After being a dancer for ten years, then becoming a personal trainer in college, I have always led an active and healthy lifestyle. I, too, was struck by the effects of quarantine. Gyms were closed, I had no social obligations, I was home all the time, and even though I could exercise and eat well, being at my house and bored made me feel less motivated to stay in shape.
I experienced firsthand what it feels like to gain weight and not know where to begin losing it. I stopped working out, I ordered in all the time, and all of my healthy habits from the past few years were gone. It has been a struggle for me to see my body with fat that had never existed on it before. Keeping in shape and working out had always been part of my routine, rather than a matter of motivation for me. The presence of fat on your body does not represent a problem. The way I looked really did bother me, so I really needed a motivator to get myself in shape again. Making progress and gaining success is what motivates people to work hard towards their goals. In my conversation about this, my friend told me about her experience with CoolSculpting, a machine that freezes fat away. For the first time, I actually felt lost regarding where to begin my fitness routine and how to get back into it.
What I did
I started small. Before I got back into a full-blown gym routine, I treated it the same way I would have treated clients that I had worked with in the past, who began working out for the first time. Having recognized that consistency is key, I began with shorter workouts of 20-30 minutes three to four days a week. While this may seem like nothing to some of you, this is about building a habit, not about training for 3 hours and barely being able to walk the next day. In addition, I decided Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays would be the best times for me, leaving a day in between each session, and a weekend to rest. In addition, I tried to choose workouts that were fun for me. When you start a new workout routine, the last thing you want is to force yourself to do exercises you don't like. When you feel like dragging yourself to the gym and dreading doing it every time, you are probably not going to stick with it. As for myself, it was boxing and deadlifts (cardio, coordination, and a bootie workout)? (Checks off every box for me!). During the next 3-4 weeks, I began adding more time to my workouts and improving my eating habits. It didn't mean that I cut out any particular foods, but I emphasized the importance of adding more protein to my diet. I felt better immediately after I did that in addition to my workouts, even before I saw any improvements. As I mentioned above, I did give myself a little boost by getting the CoolSculpting treatment at MiracleFace MedSpa. Cryolipolysis involves sucking in your fat and freezing it using a vacuum applicator. This method will eliminate 25 percent of your subcutaneous fat. My initial reaction was skepticism, but I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by my results. Seeing them had taken a couple of months, but as a former trainer, I know it would be impossible to lose so much fat through three 30 minute workouts every week. Furthermore, while such treatments are effective and do leave you with wonderful results, they do not prevent you from gaining weight, which is why it is necessary to develop healthy habits to maintain the results.
Body image
Everybody is different, and it is okay if it has some fat on it. I am not obese by any means, but I generally feel better about myself when I eat properly and keep an active lifestyle. It would be a lie if I said I didn't like my abs showing when I wear a bikini, but what I like on my body may be completely different from what someone else likes. The last seven months have seen me consistently maintain my fitness goals and, most importantly, maintain a healthy lifestyle. I was really motivated by seeing initial results, which reminded me that the things I'm doing are effective and making me look and feel good. Having positive influences around you is also important. Remember that you are not alone in the process, whether that means working out with friends, having a good support system, or connecting with others about your experiences. My main goal at this point is to keep a steady flow without obsessing over the little things, while maintaining a healthy lifestyle and a body that makes me feel confident.