Maintaining fitness during Covid

The pandemic has instilled fear in all of us. It has become extremely important for everyone to stay at home and practice social distancing, something that sportspersons, in particular, find quite difficult. Not going on the field, meeting teammates, and practicing the perfect shot. But while we can’t go out to play, we can maintain our fitness while we are at home. This will not only help us when we get back on the field but also keep us healthy and safe during the pandemic.

While training and practice sessions on the field are out of the question, it is still important for sportspersons to maintain a schedule and exercise. Maintaining regular sleep and exercise keeps your mental state focused and positive. Plan your activities in advance and constantly aim to improve and challenge yourself. Exercise helps in suppressing the cortisol levels and leads to the release of certain hormones like endorphins which make us feel happy and minimizes the likeliness of developing depression, stress, and anxiety.

Another important aspect is nutrition. An imbalance in nutrition can lead to muscle loss and micronutrient deficiencies, causing physical and mental stress. Many athletes are unsure about how to proceed. But, while staying at home they can try and focus on maintaining their muscle mass, preventing additional weight gain, and keeping their immunity up. A healthy, well-balanced diet can help. Maintaining adequate amounts of protein and other nutrients also boost cognitive health.

While maintaining physical health, don’t ignore your mental health. While social distancing is necessary, it does not mean that you cannot reach out to your friends and teammates through phones and video calls. Stay connected with your team and coaches to keep yourself and them motivated and happy. You can also try to organize online training and small competitions with your team to boost your morale.

We are all going through a difficult time and these little changes in our lifestyle can help make this time a little easy. So give these a try and keep yourself happy and positive. Share these with others as well to help them stay healthy and positive during this tough time.