“Covid-15” memes abound, referring to the weight we’re afraid we’ll gain without access to gyms, fitness centers and exercise classes.
Laps between the couch and the fridge aren’t going to keep you fit while you’re sheltering at home, but there are plenty of ways to flatten your tummy while you’re helping to flatten the curve.
Whether it’s going back to the basics of jumping jacks and push-ups, dancing to your favorite songs or finding online resources, the key is to keep moving, area fitness trainers say.
“You’re better off doing something, than doing nothing at all,” said Stuart Urch, owner of Urch Training Services in Greensburg.
“People need to be truthful about how much they’re sitting,” said Cathy Graham, director of the Bethlen Communities’ Graceful Aging Wellness Center in Ligonier Township. “Hours and hours spent in a sitting position is really detrimental. Take the number of active hours and compare them to your sitting hours — if you have 20 minutes of activity and 9 or 10 hours of sitting, it’s not OK.
“I say, ‘resist the sit,’” she said.
Back to basics
“The good thing with fitness is that you don’t need access to a fancy gym or fancy equipment,” said Jay Thorpe, a personal trainer, nutrition coach and owner of Tarentum-based Flexwork Fitness. “Any kind of movement is good.”
Go back to basics with what Urch calls “good, old-fashioned exercises” like floor or wall push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, squats, planks and lunges.
“You want to feel your heart pumping, you want to work up a sweat,” Graham said. “Jumping jacks are fabulous exercise.”
She recommends a routine of 50 jumping jacks, then marching in place to the count of 10, repeating until you work up a sweat. Dancing accomplishes the same purpose. So do jump squats or jumping rope.
“Walk up and down stairs until you’re tired,” Urch said.
The internet abounds with resources for at-home exercise that doesn’t require any equipment. From Facebook to YouTube, amateurs and professionals alike are sharing their ideas and going live with their workouts.
• NerdFitness specializes in workouts for people who don’t want to leave the house. Check out the website’s seven best at-home workouts, along with tips for warming up, cooling down and crafting your own routine.
• Remember Billy Blanks and his ’90s fitness craze, Tae Bo? He’s back with “In the Living Room With Billy Blanks,” a new YouTube workout series.
• Thorpe said he’s a fan of the Skimble app, which offers thousands of workouts and custom fitness programs, including body-weight-only high-intensity workouts, quick strength-building routines, yoga and fitness challenges.
Equip yourself
If you like to use some equipment, but don’t have it at home, you still have options.
• Check with your fitness center to see if they are loaning anything out during the shutdown, Graham said.
• You also can find inexpensive dumbbells, resistance bands, yoga balls and other gear in big box stores or online, Urch said.
• Thorpe said people will use just about anything handy for weight-lifting, including bags of dog food, weighted backpacks and milk jugs.
Indoor exercise is great, Urch said, but he also encourages people to get outside for the change of scenery and fresh air. Walking, running and bicycling are great options.
“Going outside is great for your sanity,” he said. “Walk for a half-hour or an hour, ride your bike for an hour and a half. Don’t set yourself a time limit, especially if you’re not working right now.”
Get motivated
Knowing what you should do and having the motivation to do it are two different animals, Thorpe said.
Motivation is something that Jean Brozak of Ligonier is working on. A retired director of visual merchandising for Dick’s Sporting Goods, she frequents Graceful Aging for Zumba, TRX, yoga and “Iron Cupcakes” weight-training sessions.
“You need the class environment for challenging yourself more and motivating each other,” Brozak said. “I’ve been missing the motivation from my fitness friends and holding each other accountable.
“I look for things that keep me on track, like keeping a schedule and making time to work out,” she said.
She borrowed TRX resistance bands from the center and goes to Facebook for a weekly Zumba session and a friend’s 28-day fitness and nutrition challenge.
Having a dedicated time and space to work out helps, Thorpe said.
Put on your workout clothes, clear your space, invite your family to join in or tell them not to disturb you, Graham said: “If you had a 10 a.m. class, do it at 10 a.m. Make this a necessary thing.”
Mental gymnastics
Physical and mental well-being go hand in hand, Graham said.
“Isolation fuels depression, that feeling of drudgery and despair,” Graham said. “We have to take it upon ourselves to feel better. It doesn’t take long for your fitness level to deteriorate, and it’s harder to get back into it if you let it go. If you’re active today, you’ll be active tomorrow.”
Urch said the shutdown also is a good time to delve more into practices with a meditative aspect, such as yoga and Pilates.
“Keep your mind stimulated as well as your body,” he said. “Look for good things instead of focusing on the negative. Focus on good self-care.
“If your basic needs are met, appreciate that,” he added. “That’s the best thing we could do health-wise. Don’t focus on the things that you don’t need right now.”
