Fitness has always been a priority for me. Staying in shape minimizes stress, improves sleep, and supports mental, emotional, and even spiritual, wellbeing. But with gyms closed and refrigerators dangerously close, staying fit during a pandemic can be a daunting task. So, from day one of the lockdown, I came up with some ideas to stay active and feel good.
Move It!
As I've mentioned in previous articles, my father was a Marine. Through both words and actions, he helped me appreciate the benefits of exercise. When I went off to college, his response to my complaints about stress was often, "Have you gone out for a jog, yet?" Once I did, I felt so much better.
So, to get started on my fitness regimen, I hit the pavement. For the first few months of the pandemic, I walked 4-5 miles a day. In addition, I incorporated some exercises to tone my abs and arms.
Although indoor gyms are still closed, our wonderful governor, here in Michigan, opened outdoor facilities in the middle of June. Since then, I have been swimming outside at my health club for one hour, every day, except Shabbat.
Throw in occasional outdoor yoga classes or cardio-max workouts, and it all might sound like overkill for a 60-something! But, the American Medical Association recommends that all of us should work out at least 150 minutes a week—that's 30 minutes, 5 days a week. If you can find an activity that challenges you and brings you satisfaction, you can go way past that minimum.
Eat to Live
May I speak frankly? There is another reason I exercise so strenuously:
I
Love
To
Eat
I come from a long line of Jewish mothers who equated food with love. My family used to joke that for my grandmother if you weren't "as big as a house," you were too thin. I remember her serving me liver kugel for breakfast. Oy! Is this what set me up for a lifelong love of rich, fattening food?
Perhaps, but with age comes temperance. These days, I prefer to simply eat moderately. Eating smaller portions of my favorite comfort foods works much better for me than diets, which only seem to make me tired and irritable. (Of course, living with three skinny people who can eat whatever they want certainly never helped!)
For the last year and a half, I've been using a program called Noom that allows me to monitor my food intake without feeling deprived. I eat lots of fruit, salads, and protein, and I still get to enjoy a glass of wine or dessert once a week.
Right now, my goal is to have plenty of energy to love and serve my family without being overly focused on my weight and appearance. There is so much more to life than dress-sizes and BMIs, and I want to live joyfully!