and shame go.
Ifreleasing the shamelooks like muting or unfollowing accounts that are toxic to your mental (or physical!)
health, do that.
No need to bring other negative, shame-inducing mindsets into the gym with you.
Create a sphere of goodness that surrounds you and your fitness habits.
None of us are who we were before COVID-19.
We have collectively and individually experienced so much loss, so much anxiety, just somuch.
We wont ever, cant ever, go back.
Give yourself some grace.
Its okay to fail, make mistakes, catch yourself in shame spirals, catch yourself falling into traps.
Pandemic or not, you wont have your strongest workout every single day.
Recognize, allow grace, keep moving forward.
Its also okay that changes dont come overnight.
Patience and grace go hand in hand.
Start your workout reentry slowly.
If youve been takinghikesat home and then change to strength-based programming, youll need some adjustment time.
If youve been doing yoga and now want to tryHIIT, same thing.
Also, start slowly getting into each individual workout.
check that you areproperly warmed up.
This is extra important now and always.
I cannot stress this enough.
Getting injured is never fun; getting injured in the beginning of your journey can be very disheartening.
If something hurts, stop.
The desire to come out the gate superstrong and go hard right away is tempting.
So is the eagerness to return to the level you were at before 18 months of pandemic.
Thats why its so important to listen to your body.
The No pain, no gain slogan that floats around social media is deceiving and potentially detrimental.
Bonus tip: If its possible for you to see a specialist, go there first.
Orthopedic doctors and doctors of physical therapy are very good at understanding the intricacy of exercise injuries.
Celebrate your bodys wins.
Every single little thing that your body does for you is celebration-worthy.
We do not give our bodies enough credit for what they allow us to do on a daily basis.
If youre reading this, your body got you through the pandemic.
Celebrate your body by being good to your body.
Feed it, move it, hydrate it, give it rest.
One more thing I want to reiterate: You dontneedto go to the gym.
Not now after quarantine, not ever.
