Exercise, proper nutrition key to getting back into pre-lockdown shape

After months of lockdown, people who’ve been cooped up inside with little physical action may have seen an increase in their waist lines and a lack of energy.

According to a survey conducted by WebMD of 1,012 participants, 47% women and 22% of men said they gained weight in relation to COVID-19 shutdowns. The main attributions to COVID-19 weight gain is usually a lack of exercise and stress eating, often walking in hand with increased alcohol consumption.

Cardio is perhaps the most important aspect to keep up on, particularly with the ongoing pandemic. The heart and lungs need to get a solid workout routinely, even if it’s from the most basic exercise. The American Heart Association recommends a minimum 150 minutes of moderately intense exercise per week. They suggest aerobic activities such as running or walking, at the very least to get the heart pumping faster than it’s used to.

“Just get moving for 30 minutes a day,” said Medford based Stronger Version Fitness gym owner Adam Rodman. “Take a walk outside weather permitting. If you can’t get outside, walk around the house, get up and down the stairs.”

While walking is better than remaining sedentary, running is often hailed as perhaps the best exercise for shedding weight since it burns more calories than walking for the same distance traveled. Alternatively, jump rope is an effective mimic of running that enables you to stay inside; it’s particularly effective if using a weighted jump rope.

Body-weight exercises provide a quality muscle building workout without the need to purchase expensive equipment such as a treadmill or full set of weights. Push-ups, squats, and pull-ups provide muscle building exercise, and when paired with running, offers an allaround robust exercise.

“There’s some pretty easy to do exercises that are still effective: planks, sit-ups, or even something as simple as leg-lifts,” Rodman explained.

For those looking for a more strenuous work out, he suggested exercises which utilize household items as improvised equipment.

“A gallon of milk or water can be used to do arm curls, or even shoulder presses,” he said. “A gallon jug of water is about eight pounds, and actually makes a pretty good weight with the handle on it. I’ve known people that’d freeze a gallon of water and use that for a weight.”

For those looking to really get into an exercise routine, Stronger Version Fitness is undergoing their own procedures to protect cliental from potential exposure to the virus. They have an occupancy limit of 30, and no one with symptoms of illness are allowed in.

“Everyone has to sign in and sign out. We have a lot of hand sanitizer and disinfectant spray, and everyone gets their own towel to wipe down equipment,” Rodman explained. “I have two cleaners disinfecting the place daily, we’re just being super hygienic about it.”

Aside from exercise, a balanced nutrition is essential for shedding weight, and maintaining a healthy body in general. Lean meat such as fish and chicken coupled with vegetables provide a satisfying, light calorie meal, while cutting the intake of carbohydrates such as bread and pasta aid in weight loss. The biggest factor, though, of a healthy diet is the amount of food consumed in a single sitting. This has been a large problem as of late due to COVID-19 related stress and boredom eating.

“Portion your food out, then put it away,” suggested Rodman. “When we sit around bored, we like to eat; you make a meal, you eat, and then the meal is still sitting out so you go back for seconds. Stop with the seconds, usually the first plate of food is enough.

“Making a variety of good, clean meals is important. Get your meat and potatoes, and your vegetables and fruits,” he continued. “Stick to that and get the right portion sizes. Four ounces of each one is probably perfect [for the average person.]” But most importantly, the key to staying healthy is staying hydrated: Rodman recommends females drink 80-90 ounces of water a day, and males get 100 or more.

“Drinking lots of water is huge; people don’t drink enough water,” he said. “That right there can help a ton.”