Open Doors: Fighting the COVID Slump
It’s all my friends are talking about — women and men. This “work-from-home, school-from-home, record-breaking heat wave” situation has us DOWN, and we’re over it. Yes, we were over it in May, but now we’re really over it. Our mental well-being is at stake. But lately, I’ve heard more and more about some of my friends committing to new workout regimens and reaching some major fitness goals. This has inspired me to lay some out as well, but more on that later.
What are your options? Well, there’s a certain local lifestyle icon and blogger who has become a ray of sunshine for many at 9:10 a.m. every morning on Facebook. Her name is Julie Xander, aka Lifestyle Jules. She started offering online workouts twice a week four years ago after hearing the plethora of excuses for why people couldn’t get to an in-person class (needing a babysitter, running late from work, the kids’ homework, etc.). She took the excuses away by providing the ability to do a workout from home.
When COVID hit, Xander increased the schedule to six days a week and a variety of offerings:
- Monday | Ballet Bootcamp
- Tuesday | Tabata (Yes, I need to look this one up, too!)
- Wednesday | Core and Mash-Up (Strength, High-Intensity Intervals and Mind/Body Exercises)
- Thursday | Mash-Up
- Friday | Weights and Yoga
- Saturday | Kickboxing
- Sunday | Day Off
She’s assured me that these workouts are designed for all levels, and you can modify the amount of weight you use. Plus, no one can see you, so you can do your best if you’re starting from scratch. The bonus? No peer pressure! Her #1 tip for anyone who has not exercised during the pandemic (or even before that)? “WORK OUT! It helps with everything! The endorphins give you energy, make you happy and give you a feeling of accomplishment in addition to keeping weight off and burning off anxiety.”
Interested? Check out @LifestyleJules on Facebook. Membership to join the group is $5.99 per month or $60 per year. And no more worrying if the gym is open or safe.
Maybe we can dust off the Nikes together? Ballet Bootcamp sounds like something I can get into!
Hang in there, everyone,
