Overcoming The Lockdown Blues – Staying Proactive At Home & Trying New Things
The past year will have been an emotional rollercoaster for us all, with what started as an international news story developing into a global pandemic – one that has and still is impacting our daily lives and wellbeing tremendously. With lockdowns thrown into the mix and restrictions directly affecting our freedom, work lives, relationships and social lives, becoming consumed by a sea of worry becomes a likely happening.
It’s important for us to process what’s currently going on as opposed to trying to ignore it, similarly, it’s also super important to understand that we can rise above this struggle through willpower, creativity and a desire to keep striding forward.
Lockdown, A Time Like No Other
Though this whole situation may seem like a never-ending obstacle, it’s important to remind ourselves that there will be light at the end of the tunnel, a light which truly puts into perspective the precious nature of life. Every day that passes is a step closer to normality, until then, while at home let’s still do the things that we love to do, whether that’s socialising with friends (we’re so lucky to be in the age of social media and video-calling!), indulging in movies, enjoying music, reading, podcast-binging…anything that can bring you a smile or peace is something to truly hold on to!
And what about if I’m losing the motivation to exercise during lockdown?
The stress involved with the times that we’re in can completely turn absolutely everything on its head. Sometimes, when our minds are so busy and so much negativity is flowing around, the motivation to attack a workout may be pretty much non-existent.
With this in mind, it’s massively important to remember the link between mental health and exercise. Every time we exercise, we’re committing an act of self-care through doing something which on top of keeping our bodies active, also boosts mental clarity and energy through the release of endorphins and the positive refocusing of our minds. Exercise can also kill stress like nothing else!
So, ladies…let’s do something today that our future self will thank us for!
Trying New Activities – We Miss Every Shot That We Don’t Take
As beneficial as staying active at home can be, repetitive training sessions can eventually lead to workout boredom. This is why training variation needs to be your best friend whilst stuck at home during lockdown – not only does it keep things interesting and fresh, but varied training also has the potential to create great training responses from our bodies as we’re required to meet and adapt to new training styes and demands.
So, why not try out a new fitness activity this lockdown?
On top of freshening up your day-to-day life, trying a new fitness activity may even blossom into something that you really feel and reap the benefits from! For all you know, a new activity that you try today, could end up becoming a lifelong passion!
This goes beyond fitness, life is precious and with so many different activities out there to try out, who knows what doors we may open or what future memories we may build the foundations for through simply taking on the initiative of trying out something new.
“We miss every shot that we don’t take.”
Try These Fitness Activities At Home This Lockdown!
With so much time (well, pretty much all of our time) at home on our hands, let’s put it to some positive use and try new activities which will not only freshen up our daily routine but also add value to our body, mind and well-being.
1. Yoga
The power of syncing body movements with deep breathing has equipped yoga as not only being beneficial for our body but also a reliever of stress. Yoga supports increased flexibility, joint health, strength, enhanced respiration and an improved circulatory health.
Yoga is a great form of practicing mindfulness, helping you to really ground yourself to the present moment and tame a mind that’s busy and occupied.
Add some peace to your life through trying out the phenomenon of yoga for yourself!
2. Pilates
Like Yoga, Pilates is a form of low-impact exercise which makes it great for those looking to avoid joint heavy movements. Pilates exercises focus on improving our flexibility, strength and postural alignment.
Due to the focus of Pilates on our deepest abdominal layers, it can also be a great way to tone down that belly!
Check out our blog on Pilates for beginners!
3. Online Fitness Classes
With the world getting even more digital by the day, it’s no surprise that we can now access fitness training from the tips of our fingers. With a vast range of online training services and fitness apps on offer, why not incorporate the world of technology with our fitness goals?!
No matter your level of experience or goals, there will be something out there that caters to your situation and needs!
4. Barre
Barre is a workout technique that brings together the elements Ballet, Yoga and Pilates…but no, you don’t have to have dancing experience to try out this exciting technique! Barre workouts target the whole body on top of incorporating movements that are designed to elevate your level of balance and agility.
Barre workouts are a form of muscular endurance workouts, making them perfect for toning up your body!
5. HIIT
High-Intensity-Interval-Training is a serious killer, but the benefits are tremendous! – from increased cardiovascular health to improved strength to blitzing that fat!
HIIT training usually involves 30 seconds of an exercise, followed by 30 seconds of rest, followed by 30 seconds of the next exercise. HIIT training is fantastic way to keep things varied whilst training your whole body.
If you’re serious about fat loss, then HIIT training should definitely be a consideration!
The Lockdown Blues Are A Challenge, But We Sure As Hell Can Fight Them
Lockdown is a constant battle involving worry and frustration. However, the time we have while at home most certainly has the potential to be used to add value to our lives. The hardest step is initially overcoming that lockdown motivation drought, but…once we develop a daily willingness to do something each day that our future self will thank us for, the motivation to stay proactive will come more naturally!