You’re not alone, as surveys show that two fifths of us are doing less exercise in this lockdown than in the first lockdown. It’s no surprise really, as back in spring 2020 it was nice weather, light mornings and evenings and the lockdown was initial a novelty for us. Many people actually increased their activity levels during the first lockdown by using their extra time to exercise more, start a new fitness plan and to get out walking more (my usually quiet running route became overcrowded with walkers!)

But now after almost a year, the lockdown situation is feeling like Groundhog Day and the initial motivation to make use of our time with exercise has begun to wear off – of course the winter weather doesn’t help either!

It’s really difficult to keep that motivation going when there seems to be no end of the situation in sight, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on your fitness journey altogether – maybe it’s just time to adapt it. I’ve certainly had to adapt not only my work routine – working online, then outdoors, then back online again! And my own training has changed dramatically too, working out at home with minimal equipment. But I’ve adapted my training and kept it going!

Whatever happens in the coming months, there’s no doubt that there’ll be big changes to the future of the Health and fitness industry and these changes are happening already with the increase of online fitness services available and Mental Health too becoming increasingly important to us.

Is it time to re-think your fitness?

If you’ve previously been a regular gym goer, the lack of routine and accountability to attend classes may have diminished your motivation to exercise. If you’ve been a member of a club, the social aspect of keeping fit has almost disappeared, which may have affected your enjoyment of exercise.

So, there’s 2 options: Give up on it all because you can’t do these activities anymore or find new ways of staying Fit and Healthy (Recommended).

Walking or Running – it’s still allowed and also completely free!

Take your workouts outdoors – fresh air is great for your mental health too.

Commit to a course of online classes – if you’ve put your name to it, you’re more likely to stick to it

Get a workout support buddy – check in on each other’s progress

Hire a Personal Trainer – get a plan together and be accountable to someone

Diversify your workouts – Don’t have access to weights, there’s some great bodyweight exercises

Discover a new workout – there’s thousands of them online

Adapt your workouts at home – Can you replicate what you do at the gym or class?

Rather than thinking you’re regressing on your Workouts, think of it as a new challenge in a new direction. But most importantly, start to be accountable to yourself and stay consistent with your new routine. You know how important it is to keep Fit and Healthy – make it a priority!

Good Gut Health

Did you know there’s a strong link between your brain and your gut?

The gut communicates with the brain through nerves and hormones, which not only helps maintain good health, but also your well-being too.

A healthy gut contributes to a strong immune system, heart health, brain health, digestion, sleep and improved mood, which is why it’s so important to keep your gut happy!

You can do this by:

Eating enough Fibre

Plenty of Fruit and Veg

Reducing Sugar/sweeteners

Including Fermented foods

Taking Prebiotics / Probiotics

If you’re feeding your body the right stuff, then you’ll feel good from the inside out!

Kimchi (or my own variation of it!)

I’m addicted to this stuff! Plus, it’s really great for looking after your gut health too!