Personal trainer and healthy living expert Paulius told Bored Panda that even though weight is an important factor in our health, it's not the entire story. The focus should be on overcoming harmful diet and movement-related habits and learning to find what types of movement we enjoy, all the while allowing our bodies to adapt. We shouldn't force ourselves to do something we're not comfortable with. "Our bodies can deal with everything by themselves under the right conditions. However, if you want a point of reference, you can get a body composition analysis done which is a cheap option (though it can have some issues with accuracy)."

According to Paulius, learning to love ourselves walks hand-in-hand with noticing what kind of flaws in our thinking dominate our lives. "I can tell you from my professional experience that one of the most common problems is having an 'all-or-nothing' mindset. These people tend to either exercise a lot without taking any breaks or they don't exercise at all," he told Bored Panda.

"This kind of mindset paves the way to letting yourself down and burning out because we think, 'What do you mean I couldn't do it?! Why could others? I obviously need to try harder.' Once you get rid of this point of view, your confidence in our abilities will slowly but surely grow, you'll feel less stress, and that will automatically lead to you loving your own body more."

The idea that not all pounds/kilograms are equal follows the same logic as nutrition: not all calories are made equal. After all, the nutrition you gain from eating lean meat, freshly caught fish, and an assortment of colorful veggies will be vastly different than if you munch on M&Ms while chugging soda and cups of syrupy coffee for breakfast. (Not judging anyone, by the way, a lot of us have been there.)

And with the Covid-19 lockdowns still tying us up mostly at home, taking care of our physical and mental health really should be a priority. Easier said than done? Of course! But when it comes to our fitness, every challenge is an opportunity to lead a better, more energetic life and to get more in touch with what our bodies need and want.

How much you weigh isn’t the only thing that’s important when it comes to your health, as these photos have probably already convinced you. The context—the lifestyle that you lead, your body composition, how much you move, and what you eat—is vital if you want to make accurate assumptions about whether or not a person is as healthy as they can be or if they need some help in that area of their life.

There’s no shame in admitting that we’re not as active as we could be or that we might need a helping hand to lose some pounds if we’re currently overweight. (Even if it’s our lifestyle that’s important, there is a limit to how much big you can get without being considered overweight or obese. Even if you aren’t obese, if you’re a 150kg strongman or strongwoman, your joints won’t thank you.) The CDC is very clear on this point: obesity worsens the outcomes from Covid-19.

The CDC explains that obesity increases the risk of severe illness from Covid-19, triples the risk of hospitalization due to a novel coronavirus infection, and impairs the function of the immune system.

What’s more, obesity decreases lung capacity and makes ventilation more difficult. The CDC also points out that as one’s BMI increases, their risk of death from Covid also rises. Studies have also indicated that obesity may be linked to lower vaccine responses for diseases like influenza, tetanus, and Hepatitis B.

So what can we do to live in a healthy way that lets us enjoy life to the fullest? Well, as former US Paralympian Josh Sundquist, who lost his leg when he was a child, previously told Bored Panda in an interview, the best workout routine that you can do is one that you can do every single day. Consistency is what you should aim for.

“Personally, my favorite thing is going on long walks. So that's what works for me. But for someone else, it might be swimming or competitive sports or tai chi. Whatever gets you moving," Sundquist told us.

Going on long walks sounds lovely, doesn’t it? While we might think about how much the pace at which we walk is the most important thing, it’s not the only factor that we should focus on. Where we go for walks is just as essential.

In a recent article, The Wall Street Journal highlighted the importance of breathing in fresh air out in nature, out in the woods, away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Being in nature has a therapeutic effect that many have known about for a long time (what the Japanese call ‘forest bathing’), but it’s only recently that more and more scientists are delving into the field.

Research has indicated that spending time in forests reduces inflammation, helps fight chronic diseases, and ramps up our bodies’ production of anti-cancer proteins. “People are deciding whether or not this type of coffee bean or that type is better for you, when there is such an obvious health tool at your disposal. You literally just walk outside. People don’t know,” Jared Hanley, co-founder and CEO of NatureQuant, told the WSJ.

One 2019 study that looked at 20k participants found that spending at least two hours in nature each week leads to better overall health and well-being. The positive effects peak in the 200 to 300 minute per week range. However, being in nature for less than two hours doesn’t appear to have many positive effects.

So, dear Pandas, here’s what you should be taking away from this article. Get moving, eat well, consistently do the exercises that you enjoy immensely, and try to spend as much time in nature (tree-lined streets don’t count) as you can. The exact numbers on the scale don’t matter as much as how you honestly feel being inside your own body every day. Love yourselves as you are, but strive to be better every day.

What do you do to stay fit during the quarantine, dear Readers? Do you think that your physical health has improved during the endless lockdowns or the opposite? What's your definition of a healthy and fit person? Share your thoughts and feelings in the comment section below.