By: Charlene Aviles, The Peak Associate

Since BC went into lockdown, my local neighbourhood gym has remained closed. Without a backyard or exercise equipment at home, I had to become more creative with my workouts.

I used my home’s staircase to incorporate cardio into my routine. I also follow High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout videos. Because these videos include short but frequent breaks, I am more likely to complete these routines over longer workouts with fewer breaks.

During the transition to remote learning, I realized there are fewer boundaries between my work, school, and home environments. With the boundary blurred, I needed to strive for a balance to avoid burnout and maintain productivity. My fitness routine has also helped me cope with my transfer to SFU by relieving stress. 

Whenever I had physical education classes in secondary school, there was often a range of  fitness goals and levels of physical fitness. For beginners such as myself, it was quite intimidating and physically overwhelming trying to keep up with experienced peers. Now that I am working out at home, I can customize my routine and exercise at my own pace.

Exercise has not only helped me become healthier, it’s also encouraged other members of my family to become physically active as well. My doctor recommended I continue working out throughout the pandemic, so I began going for walks with my grandmother and mother. Now that I have two workout buddies, we keep each other accountable, encouraging each other to stay committed to our fitness goals.