Exercise is good for the mind, good for the body, and good for the immune system. Exercise increases circulation to your brain and boosts mood. Like many things happening these days, exercise is something that we may have lost control of.  However, with a little focus and planning you can implement a routine that puts it back on the daily calendar.

Yesterday I told Gerardo, my husband, that I needed to get my steps in. I realized my cardio was not quite up to par when one woman I spoke with went from 10,000 steps per day last week to 800 steps per day this week. It is the glaring reality of isolation, less steps. Prior to two weeks ago I had been accustomed to hitting the gym at 5am and moving straight into my day. For the last week, my husband and I faced the grim reality that gym visits weren’t a good idea and we really needed to stay home. I started running around our cul-de-sac, taking neighborhood bike rides with the family, and doing some yoga stretches. Some days were better than others but yesterday I realized that things really needed to be tightened up.

I asked Gerardo to build a cardio routine for me to do at home that incorporated some body weight exercises. I knew that we had a jump rope and exercise bands somewhere. He looked in our storage trunks, in the shed, under the bathroom sink and was able to find a nice little pile of exercise tools that he could use to develop an at home workout for me. Other things he was creative with were a mop stick, a step stool, a piece of wood, and water bottles to use as weights. As soon as he took me through it I felt better, not physically but mentally. I felt like a plan had been set in place and that I was more in control. Because the truth is I feel better when I exercise, and I make better food choices, and I’m nicer. 😉 

In these times, there are things we cannot control and there are things that we can. Now is the time to focus on the things you can control. The key is to pivot your mind into finding solutions for the changes that are disruptive and finding a new way.

Wishing you Well,

Dr. Purcell
(Catch up on my daily COVID-19 posts HERE)

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