Here we are, 18 months into the pandemic. At this point, you may be asking yourself: “how do I stop being a couch potato and actually start exercising?” For most, the commute from couch to fridge may be a hassle already. Or maybe sitting in front of a computer has you realizing “wow, I’ve been sitting for 8 hours straight, maybe I need to get up and move a little?” If you’re asking yourselves these questions, then here’s a quick guide on stepping back into a healthy, active routine.
Q: How do I get back into routine post-pandemic?
The key part to understand is, being in a pandemic, normalcy isn’t a part of our daily lives. We all are trying to adapt and figure out how to navigate through this pandemic, so don’t be too hard on yourself. With that being said, being aware that you need to exercise is a great start.
So with that, here are some easy things to start out with:
- If you’re working from home, try scheduling walk breaks – it could be 5 minutes or it could be 15 minutes; the goal here is to start moving in general.
- Step counters are really beneficial because they not only track your steps but they can hold you accountable to hit a specific number of steps in one day; a great starting point is 10k in steps per day and work your way up from there.
Q: How do I ensure that I stay injury-free when starting back up my workouts?
In addition to taking it slow and easing into an exercise routine, a key points on avoiding injury is to warm up your joints and muscle prior to any movement. This helps increase fluidity in your targeted muscle group, plus warming up can help you ease into the workout as well.
Below is an example of a warm-up:
- Warm-up routine for lower body workout:
- Hip circles 10 reps each leg
- Forward swing 10 reps each leg
- Side swing 10 reps each leg
- Hold low squats – 20 seconds
Key things to keep in mind:
- Maintain correct form; if it is compromised, rest, then get into the exercise.
- Exhale on the contraction part of the exercise.
If you find your joints are hurting during specific movements, for instance: pain in your wrists when you do push-ups. A great supplement to try is Joint Relief™, as it contains an ingredient called eggshell membrane that can naturally relieve joint pain in 5 days!
3) What is the best protein powder for me/ when is the best time to drink protein?
There are two common forms of protein powder in the market right now: plant-based (pea protein, pumpkin seed protein, brown rice protein, etc.) and whey protein. It really depends on what your goals are and what preferences you have from a taste perspective. Typically you want to aim for protein content within 20g per serving and ideally in lower fat/carbohydrate content.
The best time to take protein is anytime! View protein powder as a food product in which you need to increase your overall protein intake during the day. It can be tough to get an adequate amount of protein from whole food sources, so from a convenience perspective protein powder can come in handy.
The Whey Protein plus Essentials™ is a product that contains vitamins, minerals and probiotics to not only assist in building lean muscle but provides essential nutrients that could commonly be deficient in a typical diet.
