How to keep your exercise goals online
It is important to mix things up and switch up your exercises which will keep fitness exciting and fun. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Since the Covid-19 pandemic, many people stopped going to the gym and instead resorted to working out in the comfort of their homes, in most cases using online fitness routines as a guide. How can you then maintain your fitness goals while exercising online?
The coronavirus pandemic changed many things, chief among them is the way people work out. Because of the lockdowns to curb its spread, most people had to figure out how to keep up their fitness routine from their homes.
Many of these have since found working out from their homes more convenient than the public gym.
For Lydia Nakku, a general physician, using an activity tracker has greatly helped her maintain her fitness goals.
“The wearable device can also be a computer application that records my personal physical activity through the day, the number of calories I have burnt and my heart rate. Each day, I get motivated to be more active,” she says.
In a bid to adjust to the new normal, many workouts have been moved to online platforms and according to research, about 75 percent of exercise gyms offer live stream group workouts and the exercises range from yoga, dance, martial arts classes, to cardio exercises, among many others. These apps help all gym goers and athletes to keep up with their fitness goals by providing workout routines.
However, since we are social beings, many times we do not hit our fitness goals because we need a morale booster from friends or colleagues. Here is how you can keep track of your fitness goals online.
Start small
You are likely to suffer injuries if you immediately start exercising vigorously. You need to warm up first then gradually increase the intensity of the exercise according to Robert Ddamulira, a fitness coach at Robbie Fitness.
“It is also important to listen to your body and stop when you feel tired. Do not exercise until you burn out. Each new week, gradually include a new exercise but work within your limits; this will be a motivation for you to try something new,” he says.
Workable goals
Fitness goals are not noticeable in just a week, especially if you have not exercised in a while. Ddamulira, therefore, says it is important to set realistic goals to keep you motivated. Set smaller goals to achieve bigger goals.
Make it a lifestyle
If you are to keep your fitness goals, you must have a schedule and make exercise a lifestyle. This is a great way to track your goals and will help you stick to your goals. Make sure that you plan your sessions properly and measure your performance. Keeping fit online can be bothersome because no one is monitoring or motivating you.
However, Ddamulira says: “When you make it a routine, it ceases to be a burden but rather an essential part of your life. Each session should be treated like an appointment with an important client or with the doctor.”
Keep track
In any project, it is important to monitor and evaluate yourself. This is the same case with workouts that are online based. You need to take pictures of yourself before and keep them for comparison after the time of your set goal has elapsed.
“Most importantly, take your body measurement such as your waist size and weight. This will help you focus on the amount of weight or belly fat you intend to lose. While the photos will show the improvement, taking measurements will help to clearly show if your efforts were really fruitful instead of guessing,” Ddamulira says.
Diet
You will not achieve your fitness goals if you do not mind what you eat. You must limit fast foods and instead consider fibre filled foods that are likely to keep you satisfied for longer hours and reduce your craving for junk food.
“Whenever you feel like giving up,” Ddamulira says, “it is important to remember why you started in the first place. Each day, revise your goals and look through the photos to see your progress. If you fall out, be your own motivation. Start again; this time more determined than ever before.”
Schedule a regular workout time
Some of the most committed fitness fanatics do it every day before the sun comes up or late at night when the children are in bed. Sit down with your weekly schedule and try to build in an hour each day to be good to your body.
Write your workout on your calendar and rearrange things around this one hour as if it were any other important appointment you have to keep. Or use technology such as daily e-mail reminders, workout journaling websites, or apps to keep you on task.
