As British summer started on the 29th March 2020. We Brits have had a head start when it comes to preparing for that summer body😁👌🏾.
This can mean many things. It isn’t just for those who want that six pack showing through a xxs t-shirt. Haha. It can be tightening up the underarms &/or the thighs. Working on your cardio, flexibility &/or strength for example. As the list goes on for the many different reasons why certain times of year like new years or a special occasion will prompt individual’s to want to start exercising etc.
Which is not represented by your dress size. As there are many slim people with underarm flaps & larger sized people with toned arms.
So it’s not just about the physical appearance. It’s setting goals. But also the idea & actions to change your lifestyle to have more energy to spend enjoying the longer day’s. Been comfortable in your own skin. Allowing the mind to be activated & more alert.
Like myself with Lupus SLE. When my kidneys were damaged as a result of Lupus. My body retained so much fluid I couldn’t wear shoes or a bra. So from a size 12 upto a size 16 of fluid retention in a matter of weeks. My skin was stretched beyond it’s natural elasticity. So once I had the treatment the fluid reduced as quick as it was gained. Leaving me with loose skin which wasn’t pleasant causing sweat to be trapped. My clothes irritating me & having to wear a size bigger than I actually was because of my loose skin. Yes there was only so much I could do without going down the surgery route. But having had spent years of my life & my body been prodded, poked & transformed by the illness. Surgery was not for me personally.
But exercising to tone the muscles with strength training did enough to provide the mass to fill up the space where the loose skin had been stretched.
So it wasn’t that the skin wasn’t still loose. It just didn’t look loose due to toning the biceps & triceps. Which for me was a triumph & confidence boost. No longer paranoid about covering it up. Plus the benefits of improving my upper body strength. Better posture & less back pain. Having stronger arms ment the freedom to do a wider range of exercises toning my chest & other upper body parts. Most importantly my core. The mid section which connects the top of the body to the bottom part. So exercises like the plank & certain yoga poses such as the headstand for example. All which was possible due to just originally wanting to get rid of the loose sagging skin under arm appearance.
Been that most of the globe is on some type of lockdown. The importance of health & fitness has never been more important.
With a large portion of the population daily activity levels taking a big dip. As going to work or school for example is a form of exercise. Because the body is been active to get you from A to B & back again. Including children who may not exercise at home. But going to school & playing with friends at break times. Is a form of exercise. Also contributing to their physical, social & learning development. So with all these routines which allowed our bodies to move about now been restricted. It’s important to have an active plan. Whether it’s walking or jogging 2 laps of the bedroom or garden if you have one. Doing a 3 minute on the spot sprint or standing press ups against the lounge door. There are so many varieties & variations of different types of exercises to suit your level of Intention.
What I mean by that. Is before this lockdown. A person may have had a summer goal to strengthen & tone the biceps which they did by starting to use the gym weights. Now without gym access & no ownership of weights. Plus the uncertainty of how long the lockdown will last. Many will allow this opportunity. Which it is, to not put in that same effort & motivation. Because there isn’t that public gratification. So might as well delay it type of thinking.
When this is the perfect time for anyone who is at home &/or self Isolating etc. To have no reason or excuses when there is all this extra time. Not having ways or thinking up ideas to stay active &/or create goals.
In general everyone should be invested in partaking in some sort of daily activity. Because of the uncertainty of how long we will all be on lockdown & our NHS already struggling.
It won’t get better any time soon. If say after a month or more during that period. Most of the population has been inactive creating a whole other health crisis. Such as a rise in illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, obesity etc. Which were issues before this pandemic. So using this time to plan meals & learn new dishes if your diet consisted of pre cooked meals & take outs for example. Learning about your eating habits. Using a form of exercise to curb your boredom. Such as dancing or utilizing the one exercise a day by doing a power walk. Is everyone contributing & taking responsibility for their own level of health & fitness.
Also with many people who have access to the internet. Using search engines to look up dishes which are nutritious & cheap to make/store. Using this opportunity to be realistic with yourself in the privacy of your own home. About what you eat on a daily basis including portion sizes & snacks. Learning the benefits of cooking a meal rather than popping into a fast food place or take away.
Trying different styles of fitness to find out what you prefer. Such as yoga for relaxation & breathing (wellbeing). Or maybe Hiit because you want to lose weight & active exercises for the kids to do whilst you take a break.
There are so many options, different types, adaptations & variations of exercises. Including bodyweight, free weights (in which dumbbells can be substituted with household items). Assisted training using chair for types of target muscle training & stretches etc. With access to trainers who are offering free training online like myself. Dispels any notion of I’m too busy or can’t afford it.
There are many group fitness sessions taking place online should you need other’s to help motivate you. This really is the time when your health, fitness & wellbeing is in your hands to make of it what you will.
Of course we can’t deny what is going in today’s world & nor should we. The same should be said for what we are doing indoors. What are you doing to benefit your own health, fitness & wellbeing.
Is it hard. Yes it’s hard. Because as humans we are social creatures. But that is circumstances we all must face. But what are the actions you as an individual are taking to create & work on new or existing goals.
The summer will still arrive. So why not spring into summer health & fitness. Creating plans & goals. Giving yourself a routine & doing all the things you’ve put on the back burner for example trying a new skill such as martial arts kicks, completing 20 push ups or giving splits a go. Which also gives you something to look forward to. So use this time to access all the professional help you can whilst it’s free. Give yourself a routine. So once we get back to some type of normal. Adjusting to getting back to work hours &/or kids back at school. It won’t be as difficult for the body to adapt to expending the energy it needs to operate at a fully functioning level.
Stay Home ❤ Stay Active
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G.ElliottServices 