By: Rochelle Capers, Staff Writer
“I am stuck at home day after day.” “Parks are closed to the public.” “The gyms are all closed.” “There is nothing to do.” “I can’t go anywhere.” Do any of these statements sound familiar? Are you and your family getting fit, or, staying fit during the Covid-19 pandemic, or are you turning into “a couch potato”? Are you gaining weight during this time or eating consciously those foods that are pleasing yet also nutritious? Are you simply indulging those comfort foods with no thought of the effects on the body and nutrition?
It is interesting what and how we do, what we do when faced with a challenge. Staying Fit while being confined at home can be a struggle, a challenge, and/or it can be fun and made fun while improving or sustaining overall health. Most people who are concerned about their health understand the role of physical activity and its impact on one’s well being. Many successful businesses today promote physical fitness and wellness because they understand the positive effect it has on the lives and performance of their employees.
During this time of social distancing, you might think that gyms are closed so you can’t work out or you might not like exercise or be interested.” However, just because you may be stuck at home does not mean that you must stay affixed to a chair, a sofa, or a bed. When one sits and lies around constantly, stiffness often occurs, and weight gain becomes inevitable unless you have underlying health conditions that prevent your mobility and/or weight gain.
One of the great immune boosters is physical activity or exercise. Building up a sweat and allowing those endorphins to be released in the body is good medicine. After about 30 minutes of good exercise, endorphins are released which results in generating a positive mood change and provides an energy boost for a few hours after. The entire family benefits from incorporating fitness routines and energy-burning activities into their day with a display of better moods. In turn, this can greatly reduce anxiety making family time together and the overall home environment a more pleasant and fun place to be. Those who are permitted to go outdoors can engage in family fun outdoor activity. The open-air and sunshine are essential elements of better physical health including brain health.
In the book, The God-Shaped Brain, written by Timothy R Jennings, MD, Dr. Jennings informs us that “when someone is depressed, there are major alterations in body and brain functions.” He provides a list of some actions that if taken will result in a healthy brain and a healthy relationship with God. In the final chapter of his book titled, “Putting It All Together – Simple Steps to a Healthier Brain”, he lists 17 actions. Number 11 on the list speaks about the necessity of regular exercise for both physical and mental health. He says, “Physical exercise produces powerful anti-inflammatory factors” which positively affect stress. He further states, “Exercise also turns on factors in the brain that stimulate new neuronal growth, as well as chemicals that improve mood.”
Staying fit at home, whether alone, with family, or with a house full of roommates is important because you and your loved ones’ health and state of mind are important. Exercise can help get you through the day in a pleasant mood and help you to gain a better night’s rest and sleep. Entrepreneurs believe that regular exercise and physical activity are critical to their success in maintaining a clear functioning brain to create, think clearly, and make better decisions. Additionally, it provides the energy they need to maintain their drive and accomplish the actions necessary to excel.
You might be saying to yourself, I do well without regular exercise and do not or need to put such a high priority on it. What if, you schedule regular exercise or physical activity and you experience a great surge of energy and clearer brain function? Then would you think it worthy of your time and effort? What difference would it make to the way you feel? If you are currently overweight or obese, physical play and regular exercise alone will not cause you to necessarily lose weight; however, it will provide the ‘good feeling’ that comes from those released endorphins. The energy boost, the opportunity for a better functioning brain, an improvement in your mood, feeling more positive about yourself, all the while gaining a stronger immune system to keep pushing forward are excellent reasons for pursuing a fit life for you and your family.
Is staying fit while at home important? Yes, it is. Everyone wants their homes to be a place of peace; a place where you feel safe, a place that generates good feelings, a place where you want to be because you are happy there. You want your home to be the place where depression fades or does not exist, where anxiety and stress are at the very least, minimal. Deciding to stay fit while at home will prove to be a blessing. If the entire family is involved, it can be fun resulting in individuals working together for the betterment of each other. If you live alone, regular activity that requires physical exertion will lead to a more pleasant and clear thinking you; a you that can be creative, look, and feel better. If you are wheelchair-bound there are many wonderful exercises which can be done from the chair. There are freely available videos on YouTube that are tailored to physically challenged individuals. Schedule 30 minutes per day of physical activity – vigorous play, moderate or power walking, or aerobic exercise. It is essential to the health of body, mind, and spirit; you really can do it, and you can reap its benefits. Enjoy the journey with expectation.
