It’s pretty clear that the cloud of covid19 still hangs over us. We have come out of lockdown trepidatiously and go about our lives in a different way. Whether or not you are tired of the phrase, “the new normal”, we all have indeed been forced to live our lives in a different way. For some people, this meant trying to regain some movement into our lives after months of inactivity. For others, this was a chance to make some changes to our lives, whether with activity, food, or relationships. The RT+ trainers sat down to think about our observations on how people have been spending their time during and after the lockdown.
There has definitely been an uptick in outdoor exercise. People are using the outdoors as their cardio! Everywhere we go we see families walking in neighborhoods, people hiking in the mountains, biking on the trails, swimming in the lakes, and even rollerblading! We are certainly lucky to live in a part of Pennsylvania where we have access to trails and roads for biking, hiking and running right in outside our back doors. And the extra Vitamin D also helps to elevate mood in these “new normal” times.
During the lockdown, eating out choices became much more limited. Many people took this opportunity to do more cooking at home, which happened to translate to a bonus weight loss. RT+ client Wendy lost 7 lbs during the quarantine by focusing on meal planning and healthy cooking. Having to plan out shopping lists, spending less time at the grocery store, and cooking meals at home rather than dining out at restaurants was actually a plus in the weight department for many. Oftentimes, using Instacart rather than having long leisurely trips inside the store also translated to better choices and less junk food in the house.
For others, the lack of structure during lockdown was a challenge. Once the lockdown was over, those that noticed that lack of structure were eager to put an end to it. Having a push from a personal trainer and scheduled training appointments during the week were just the motivation they needed to get back on track, or up their game from months of impersonal streaming video workouts. We all realized that social interaction is a major part of life and videos can only bring you so much satisfaction before you crave being with others again (six feet apart for now of course).
While we are all looking forward to COVID-19 being over, our hope is that all of the people who have started new activities outside, breathing fresh air, eating healthy, and enjoying the beautiful terrain that we have in Central Pennsylvania doesn’t end.