Why You Need to Put on Your Webcam During Fitness Class.

Voice from a student of a fitness class

Like many of you, COVID-19 threw me for a loop. I went from commuting to work, to walking a few steps to my laptop and working from home. This schedule works great for an introvert like myself, but was not so great for my health. Five weeks into my state’s stay-at-home order, I was already 12lbs heavier. Staying at home had made me completely sedentary, and with all the stress, I began eating more and more. For my morning routine I would watch fitness classes on Facebook, but it was just that, watching. I’d sit on my couch with some bacon and eggs, and watch the instructor exercise. Then those classes moved to Zoom. I logged on and saw the instructor on screen, as I had on Facebook, but this time I could see everyone else in the class as well. People were joining in from all over the country; all different nationalities, ages, shapes, and sizes. I was relieved to see that I wasn’t the only one who wanted to lose some weight. The instructor was nice as always, but through Zoom I noticed she was more attentive and focused on us. She encouraged us to turn on our webcams and even offered a mini personal training session to sweeten the plea. I was too shy to turn on my webcam, but I’m not sure why--maybe I felt embarrassed that others would judge me. Either way, I kept my webcam off and opted for a mini personal training session. I thought, what do I have to lose? I was nervous at first to discuss my wellness journey with her. She started with broad questions and made me feel at ease. She was able to get my guard down and have engaging conversations about my goals. I discovered that my goals went way beyond just losing weight, I wanted to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Soon enough, I was showing her before and after pictures of my body and my clothing sizes, something I’d never thought I’d show anyone else. Slowly but surely, I was gaining the confidence to turn on my webcam during the group sessions. At first it was only at the end to say goodbye, then it was only for the first half of class before things got too sweaty. In only a few days, though, I was able to keep my webcam on the entire time. I talked with my peers, exchanged tips and laughed at our shared struggles. I even spoke up to ask for corrections and advice from the instructor. I never realized how crucial the webcam was to my workouts. It not only allowed for advice from the instructor, but it also held me accountable. The days of sitting on the couch with a plate of food were long gone. It finally clicked that nobody else in the class was judging me, we’re all too focused on bettering ourselves. I’ve lost 6lbs so far, which might not be a lot, but it’s a great start; plus I have more energy, I sleep better and I feel great. Weekly fitness classes are a big part of my weightloss journey because they encourage me to keep going. If you think you can get the same results out of a pre-recorded fitness video, you’d be wrong. Developing a good relationship with your trainer and interacting during the Zoom classes makes a world of a difference. I encourage you to take this time during COVID-19 to better yourself by not only joining a Zoom fitness class, but turning your webcam on. Author: The author was not ready to make public an image of herself or her name. She is doing the class faithfully and has no plan of stopping. She also promises to update everyone on her progress. Stay tune.