Esther Lee Discussion Response #1-3

Question #1. What are some great ways to be active?
There are many great ways to be active. Some of them are very simple! One great way to stay active is to walk. Walking not only helps individuals maintain a healthy weight. It helps with blood flow, alleviates stress on joints, and helps with depression and anxiety. Another way to be active includes doing yoga to center the mind and body. Yoga is very therapeutic and can range from mild to intense.

Question #2. How do you maintain an active lifestyle when you have so many other demands on your time?
It has been so hard to maintain an active lifestyle during the pandemic. I went from dancing 15+ hours a week to less than 6. Transitioning from dancing in a large NYC studio to my bedroom was challenging. It also forced me to find different ways of staying active. For instance, instead of dancing every weekday, I would dance 2x per week and walk/jog 3x per week. Then the next week, I would do the opposite: dance 3x per week and walk/jog 2x a week. I discovered that overestimating and overdoing my workouts did not benefit me in the long run. For instance, I would do an intense ballet barre followed by a HIIT workout for 20 mins. This led me to being extremely sore the next morning and losing the motivation to move for the rest of the week. That is why it is extremely important to pace oneself. The days that I dance are not all high intensity workouts. Some days I would learn choreography or improv instead of doing a ballet barre. It is important to pace yourself and switch up the routines so dancing in your room does not get boring. Lastly, it is perfectly acceptable to have “skip” days when you do want to do anything. It is crucial to be gentle on yourself and listen to your body so it can recharge. All in all, a small amount of physical activity throughout the week beats none at all. This is how I have been maintaining an active lifestyle when I have so many other demands on my time.

Question #3. How do you find a balance between all of the things you are supposed to do to stay healthy?
The reality is that I have many days when I do not want to do all of the above, including school work, physical activities, and eating healthy. However, I do my best to find a balance between all of the things I am supposed to do to stay healthy. The main way I do this is by journaling. I write down a short list of what I want to do for the day and week. For my activity log, I jot down brief notes of what I should work on in terms of my dancing. I would write down the type of exercise I did and for how many minutes. I also describe notes I have for myself and for things to improve on (balance or core strength). Another way I find the balance is by again, not over doing my activities. To ensure a sustainable week or month of physical activity, I pace myself so I do not get overwhelmed with soreness after the first 1-2 days. Being active is crucial because it releases endorphins that benefit your mood and stress levels. It feels liberating to dance or go out for a nature walk. And staying active benefits my teaching so that I have more energy to give to my students.