FitKids Training
Fitness Improving Together through Knowledge, Instruction, Demonstrations, and Support
MAKING THE MOST OF CONFINEMENT & STAYING POSITIVE
Like many of you, this is NOT how I saw the first day of Spring going. This is the earliest spring has come since 1896…and it did not disappoint! It was 70 degrees, trees were blossoming, birds chirping, and yet something was different. I was quickly reminded that we are in the midst of unprecedented, uncertain, and nerve-racking times as I listened to Governor Cuomo inform residents of New York that while we are “not implementing shelter-in-place,” nobody should leave their house…hmmm?
As an educator, I know as well as anyone that children need reassurance in times like these-but what happens when the adults need reassurance too? What happens when we, ourselves, are at our wits end? The answer to me, lies in the fact that today IS the first day of Spring. Spring has always been synonymous (for me), with hope, more of a time to “start fresh” than even New Years Day. How do we remain hopeful in such a frightening time, with few historical references to turn to? Shift the perspective…stay positive!
How many of us have said “I’ve always wanted to do this…this has always been a bucket-list item…if only I had the time!”?
Guess what? NOW IS THAT TIME!!! So here’s a list of things you can start doing immediately to brighten your mood, re-take control of your life, say no to boredom, and make the most of a lousy situation.
APPRECIATE THE LITTLE THINGS
For the first time in years, this has been an opportunity for me to slow down…way down. I’ve had time in the morning to enjoy my coffee, time to play with the dogs, and time to plan out my day. Today, I made a conscious effort to breathe in the fresh air, to feel the changing seasons, and to get outdoors (but keeping my distance). Health is certainly one of the “little things” that we take for granted!
KEEP A ROUTINE
I think it is so important to maintain as much normalcy to your day as possible. This is your chance to get that extra rest you need, but too much sleep can be just as detrimental as not enough.
- Set an alarm
- Map out your day- divide the day into blocks of time and try to stick to your schedule
- Set time aside for exercise
- Build in breaks so you don’t stare at a computer screen the whole time
- Pre-determine when your “work day” will end- It’s important that as we work from home, we don’t work MORE than we would have during regular times. Pick a time to disconnect, walk away, have dinner with your loved ones.
GET THAT EXERCISE!!!
I was devastated when my gym closed. I am not a social gym-goer, but the gym is my time to disconnect, work away the stress of the day, and I even feel that the gym makes it easier to stay motivated by feeding off of others’ energy. It is HARD to stay motivated at home. It is easy to say “why bother,” or “not today,” or “one more show.”
Exercise is crucial to your physical and mental health! We won’t get into the science of endorphins, serotonin, dopamine etc., but working out just makes you feel better (sometimes AFTER you feel awful). Some of the same people that say they don’t have time for a workout will be the people that don’t capitalize on all this free time they’ve discovered. I’m not saying everyone is on vacation, but I for one have eliminated two hours of commuting from my day, which in itself is two extra hours to do things I didn’t have time for before.
If you don’t have a home-gym, or don’t have a ton of equipment, don’t worry. Get creative, do body-weight exercises, find one of the thousands of trainers offering free at-home workouts right now. Here are some of my favorites:
Of course I had to add yours truly to the very bottom. If you don’t have access to that gym equipment, check out the post: “No Gym? No Problem!”
Don’t let two months of quarantine go by and be in worse shape than you started!
STAY SOCIAL, STAY CONNECTED
We’ve all heard it said- social distancing does NOT mean social isolation. There have been more uplifting stories than depressing ones, about how people in China, Italy, and now the US have found ways to connect with loved ones, outstanding shows of humanity, and people uniting as a nation. Take the time to call your loved ones, replace the quick text with Facetime, Skype, and Zoom calls.
Have a video conference drink or dinner with friends. Take the time to reconnect with people you have lost touch with.
MEDITATE
I’ve never been good at the meditation thing. I’m anxious, ADHD, and always on the go. But mindfulness, quiet, and peace is exactly what we need now to put our minds at ease. If you are not great at straight up meditation, try some yoga- you don’t have to sit still, but the idea is the same: find your center, focus on your breathing, make that mind-body connection, let your worried fade away. One travel-blogger, Lesley Murphy, has been offering daily yoga classes for free that would be a great place to start.
START SOMETHING NEW!
I never thought we’d be here, I hate being cooped up, but a good friend recently reminded me that this may be a blessing in disguise. I’ve always wanted to get FITKIDS TRAINING up and running, but always got distracted, or lacked the time. Now, I’m sitting here excited about the direction I can take my blog, my instagram, my aspirations of making the world a healthier place. Your something new doesn’t have to be a new business venture, or any revolutionary invention…it can be a simple new experience (like yoga or working out), it can be learning a new language, writing that short story or novel you always dreamed of. Keeping the mind active, creative, and challenged will be one of the best ways to get through the coming weeks indoors.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO GET THROUGH SOCIAL DISTANCING?
I would love to hear what you all are up to and how you’re keeping busy. Please leave a comment, or follow if you like what you see.
Remember, we are all in this together! And DONUT EVER GIVE UP!!
In Good Health,
Nick Imbelli
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- AT HOME TABATA STYLE WORKOUT
FitKids Training 
Thank you for this common sense reminder to be positive as we face difficulties in our lives.
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