Expert offers alternatives to cope with COVID-19 stress as B.C. gym closures loom

With the closure of gyms in B.C., one expert says it’s important to find other ways to take care of our mental and physical health — particularly as stress and uncertainty mount alongside rising COVID-19 case counts.

The latest round of restrictions, announced Tuesday, includes a complete shutdown of fitness centres until at least Jan. 18. The measures come as gatherings and events are being called off, and highly-anticipated holiday plans are cancelled.

Dr. Eli Puterman is an Associate professor of Kinesiology at UBC. He says exercise has been an important way of coping through the pandemic.

“I think it’s hitting a lot of people really, really hard and people are feeling really tired of this pandemic, and the pandemic has already taken a mental health toll on a lot of people. Depression has increased, anxiety has increased across the globe,” he says.

“I think we have to acknowledge how hard it is, and then we have to start looking towards other ways to keep ourselves occupied.”

Bad news for any fitness related resolutions you might've had – gyms shut down in BC. But one expert says there are still plenty of ways to stay active these coming weeks. @eliputerman says get outside (even in winter) or use an app/youtube to do workouts at home @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/4xahrYLvCU

— Tarnjit Kaur Parmar (@Tarnjitkparmar) December 22, 2021

Keeping a designated workout time is a good way to start, he says.

“Going to the gym at a certain time during the day gives structure, gives us social interaction, human interaction, space away from home, space away from work. It becomes really hard to think about how do we do that in our own households,” Puterman explains.

“Put it in your calendar as ‘This is a time I am going to move my body and work out.’ It might not be in that space that you’re so familiar with and you love so much, but it’s going to be in a new space that you might discover you love equally as much.”

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Finding space at home, and adapting to a routine that doesn’t include familiar equipment can be challenging — but it can also be an opportunity to discover new activities. Puderman points to a host of apps available to guide people through yoga practices, interval training, and group fitness classes.

“There are many different ways to move your body within the space, within the confines of your own home.”

And while heading outdoors in the winter might be daunting, he says it’s an option worth exploring, particularly for people who live in small spaces.

“It is cold out but there’s also many, many schools that are currently closed during the wintertime and you can go into the school playgrounds. There are always sheltered spots, there are spots that are covered,” he says.

“It’s gonna be a bit more work. But then you’re still able to move your body in those spaces with the right type of clothing.”

For those who crave social connection, Puderman says meeting up with a few people outdoors is a good option.

“Come up with a plan together, come up with ideas for what to do together over the next four weeks to keep yourself motivated,” he says.

“We’re all experiencing this together. So we need to reach out to other people and talk about it.”

The last time gyms were closed was in the spring of 2020. Since reopening, there have been a range of safety protocols in place from capacity limits, to the requirement for customers to show the province’s vaccine card.