As a new year begins, we are all feeling the weight of 2020. And I’m not just talking about the psychological weight, but the actual physical weight bulging around our middles. While there is no denying the emotional and mental toll this past year has had on us all, there’s also been a noticeable change in our physiques. In short, 2020 was the year we all got fatter. Let’s not mince words here.

Of course, sitting in lockdown – with nowhere to go and nothing to do – is largely to blame for our weight gain. Comfort food was needed. Sweet treats to soothe the soul became a daily essential. The world was in turmoil, but at least we could eat ourselves happy… albeit momentarily.

However, after a year of sitting at home and perpetually eating, it seems those calories have been at it again. You know, those tiny creatures that live in your closet and sew your clothes a bit tighter each night. And, boy, have they been busy! They have virtually resized my entire wardrobe to the point where it’s hard to find anything that fits anymore. And that’s when I decided that the infestation of those pesky little calories in my closet had to stop. I needed a New Year’s resolution!

Now, I don’t generally do New Year’s resolutions. They are nice in theory, but a little more challenging to implement in practice. So I prefer to set goals and achieve them without the pressure of labelling them as ‘New Year’s resolutions’. But desperate times call for desperate measures… and I found myself at the gym in the first week of January.

Going to the gym is a little different these days. There are temperature checks, face masks and a lot of disinfectant. In short, the process is a lot more painful – and it used to be an effort just to go to gym. Now you not only have to physically exercise, but you also have to disinfect the equipment, maintain your distance from all the other gym bunnies and do all this while feeling like Darth Vader. Breathe in. Breathe out. Yes, there is a face under there somewhere.

I think that breathing is probably the biggest challenge when going to gym now. It doesn’t matter what you do, it never feels like you can get enough air if you are exercising with a mask on your face. However, according to law, you may only remove your face mask when you are doing strenuous exercise. And, according to the gym, strenuous exercise only counts as cardio. So I guess all the weightlifters out there are clearly doing something wrong, because lifting weights doesn’t fall into the ‘strenuous exercise’ category and they shouldn’t be quite so out of breath. The jig is up, muscle mortals. Weightlifting is easy!

But, hey, there’s a pandemic and we gotta do what we’ve got to do. Either I have to live with those calories in my closet or I have to suit up – complete with mask and towel in tow – and join all the other superheroes at the gym. On the bright side, at least now you don’t have to worry about how you look anymore, because no one can see you. And you get a free sauna session along with your exercise routine, so there’s a double bonus.

As we embark on a new year, don’t let the weight of 2020 get you down. You can beat the bulge, kick those calories and feel fit again. And, if all else fails, at least you can say that you know what it feels like to run around in spandex with gloves and a mask.

© 2021 Audrey Whyte   All Rights Reserved