After spending these past few weeks in quarantine, I have come to realize exactly how easy it is to get bored of the same routine every day. Most people wake up, eat, do homework and then give in to some random hobby.

However, I have noticed that more of my peers on social media have been waking up and going into their backyards to do push-ups, sit-ups and more.

Exercising has turned into a major part of many people’s days since we have been on “lock down” in the United States. It is almost as if people have gotten so bored that they are exercising just to entertain themselves.

For me, working out and staying fit is my love language.

I have been involved in track and field since I was a kid, and love going outside. I exercise when I am happy, sad or bored.

I believe I got it from my dad, who was very active in his youth. From him, I learned that playing outside and staying healthy should be a part of everyone’s day and a primary goal.

This pandemic has opened a lot of people’s eyes to see how important meditating and exercising outside really is.

My friends and I work out together in front of my apartment doing simple things.

I do majority circuits with 50 seconds of each set and four different sets about four times each. I make sure I try to focus on a specific part of the body for that morning.

If I did mainly calves one day, then I will try to focus on biceps the next day, and vice versa.

My goal, however, is slightly different from people because I would like to gain weight instead of losing it and tone up my body. I have been eating a lot of healthy carbs and fruits, but I added bigger meals in my day. Instead of five small meals a day, I will eat three big meals compacted with all the protein and carbohydrates for each.

I see more people have also started eating healthier and cooking at home to coincide with their workouts.

Students have been posting their new meal discoveries and fitness plans every morning, as well as recording themselves exercising.

I also know trainers that have been making videos at home for their customers and charging them to send the videos.

I think all of this is great, and I love seeing people get fit and take care of their bodies, but I do hate that it’s all happening due to being forced to stay home. I just wish people would have wanted to get fit before COVID-19 because after it all clears up and we are allowed to go back out in public, are people going to go to the gyms more?

Exercising should be a constant habit in order to stay fit, and eating healthy should be a lifestyle choice, not a random spur-of-the-moment decision. It is okay to cheat here and there, but I just want everyone to stay consistent.

Although the pandemic has had a lot of negative impacts, seeing all my followers working out and running in their neighborhoods has been a very positive effect of this horrible situation and should be celebrated.