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Question:

The gyms and fitness centers are closed, how do I stay active?

Answer:

  • Listen to your body: There are so many different ways to be active, from bike riding to weightlifting, and playing with your pet to walking, so you should listen to your body to determine what kinds of exercise and how much to incorporate into your routine. Challenge yourself, but if something doesn’t feel right or you’re experiencing pain, ease off the exercise. You may also want to consider how your sleeping and eating habits are affecting your ability to be active and adjust accordingly.
  • Use a trusted source: At this time there are so many resources from gyms, workout studios and fitness influencers. But you should focus on the material higher education institutions are putting out because they’re probably the safest. At UCF, we require that every personal and group exercise trainer has up-to-date certification. Our material is designed to be attainable for most people too, and it’s free for everyone to use.
  • Stretch and hydrate daily: One thing everyone should do every day is stretch. When you’re sitting, you’re just in one plane of motion, but when you stretch you activate different planes of motion, which helps lubricate your joints, create more flexibility in your muscles, and boost positive hormones and energy in your brain and body. Now is also a great time to make sure you’re drinking enough water, which is different for every person based on weight, health, level of activity and environment.
  • No equipment? No problem: Everyone has objects in their homes that can double as workout equipment, such as textbooks for weights and a chair that can be used for tricep dips. But with or without equipment, you can still get a good workout by completing bodyweight exercises, such as yoga, which only requires some space.
  • Staying motivated and tracking progress: Depending on what your goals are there are different apps for tracking exercise-related progress and maintaining motivation, but I recommend everyone focus on the feeling of being active. You can write down how you feel after each workout in a journal or text a friend to let them know you’ve had an awesome workout, which may motivate them and inspire you to keep going.
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