Getting Fit Despite COVID…

When lockdown started, I had the best intentions to stay fit, use the time around work and caring for my son to get fit and healthy.

Unfortunately, the reality was that I ate more working from home. This was exacerbated by having a hungry three-year-old: when he eats, I snack too!  Then, my work schedule went all amiss, as I worked around my son’s day, my colleagues with differing commitments and their schedules, and worst of all, my lack of motivation to do anything but just sit and have a glass of wine at the end of the day.

The thing is, when the weather is good, my motivation does lift slightly. I want to get out for a bike ride or a fast-paced walk. However, as the weather dips, my excuses increase to not schedule time for my own fitness during the day (too busy, too tired, hungry…). 

Exercise is often a better motivator when it’s done around others, where you feel you have a commitment, a team or perhaps something to lose (cost, competition, etc). Having a dog certainly helps as you can’t leave your four-legged baby indoors all day long – they certainly won’t give you that choice either! However, the intensity is a little low when you have a Cavalier King Charles who enjoys sniffing every single tree on route!

Team based sports activities and gyms are starting to re-open with relevant safety and distancing precautions. Personally, I am not rushing through their doors to reignite my motivation.  I am sure that they need as much support as possible, but right now it is more important that we all do what feels right for our personal safety, and that of our families.

The one thing that has worked for me recently is joining live, online classes. Not pre-recorded or watch on-demand, but real live online classes. I commit to a certain time and day, schedule it into my day, and then set myself up to join the class via a Facebook link (my television easily connects to my laptop making it easier to view on the big screen).  

The benefit of the live session is that I can see immediately who else has joined (just names) and the instructor engages with everyone who participates throughout the session.  It’s not a two-way dialogue via Facebook, but it feels more connected to a team based or organised activity, and personally I feel that once I commit to a session I can’t just slack off!  Even better, you can take part in the comfort of your own home, get out of bed, start your class, and then jump straight in the shower after so that you can quickly on with your day – zero travel time and organisational challenges in getting to a gym or a studio. Which means you actually get time back! The perfect solution for anyone with a busy lifestyle and lots of commitments!

If anyone is looking right now, Helen McClory Digital Studio is where I go for my online fitness classes. Helen is a barrel of laughs, she actively involves her audience, and she changes up each session so they are fun and challenging. Helen was my pilates instructor post pregnancy, and I found her again online when lockdown started. No regrets here!

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