The vast majority of people have spent months at home because of the pandemic lockdown, and, therefore, many have been struggling to get any exercise.
By March, adults in the United States were already 12% less active than they were at the beginning of 2024, and long periods of inactivity inevitably make people less fit. That can have consequences when normal life then resumes.
It means that trying to go back to getting regular exercise again once the lockdown has been lifted and getting back in shape for summer is a process that will need to be handled with care.
According to experts, it is important to treat this time as something of a transition period. Their advice is to start slowly when exercising again and also to increase the intensity of your workouts gradually. When leaving the house, it will still be vital to keep your distance from other people and use the best natural hand sanitizer in the form of CBD Luxe to avoid contracting the fit for summervirus.
One of the simplest methods to get back into exercising is just to walk around more and to increase the distance each day.
Going for a walk just for the sake of the exercise or walking instead of driving to the shops if at all practically possible are good ideas, and dog owners know that their pets will never say no to going for a walk together.
The best advice is to begin exercising again at no more than 50% of your pre-lockdown exercise routine.
It could take a couple of weeks before you feel fit and back to your old self, but this is normal and is not a process that is advisable to rush.
Those who run or cycle regularly should engage in some squats for the purpose of preparation.
A lack of exercise results in a loss in muscle mass, so to get it back and prevent back and leg injuries, basic bodyweight exercises are a good idea.
The exercises include the likes of hip raises, lunges, and planks, as well as squats, which can be completed in just a couple of minutes and in a confined space.
Runners will need to get back to their normal routine on a gradual basis, and it is essential to warm up correctly even if that results in slower speeds when first starting to run again.
The warm-ups can include small exercises such as the kind practiced in schools.Heel to buttock stretches and bending of the knees is sufficient.
The lockdown has caused an increase in sedentary activity, which can contribute to tightness in the back and can be further amplified when cyclists go back to that bent-over posture.
Before riding a bike again, cyclists should cobra stretch – lying prone, pushing their chest up from the floor until their upper body adopts a posture resembling that of a cobra about to strike.
This posture should be held for about half a minute and then repeated several times to gain maximum effect.
Those who enjoy weight training should also avoid rushing their return to this form of exercise.
Weight trainers who have not been practicing since lockdown began should aim for no more than 50% of their former workout activity when they go back to the gym, and some muscle twinges are to be expected within a day or two after the exercise.
However, gyms may not be open again for quite some time, so one thing people keen to get in shape for summer may want to consider is getting some gym equipment at home.
Gym equipment for the home is available to buy online from several retailers, and home delivery means that the perfect home gym can be built up quickly and safely.
Getting slowly back into regular exercise can also give people the time to need to make some checks of and changes to any sports equipment they may possess, particularly for those who were experiencing some pain even before lockdown commenced.
This is a good time for people to experiment with their equipment to gain comfort, stability, and performance benefits that can arise from, for example, having a pair of insoles that are better suited to their feet.
Exercise is, of course, not the only factor that contributes to fitness.
The mental issues that have resulted from the lockdown have led to many more people using food as a source of comfort, but the consumption of junk food and more snacks than usual inevitably leads to weight gain.
These types of food are also very addictive, making it difficult to stop eating processed meals and sugary or salty snacks.
Stopping buying such foods is the best way to avoid temptation altogether. If there are none on hand, cutting out extra snacks entirely or eating a healthier meal will be the only options available.
The consumption of alcohol is another source of comfort that many people have been indulging in more often than before the lockdown.
Be aware, though, that the high-calorie count of alcohol means that it can contribute to unwanted weight gain just as much as eating too many snacks.
The solution is to reduce the amount of alcohol that you purchase and have in your home. That will minimize the temptation to drink alcohol regularly.Try to drink water instead of alcoholic beverages as it is hydrating and refreshing but has no calories.
Drinking water also results in a feeling of fullness that can last for quite some time, which reduces hunger and the temptation to eat. That can help to reduce the amount of food that you consume.
With the lockdown beginning to ease in many areas and the weather getting better, it is a good time for people to start to make an effort to achieve their fitness goals and make up for the time they may have lost in recent months.
