Living in this pandemic has made it hard for me to work out regularly even though I know it’s best to stay active. It seems like we have time to do more things now, but I’m still working from home 5 days a week and have to wake up earlier to squeeze in that time. A lot of what stops me is the fact that I’m often really hungry when I wake up. And I can’t do a hard workout when I’m hungry. But I realized that there is always something you can do to get some physical activity in your day. Even a 30-minute walk or yoga session counts!
When it comes to exercising I definitely have to push myself to do it. I need some kind of external motivation or someone to tell me to keep going. The hardest part about maintaining a routine is starting it up again after taking a break. Once you stop working out, you lose some of your progress and strength so when you get it going again you feel weak and start thinking “Wow, this was so easy before, why can’t I do it now?” But you can’t listen to those inner thoughts and let them discourage you from keeping up your workouts, because the only way to get stronger and healthier is by pushing through and doing the exercises consistently.
After being diagnosed with lupus and experiencing intense flare-ups, I definitely found it difficult to do regular exercises since even normal movements caused me pain and tightness in my muscles and joints. So for the most part, I let myself rest when I needed it and tried not to worry about how my body was changing over the past couple years. My thighs are a little thicker now, stomach a little softer, and arms a little bit jigglier. And quarantine hasn’t helped. I know I’m not the only one right now to be gaining some weight lately, but since this lifestyle isn’t about to change anytime soon we’re going to have to get back into taking care of ourselves as best as we can. I believe in going at your own pace and knowing your body, so you shouldn’t feel pressured into doing something really intense right away.
These are some of the free at-home workouts that I like to do when I can. They are low-impact to protect my joints, but push me enough to where I am still able to get a good sweat session in and feel the results.
This first video is great for cardio and getting your heart-rate up which helps burn fat. What I love about Popsugar workouts is that they always show modifications for those who may be new to these moves or just need to go a little easier based on their personal needs (injuries, pregancy, muscular imbalances, etc.).
Jake Dupree is my favorite trainer of all the ones featured on Popsugar because he makes the workouts so much fun! His commentary is hilarious and he definitely pushes you though. These exercises are no joke but you will see results so they are very worth it.
Lisa Corsello is the creator of Burn SF and the instructor you see below. Her workout video was one of my first I ever exercised through on Popsugar Fitness. A lot of the moves seem easy and simple but they aren’t after repeating them over and over. You’ll definitely feel the burn but it will lead to progress! A favorite thing I like about her videos is that she is considerate of moms and includes modifications for them. You can see Anna (on the left) is pregnant and is still able to do this workout.
This next video features trainer Ranier Pollard whose energy is always infectious. He usually does HIIT tabata workouts or strength training focused ones. I used to love HIIT workouts before I got lupus because they were so effective but now it hurts my joints to them so I stick to his strength training videos. It’s important for those with lupus and/or arthritis to incorporate some strength training exercises because it helps to prevent joint damage and overall weakening. The best thing about training with weights is that you can control the intensity according to your ability. If you start working out and feel it’s too much to lift five pounds, it’s totally fine. You can just do three. And on the other hand, if you’re feeling good and want to go heavier that’s always an option too!
These are just some examples of the type of workouts you can do at home. I find these easy to follow and you can quickly make adjustments if necessary. Let’s say your shoulders are a bit tender but your legs are good today. You can focus more on the lower body and still get your blood flowing. It’s all up to you and what your body needs right now.
What do you think? Will you give any of these a try? Let me know how it goes if you do and if you have any favorite go-to workouts!
