By Catherine Michelle
Have you been feeling anxious lately? Same. From COVID anxiety, plus add on the verge of seasonal depression, my mind and body are exhausted, and I’ve found myself in a never-ending loop of blah. Unable to get out of bed some mornings, not being able to concentrate and get any work done, or writing, I knew I needed a change. I needed something to add a little color into my life to break up all the grey.
A pet peeve of mine is when you are expressing yourself and lack gusto and someone recommends working out. To someone in a cloudy space, working out for 15 minutes might as well be climbing Mount Everest. It just feels too hard. But there is science behind exercising and how it can help combat depression and anxiety. It boosts your body's endorphins, gets your blood flowing, and can help to give you added confidence because if our bodies feel good, we feel good, or at least that’s the hope.
So, after trying some Pamela Reif videos on YouTube (and by try, I mean I googled, watched, and didn’t work out) I knew I was in trouble. Not even a 15-minute beginning workout could get me off the couch and move my body. But then I learned about 1 Wrkout, a fitness program created by Nick Hounslow, celebrity trainer, model, and actor.
I had the distinct opportunity to speak and interview Nick Hounslow, and we talked all about fitness, food, and self-confidence. A conversation I was sure would last 20 minutes roll into an hour. (Maybe I was just so hungry for human connection after being confined to my house the last 8 months, but we connected on our mutual love of Reese’s and salt and vinegar chips.) I hadn’t worked out for likely 3 or so months at the time of my conversation with him and by the end, he had challenged me to try 1wrkout, 3x a week for a month. I felt inspired and supported, seen, and not judged by Nick and for that, I am forever grateful.
1wrkout is a program that he created at the beginning of COVID to help keep people at home around the world moving. The workout is only 30 minutes long and done via Zoom focusing on slow repetitions of an exercise. Each day highlights a specific area to hit momentary muscle failure. So, instead of doing 30 push-ups, we would do 6 very slowly to the sound of a soothing metronome. No running, no blasting music, just calm slow repetitions that will have you shaking and your body burning the next day. Being a part of a zoom class helped to keep me accountable to not stop the workout mid-way, but before you know it the class is over, and you finished your workout! By the third class, I was recognizing familiar faces and would smile and wave to them good morning.
I felt like I found a community created by Nick that I was supported in and that I was supporting others. I wasn’t working out for my body; I was working out for my mind and slowly my depression clouds started to clear. If you are struggling right now and can relate to anything I said above, I highly recommend you trying a 1wrkout class. You can join the zoom class and leave your camera turned off and just listen if you want, close your eyes and breath to the metronome, or join in and follow the workout but once you join the class you will feel the community and love that no YouTube workout video could offer. Thank you so much Nick Hounslow for being so kind to me and creating a workout program that offered me support and a community in a time of so much loneliness and isolation. The bonus is that my body got stronger and more toned!
Try 1Wrkout now with the goal of 2 classes a week to start, and remember to breathe. Hopefully, I will see you in the zoom class as we work together towards building a stronger us.
Catherine Michelle is the Contributing Editor at Large and Lead Writer for New Face Fashion Magazine and Dreamlette Magazine who focuses on exclusive interviews, reviews, makeup, fashion and more! Follow her on Instagram @chats.with.cat