At the time of writing, we are just two weeks into lockdown and I, like many of you, am getting pretty bored. The initial excitement and motivation to clear out, tick off to-do lists and get on top of everything has faded away. But one thing that is still permitted, that we should try to keep up with, is our one piece of outdoor exercise, which is vital to our physical and mental wellbeing in this strange and lonely time. It is extremely hard to stay motivated to keep fit when our summer plans to look forward to have been cancelled or are up in the air, so here are my top five tips on how to maintain a basic fitness regime.
1. Optimise your outdoor time
Since we are only allowed one piece of outdoor exercise a day, try to make the best use of it you can. In the morning, check the weather forecast and aim to go out in the weather that best suits you – if you’re going for a run, the cooler mornings and evenings are best, if it’s just a stroll, maybe aim for the warmer parts of the day. I’m lucky enough to be at home with my family, so I try to check in with them in the mornings to see when my parents, who are working from home, might be free to come out for a walk with me. Exercising with company is always a great way to keep motivated and entertained.
2. Start slow
If you don’t normally exercise a lot, then it probably isn’t the best idea to jump straight into a high intensity routine, especially since a lot of us have become hermits in the past couple of weeks! Start gently – when you wake up try some dynamic stretches, as just getting your body moving in this way will make you feel better instantly. Working up from 5 minutes of stretching, maybe try a beginner’s yoga routine to test your flexibility and get your muscles working – it may not be as sweaty as cardio, but you can get an equally effective workout from a yoga routine.
3. Exercise indoors
If running and walking aren’t much your thing, try an indoor exercise. There’s plenty to choose from, with thousands of fitness videos, articles and routines online for you to try. I personally am a big fan of Joe Wicks. He rose to fame in 2016 for his ‘Lean in 15’ series which saw him on national television and becoming a favourite for Britain’s Mums. He’s been in the news recently as he became the nation’s PE teacher since schools have been closed: every weekday he live streams a 30 minute exercise video, which are now all accessible from his YouTube channel. I normally go to the gym, so I have been using his HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout videos from home to keep fit. From beginner to intense cardio and ab exercises, just a quick YouTube search will turn up plenty of videos. With a bit of trial and error, you’re sure to find some workouts that work for you.
4. Switch it up
If you find you are losing motivation with one kind of exercise, don’t be afraid to mix it up. Try an upper body workout using tin cans of food as weights, do a 10 minute ab workout or go for a bike ride. By mixing up your exercises, you wont get bored of doing the same thing each day, and you can create a routine of alternating different things, for example:
Monday 30 minute Yoga
Tuesday 20 minute HIIT workout
Wednesday 2 mile run
Thursday REST
Friday 15 minute upper body
Saturday 15 minute lower body
Sunday REST
5. Don’t beat yourself up
Last but by no means least, be kind to yourself. If you haven’t been exercising, don’t fret, you can start whenever you like. Don’t feel guilty if you have an extra rest day, or some days you just don’t feel up to it. Listen to your body and do what works for you, whether it’s one run a week or a HIIT workout every day.
Stay safe and healthy!
This article is part of our themed week on ways to cope with social distancing and isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. We send our HC love to all of our readers and contributors!