Staying Motivated in Quarantine: A Personal Trainer's Insight

By Justin Tetreault

Personal Trainer at Harvard Recreation

       When the reality of quarantine really set in, I asked myself, “How will I maintain a consistent routine without a gym?” It seems like such a simple question, but it’s one I haven’t had to ask myself in almost a decade. I am a Personal Trainer and I pride myself in my health and wellness, but I am still a human who struggles with momentary lapses of motivation - just like everyone else. How do I combat such a tall task of being stuck at home trying to balance my job, social life, and exercise. This is especially important when I don’t want to work out and I feel lazy. The secret comes from having the proper mind set. More specifically, a strong mind! A strong mind begins with having the confidence in yourself and the belief that you can take on all challenges. A strong mind has the potential to take you places you never thought you could go. A strong mind means being able to believe in yourself and be confident in the decisions you will make - having the confidence to know when to push yourself and when to give yourself a rest day. A strong mind starts from within, which is why I tell myself every morning at breakfast, “I am determined to be a better version of myself after quarantine than I was before quarantine!” 

        With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing most of us to stay home, we no longer have the freedom to go to the gym or even run outside without fear of coming within six feet of someone. Isn’t it interesting how many of us used to stress about motivating ourselves to just get up and go to the gym, rattling off different excuses not to go? Now many of us would do anything to be able to get back into our gym routine, even if that meant waking up before 6am to get there! The once daunting task of entering the gym with uncertainty of what to do with each piece of equipment has shifted to a potentially more daunting task of sorting out our workout routines around our couches, children, roommates, and zoom calls with nothing more than a single set of dumbbells and a resistance band. This new set-up might take a bit of time to get used to, but following the guidelines below, you can be just as successful in your apartment, house, garage, or living room as you were at the MAC or Hemenway.

        As I mentioned above, a strong mind works from within. In order to get moving each day it is helpful to ask yourself some very simple, yet important questions: What motivates me? How am I feeling physically today? How about mentally? What are my short-term goals? What are my long-term goals? What actions do I need to do today to get closer to making my goals a reality?

        Scheduling exercise into your calendar is a great way to remind you to exercise. It can be something you look forward to after sitting through a three hour Zoom meeting. Be sure to set alarms and reminders on your phone to help you make fitness a priority. When it comes to planning your work outs, reference your short and long-term goals. Choose exercises and exercise frequencies that will help you attain those goals. Your goals should also be realistic and reflect what you truly want from your exercise journey. If you believe in yourself and your goals, you stand a much better chance of making them a reality. 

        Now that you have the motivation and the plan, it’s time to get to work! Treat each new day as an opportunity to get better. Try not to worry about the equipment you DO NOT have and instead, focus on the equipment you DO have. If you only have your body weight and a yoga mat, do some research on how to train with body weight exercises. Humans have been fit for centuries, well before gyms and expensive equipment ever came into play. They made the most of what was available, and so should you.

        When it comes to implementing your workout routine, aim for 3-5 days a week for 30-60 minutes. Be sure to choose modes of exercise you know you can commit too. Consistency is key! A well-balanced workout program consists of: mobility, push, pull, legs, core, rotation, anti-rotation, single leg/arm, balance, and cardio. Vary your workouts to hit all of these exercise categories. If you have access to weights, consider yourself lucky and make the most of what you have. Think of your house as more of a home gym, not just a place to eat and sleep. Be creative with areas in your home you can use for exercise. For example, use your couch or a sturdy table for Bulgarian Splits Squats, Step-ups, or Elevated Push-ups. 

        Once you are ready to switch from work mode to workout mode, it’s time to put on your gym clothes, blast your beats, and commit to the full 30-60 minutes! Challenge yourself to push a little harder with each workout. Think about the goals you have set for yourself, and remember at the end of the day, only you can make your goals a reality. 

        Remember that exercise is for your health. It’s important to recognize when you feel burnt out and opt to take a long walk instead of a vigorous run. Aim to be okay with that decision and not let it weigh on you. No matter how hard we train, our body needs to recover. Adequate recovery allows the muscles and joints to recoup and your mind to reset. Even Olympic athletes need rest days and adequate sleep. It is recommended we get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Most of us only get 5-6! 

        A valuable lesson we should all learn from this whole pandemic is that we should be a lot nicer to ourselves. Everyone is taught from a young age to look and act a certain way in order to feel desired and valued. Does that mean if someone has a supposedly "better" body than mine, I am less desirable or less valuable? It’s healthy to aspire to be better, but not at the expense of our own self-worth. Quarantine is temporary. We have a lifetime of happiness just waiting for us if we can set aside the negative mind and be happy in our own skin.

        In conclusion, to stay fit during quarantine without the use of your gym, I recommend that you must have a strong mind, true motivation, realistic and attainable goals, weekly exercise plans that work within your means, and adequate rest and recovery. Be happy in your own skin, and stay positive and confident. Life is a journey and you can get there - one socially distant step at a time!

        If you are having a hard time staying motivated and would like to seek the guidance of one of our Personal Trainers, all of our services are still available via Zoom, FaceTime, Google Hangouts or any other platform you prefer! Click here to learn more.