How to stay active during a pandemic

Published in El Pais, 25 June 2020.

This pandemic has created a perfect storm for weight gain, causing the 19 in COVID 19 to take on a whole new meaning. Many are forced to stay at home and gymnasiums have been closed for some time, add to the fact that everyone seems to be taking up baking as a new hobby leads to a lot of tight pants. While I have tried many new recipes to make during this lockdown, I have also managed to lose some weight, in fact I have dedicated this pandemic to getting into shape and I have decided to share some of my secrets should you be looking for ways to exercise.

• Go outside

Yes, you should stay home but that does not mean you cannot go for a walk in more isolated areas. Walking alone can still burn 300 calories an hour which may not seem like much but it can add up. It can also be a nice way to spend time with those in your household. As an important side note, there are some scientists claiming there is evidence that the virus is airborne, should this be proven true it would obviously change whether this is safe or not.

• Fitness videos

This is one that I am actively using. A few months ago, I started using Zumba videos for exercise, as my endurance went up I did longer classes to the point where I do one hour of Zumba a day. This obviously is not limited to this exercise as there are many instructors posting their routines on YouTube. There are also many online live classes should you find recorded videos boring and mundane.

• Find what you like

Unfortunately, regardless of what exercise you choose a significant amount of commitment is required on your end. There is no once a month workout that will get you into shape. To get over this hump try to find an exercise that you find enjoyable. As mentioned above I do Zumba because it is fun, I even have favourite songs that I get excited about when they come on. If you are someone that hates running, try going for a bike ride. I am sure there is an activity for you if you search hard enough.

I know this is hard but we could be looking at a more sedentary lifestyle for a while. If you wait until the end of this pandemic to get back into shape you could have a long road ahead of you.