Its no secret that home workouts and online fitness/yoga classes are really having a moment right now.
The contagious virus rightfully has us on lockdown42 statesare currently under shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders.
So, although home workouts are not new, being quarantined in our homes most surely is.
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But however will we stay in shape?!
Like the pressure of not touching your face wasnt enough!
Now, listen, I get it.
Movement is my life.
Iloveit in all of its incredibly sweaty glory and you might too.
I, too, am now sweating at home.
I, too, am teaching classes from home.
And I, too, am privileged to be doing so.
Honor the fact that you could work out right now if you want to.
I know I said it already, but Im going to say it again.
Being in a position to think about your fitness goals during this time is a privilege.
Take a moment to let that sink in.
And I mean sink all the way in.
Let it seep into your veins until you are radiating with gratitude.
Your body is an incredible vessel, and movement is a blessing.
Value and appreciate your ability and position during this chaotic time.
This pandemic is shining an extra-bright light on all of this.
Think through some ways you might contribute to your community that makes use of your privilege.
Can you donate money to a mutual aid fund?
Can you volunteer to shop for groceries for an elderly or immune compromised person in your neighborhood?
Can you sew masks or provide tutoring or other virtual services?
Dont get sucked into the no excuses mindset.
Not pressure-filled, FOMO-inducing obligations.
If you sit one or two (or all) of them out, its okay.
They will still be there later.
And if youre just not that into working out at home, thats okay too!
Nows a great time to exercise simply for stress relief and overall wellness versus #gains.
Maybe nows not the time to dial in your next-level fitness goals.
Let yourself be bummed or angry about how all this changes your exercise routine.
Theresno one right wayto feel now.
Feel your feelings and also contextualize them with perspective.
Come back to the gratitude for your body and for your ability to adjust and adapt.
And then adjust and adapt.
With this collective trauma that we are experiencing also comes a collective sense of loss.
Be mindful about how you share your body-related stress and anxiety.
Understand that these jokes have guilt and shame undertones.
Pandemic or not, this is fat-shaming and shitty, so we should all just chill.
Related: Now is a great time to purge our fitness/wellness vocab of concepts of guilt or shame.
Fellow trainers and instructors, this goes for us especially.
But during this unprecedented time when people are experiencing or watching others experience unspeakable trauma, its truly unacceptable.
But the same goes for exercise enthusiasts.
Guilt and shame are woven into the way we think about wellness, thanks to diet culture.
We can choose to participate in a wellness culture where shame and guilt have no place.
If youreexercising outdoors, perfect your social distancing.
No one lives alone; we all live in neighborhoods and communities.
Nor are you immune to spreading virus.
Its okay to go outside and get your sweat on if you are able to do so safely.
The good news is that theres a ton of stuff you caninside.
This is an MF pandemic.
Grant yourself some grace.
This is not vacation.
You have stress surrounding you whether you realize it or not.
Take care of yourself.
If that means a workout or a yoga class, great.
If that means Netflix, amazing.
If that means baking bread and FaceTiming your mom, hey do it.
