For everyone and for many reasons, the pandemic hit hard and was extremely difficult. Despite the challenging times, we all had to come up with ways to stay positive and constructive. Here in Ontario, the gyms were closed for over a year and a half, and we recently went back into another lockdown. During this time, I had to come up with ways to stay active so I could avoid that quarantine 15!

Work with what you have. When the pandemic was at its peak, it seemed like every fitness store was out of stock of even the basic equipment. Such times are where creativity has to come to mind. Tip: grab things, objects around the house, and even small kids for added resistance. If you live in a building complex, use the stairs as the ultimate stair-master workout. If you live in a housing complex, head over to the nearest park and walk, jog, or run some hills. You don’t need a lot of equipment to get the blood flowing and even a good sweat on! Even isometric and eccentric holds can make all the difference and get you sweating in no time.

- Movement is medicine. Your fitness routine doesn’t have to be vigorous. Whether you are new or advanced in fitness,mobility and corrective exercise will do wonders for your overall health. Start by stretching daily. Consider hiring a professional to help you identify more postural imbalancesyou may have and start by correcting them through simplemovements of exploring our ranges of motions and mobility.

- Get outside your comfort zone. For your body to change, you have to apply the appropriate stressors. Switching your workout up once in a while will help your body avoidhitting a plateau and adapting to the same routine. Tip: Pick a different style of workout that will challenge you. You can also switch up your variables such as the intensity, reps, and sets. You can also try different types of training stylesor purchase a one-day pass for a class of yoga, boxing, or Pilates. Many gyms, in person or virtually, offer 1 to 7 days of free class passes.

- Discover a new physical hobby. During quarantine, we all had a lot more time on our hands to do some things we either had put on hold or never had the time for, and hopefully you picked up a hobby that has physical benefits. If not, no need to worry: here are some ideas. Sometimes the smallest daily movements can make a big impact and keep us from falling into a rut. In addition, think about some hobbies where you are maintaining some type of low-impact physical activity and that will help you get your steps and other movements in without even thinking about it.

‍