1) Have a Consistent Daily Morning Ritual:
This is more to do with getting your head in the game than anything else. When your head is in the right place, most of the time positive daily actions will follow. Set yourself up for an inspired, productive day by putting in place a consistent morning routine.
+ Get up at the same time every day. This is important for quality sleep and has been shown to produce a healthier hormonal balance throughout the day.
+ Make your bed. This may seem a little pointless, however it sets the tone for the day, encouraging a positive mindset and should increase productivity as a result.
+ Have a healthy breakfast. Like with most nutritional goals, this involves planning ahead. Make sure you have a full weeks worth of breakfasts purchased during your weekly shop to avoid you breaking routine and turning to the sugary alternatives that are so easy to get into the habit of eating. There are multiple nutritional strategies that you can use to get yourself in great shape, so here are a few healthy breakfast ideas to kickstart your day:
- Skyre Yoghurt & Fresh Berries
- Poached Eggs on Wholemeal Toast With Sea Salt & Black Pepper
- Porridge Oats with Almond Milk & a Scoop of Whey Protein
- Coconut Yoghurt, Mixed Nuts, Fresh Berries, Chia Seeds, ½ Tsp Honey
+ 15 Minute Stretch Routine
More often than not mobility rather than lack of fitness capacity is what holds many people back from performing many exercise routines. Start off your day with home spinal mobility movements and working on improving a few of your least flexible areas.
2) Take the Pressure Off
You don’t have to exercise, you get to exercise. One thing lockdown has taught us is that going to the gym is a privilege to be enjoyed and something we miss rather than a weekly/daily chore. Working out can be the highlight of your day. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t require effort, but it does mean you don’t have to see it as the enemy. It is important not to compare yourself to others and what they are doing. Remember that social media channels are usually peoples’ highlight reels, and rarely show the full picture or the reality. Exercise will often help pick your mood up, but don’t put yourself down if you have some days off or your diet isn’t perfect. That kind of negative thinking only leads to a downward spiral of more negative behaviour. Enjoy the process rather than enduring it, choose a workout style that you enjoy and stay enthusiastic about training & living a healthy lifestyle.
3) Your Home is your Gym
Make the most of household items to work into your training. Chairs can by used for pistol squats, tricep dips and pike holds. Luggage bags can make good kettlebells and also used for bicep curls and upright rows. Tins of food are great for working the posture correcting muscles of your upper back with bent over reverse fly’s and Y Raises. Stairs are great for calf raises and box jumps. Then there are hundreds of body weight exercises and variations you can incorporate into your training.
4) Shopping Healthy = Eating Healthy
This one is fairly simple. Rather than focusing your attention on what not to eat, instead focus on what you could eat. Make a meal plan for the week and write a shopping list to match. When you shop, stick to list and don’t use the excuse ‘it’s for the kids,’ as kids can eat healthy also! Don’t shop hungry as this is always a recipe for disaster.
5) Get Cardiovascularly Fit
Many gym enthusiasts will often neglect one very import muscle . . . the heart. If you’ve been putting off your cardiovascular training this is the perfect time to start building it up gradually. If you are living in the UK you are still allowed to exercise outdoors every day providing you stick to the social distancing guidelines and stay within your local area. This provides a great opportunity to run, power walk or cycle. This is great for you both mentally and physically!
6) Get Flexible
This is the perfect opportunity to resolve your mobility restrictions or improve your posture. On top of your 15 minute morning mobility, put in some extra mobility work. This could include static stretching, myfoscial release techniques such as foam rolling, voodoo flossing, or release exercises with a tennis/hockey ball. You could also try some dynamic movement based mobility sequences or some yoga sessions.
7) Don’t Go at it Alone!
Lastly the Covid-19 lockdown has shown us the importance and value of community. No man/woman is an island. We gain so much more both mentally and physically if we share experiences and support one another. Try some Live Online Zoom exercise classes. It’s amazing how encouraging it can be to workout alongside people and know there are other people working out with you at that very moment, sharing the same experience. You could also try out some Online Zoom Personal Training where your trainer can utilise the equipment you have at home and help keep you accountable to sticking to a workout plan. Another great option is to have an online workout buddy, and have each of you plan half of the workout. Schedule in a workout with a friend via Zoom or Whatsapp Video call. You could even take things outdoors!