For many of us, spending the last year in various lockdowns has taken some sort of toll on us and exercising is the last thing on our minds. Parks, gyms, fitness classes and sports facilities have all been shut down at some point or another and we’ve all been left to our own devices to use our own initiative to keep fit.
However, being in the middle of a “pandemic” is not a reason to let ourselves go, especially since this has been going on since March 2020! We know how to protect ourselves and there is no excuse to allow yourself to deteriorate!
Now is the best time to get a fitness plan in order!
To put things into perspective, here are just a few of the benefits of physical activity:
- Maintaining muscular strength and bone health
- Higher energy levels
- Reduced risk of chronic disease
- Improves mood
- Better sleep
- Lower blood pressure
- Lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease
- Improves brain function
Since we are not moving nearly as much as we used to with the school run and daily commute out of the window with the on and off isolation it is important during lockdown to find ways to maintain our activity.
For many of us, our normal routine included walking around work and maybe even taking the children to the park after school. We need to find a way to replace those activities in a safe and sustainable way.
Now I know you have the urge to curl up on the sofa and literally become a potato, but this is the last thing future you would want you to do. Try finding ways to create a sustainable workout schedule that maybe even the kids can take part in too especially with the school holidays looming!
Why not set up a home gym, find a fitness app or YouTube workout guru that works for you and get the kids involved!
How to get started:
For many of us, our day is moving from the desk, to the kitchen, to the bathroom, to the sofa then to the bed. Am I right? It can seem a little overwhelming when trying to get back into some sort of routine – so here are a few tips to help you:
Start slow
If you have been out of the game for a while now, set small goals and build up your stamina and fitness over time. Before, you might have been able to do 45 minutes of intense cardio. But now you can only manage 10. And that’s okay. Remember, we are all having to go back to the basics.
Partake in fun activities
What do you deem as fun? Find out what you enjoy and build your workout around that. Love to dance? Why not try a dancing class on YouTube? Kids love Twister? Join in with them.
Break up your workout
Feeling overwhelmed? That’s completely normal. Why not try breaking up your workout into 10 minutes in the morning, 10 minutes in the afternoon and 10 minutes in the evening? Setting small goals throughout the day is easier to complete than trying to complete a one-hour workout after months of hardly any exercise.
Try something new
Why not try something new? Whether it’s belly dancing or step dancing, you’re at home and no one is watching! Master these steps now and then when the gyms are open, you’ll be the pro in the room with the amazing body!
Now that you know how to get back into the swing of things, try and maintain your exercise routine. This will help you keep your health and fitness on track!
