When the pandemic first began and fitness centres shut down, everyone started getting more into exercise by going for walks, doing yoga, or at-home workouts. I decided to jump on the bandwagon and try different types of exercising. After a week of running down the trail looking like a spaghetti noodle, I realized I’m going to need to do some research for myself on how to exercise correctly. That is when I came across the Instagram page of Tara Sutherland, a Certified Personal Trainer.
Tara is a fourth-year Kinesiology student at Acadia University, a personal trainer for the last two years and has a weekly podcast show called “Isolation Information” where she and others talk about how to stay healthy while insolation. Always living an active lifestyle herself, she strives to promote healthy living for others by offering her help. She didn’t even think twice when I asked her if she was willing to answer a few questions to help give tips to help people who are just starting to work out and maybe a little confused.
What is the most common mistake people make working out at home without proper knowledge?
People expect to see results within two days and when they don’t, they give up and claim that exercising doesn’t work for them so then they start looking for these pills and drinks you can get that say ‘lose fat in 21 days’ but those are damaging to your body. I promise you, exercising works for everyone, you just have to find the right routine for your body.
What are some easy fitness workouts for someone who hates running, etc?
Exercise cannot be solely subject to one thing. There are so many different types of exercise, not just exercise but physical activity, simply moving. So if you hate exercise, incorporate it into your daily life. For example, squat down to pick something up instead of bending over, make extra trips up and down your stairs, reduce your stationary time by getting a standing desk. If not that, pick up a new hobby involving movement that makes it fun like Zumba. There are plenty of following along with videos on YouTube.
What should you eat before a workout?
If you do eat before you work out, eat an hour prior. Make sure to eat foods that will fuel you. Bananas are good because they have a lot of potassium. Eat whole foods like peanut butter and honey on toast or yogurt, fruit and granola. Not something that will sit in your stomach and slow you down like a burger or fast food.
What should you eat after a workout?
Again, you need something to fuel your body but also fuel your recovery. You want something with high protein content. Nuts and seeds are good protein snacks, along with chicken and you could toss some in a salad. Remember not all bodies are the same, some may take more food to refuel so just be in intune with your body. These are only some ideas for after meals. At the end of the day, everything’s individual to yourself. You know what makes your body feel good. You have to understand what it is telling you.
What is something to do first thing in the morning to get your muscles moving?
I recommend waking up ten minutes early each day to be able to stretch, you will feel less tense throughout the day. You can activate your core muscles by doing one-minute planks. Jumping jacks are a good one to get the blood flowing too.
What advice do you give for people wanting to start working out but are nervous?
Start by walking. Go for a walk every day. Start with a 10-minute walk than 20 minutes and as you get more confidant, you can start by incorporating lunges while you walk, sprints, and carrying two to five-pound weights. Try to bring a friend along who is motivating.
What got you into fitness?
I wasn’t feeling the best about myself and my friend offered me a two-week free membership they had that was expiring soon so I thought heck, why not. I ended up going every day whether it was just doing something small like jogging the treadmill for 30 minutes then leaving, but I just loved the adrenaline I got from it. Sorta like dopamine for me.
