Friday, 29th March 2024
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Staying At Home? How To Use Social Media To Stay Fit

Millions of Nigerians are now using popular social media platforms to self-start their own physical fitness journeys without paying eye-watering fees for personal fitness trainers. The importance of staying fit cannot be overemphasized. Regular exercise and physical activity promotes strong muscles and bones, improves respiratory, cardiovascular health, and one's overall health. Before the coronavirus pandemic,…

Exercise at home. Photo: Shutterstock

Millions of Nigerians are now using popular social media platforms to self-start their own physical fitness journeys without paying eye-watering fees for personal fitness trainers.

The importance of staying fit cannot be overemphasized. Regular exercise and physical activity promotes strong muscles and bones, improves respiratory, cardiovascular health, and one’s overall health.

Before the coronavirus pandemic, Tolu, an investment analyst living in Ikoyi, would wake up at 5:15 am to meet with her high-flying fitness trainer. For the 25-year-old, exercising before work had become a ritual that she needed for a boost in cognitive function and mood, asides the obvious physical benefits.

Tolu admitted that daily exercises are so important that when she has to travel for work, she prioritizes hotels based on the quality of their fitness center, or proximity to a quality fitness center.

That, however, changed when the pandemic hit and had millions of people stuck at home during the lock-down. After gaining weight from going for weeks without working out, Tolu resorted to social media to Instagram and YouTube for inspiration and guidance on how to self-start her fitness journey without the presence of a personal fitness trainer.

According to her, seeing the video of a plus size woman demonstrating an equipment-free high interval intensity (known as HIIT) workout was the motivation that kick-started her own personal physical fitness journey.

As a result of staying at home due to the pandemic, many like Tolu are discovering free resource guide for at-home friendly workout videos on platforms such as Instagram and Tik-Tok. One of such is Melanin Fitspiration, an Instagram page that posts multiple at-home friendly workouts that require little to no exercising equipment.

Tolu, who once paid nearly N2.5m per annum to her former personal fitness trainer, says she now relies on Melanin Fitspiration for much needed exercise inspiration and direction.

There is a massive appetite for health and wellness on the African continent, and social media has now made it more accessible.

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