Lessons from the pandemic lockdown that I still apply today.

I think we can all agree that the pandemic lockdowns of 2020 were horrible for everyone’s physical and mental health. In my case, I went into a work, work, work and work some more mentality that resulted in a bad burnout case, but I also started gaining lots of weight since food deliveries were never banned in my area and I was not running errands on foot or going to the gym.

I have always worked from home as a freelance VA, so I at least had that part down but the way I always balanced that was by walking to a nearby gym and not having my daily “me time“ was killing me.

So, I started doing a bunch of home-friendly things, some I loved and still do today and others that made me hate my life. This is a compilation of everything that still works for me.

Now, a disclaimer before I start ranting about what worked for me, please remember that I’m not an expert, and even though I’ve always loved working out in different ways and feeling like I have a strong body I have never looked anything close to what the viral fitness influencers look like.

I also STILL enjoy going to the gym, so now that we can go out and do that I left all these home workouts for cold or rainy days when I don’t want to go outside or those Sundays when you don’t want to see people.

Use your own body weight

I know I know, most of the fitness influencers out there will tell you that these are cool but won’t get you to look like them but that is not the goal here. As I mentioned before, feeling strong and moving my body is the goal. Plus, if done correctly these moves can kick your butt, get your cardio up and give you some extra strength.
I’m talking about:

Push-ups: Great for strengthening the chest, shoulders, and arms.
Squats: Target your legs and glutes while improving overall mobility.
Lunges: Build lower body strength and balance.
Planks: Strengthen your core, improve posture, and enhance stability.
Burpees: A full-body movement that combines strength and cardio.

I swear, just doing a few sets of these every day instantly made me feel better and I still have a short routine that I created that I do whenever I’m too busy to go to the gym.

Now add a few simple and affordable items and your workout gets even better.

Invest in minimal equipment

Once I felt that stuff like basic crunches and bodyweight squats stopped being challenging enough I started thinking about getting a few pieces of equipment. Back then all I had was a yoga mat, but I went online and purchased a few pieces of equipment I still use all the time. Getting these was the best decision ever!

Loop Resistance Bands: Affordable and versatile, these can be used for strength training and stretching.
Long Resistance Bands: The perfect addition to your light dumbells to make them feel heavier.
Light Dumbbells: Perfect for adding resistance to bodyweight exercises. If you can get your hands on some adjustable dumbells you can also save a lot of space.
Jump Rope: An excellent cardio workout that also improves coordination and takes almost no space.
Medicine Ball: Great for core workouts and functional training.
Pullup Bar: Even if you can’t or don’t want to do any pullups you can combine this with your long resistance bands and you suddenly unlock a lot of back, chest, arms, and core exercises.

I swear, these take up almost no space in my house and I still use them all the time.

Online workouts

The digital age has made it easier than ever to access high-quality workout programs from the comfort of your home. Many personal trainers, fitness influencers, and wellness platforms offer free and paid workout plans online. YouTube, fitness apps, and subscription services provide guided workouts for all levels, from beginner to advanced.

Personally, I enjoy going to YouTube and finding routines that match the vibe I’m in that day. Here are some of my favorites:

Fitness Blender: These guys have some of the most amazing Hiit workouts I’ve done.
Cat Meffan: This is for when I feel like doing some yoga. she has something for every level and every mood.
Sidney Cummings: Her daily workouts are the best! In most of her workouts, she incorporates some of the equipment listed above, so if you have those basics you are set!

Go back to nature

During the lockdown, I was lucky to live in an area where my literal backyard was a public mountain. We are both hiking lovers but we had never really paid attention to that mountain until then. We would only go to nearby volcanoes and mostly for work (but that is a story for another day).

So we got into the habit of going out to explore the mountainside with my boyfriend. Each time we wanted to go a little bit further and further away, to the point where we would make it a fun weekend day with a picnic and everything, so going out on gym shoes and leggings was not a great idea anymore.

Here are a few things that made the experience more enjoyable for us.

Small Day Hike Backpacks: Because carrying a water bottle and a sweater on your hands can get super annoying after a while.
Hiking Shoes: After one of our first uphill hikes we went on while wearing regular gym shoes, I almost completely stopped going out because my feet were so sore and my poor toenails were destroyed. Please, don’t be me.
Bug Repellent: I always say that if there is a mosquito in a radius of 5 meters from me, it will find me and try to eat me alive, so I take this everywhere.
Camping Stove and Small Pot: Warm food on a short day hike can make all the difference. A reheated dish of pasta is always going to be better than a protein bar
A Water Bladder: Water bottles are the devil when hiking and you can’t change my mind. It is just so uncomfortable, and if you don’t place them correctly on your backpack you will have back pain for 3 days straight.
Light Rain Jacket: Being sweaty and wet sucks, and when you are out on a mountain (at least in my region) you can get light rain at any time of the day.

The work side of hiking volcanoes ended for us with the pandemic but we still love going out on short day hike dates every once in a while. It’s as cute as it is challenging on our bodies.

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