Fitness is difficult times

So, this year’s been a bit of a strange one so far!

With all of the [somewhat confusing and constantly changing] guidelines, we’re generally being told to stay in more, and many of the places we’d ordinarily go to socialise are no longer an option – though this may change between me writing this, and you reading this – or even between me writing this and me pressing “save” on it!!

So the consequence of this is quite likely that a lot of people are moving a lot less than they previously were – even if that wasn’t much to begin with.

Less people commuting to work because they’re working from home, more people out of work, less general busy-ness as a lot of clubs and kid’s clubs are still not running or shut shop.

This all adds up and takes its toll.

The key here is to do 2 things:

• Make time for regular/daily exercise • Keep an eye on what, and how much you’re eating

In order to maintain your health, sanity and waistline, you need to watch both of these things.

Over-eating because you’re at home and snacking more, or even eating what you’ve always eaten but moving less than usual, will likely lead to weight gain.

Have a plan. You don’t need to follow a strict meal plan, but planning ahead and having an idea of what you’re going to eat tonight, tomorrow, or even all week, can help to keep your calorie count under control; and simply paying attention to your eating habits can highlight and prevent unnecessary snacking.

As for exercise, the gyms are (at the time of writing this) closed in England but open in Wales. You may have to wear a mask to go in and out and move around, but you can set yourself up on whatever kit you’re using and train as before.

If you’re not a gym-goer, your gym is shut, or you're avoiding the gym for whatever reason, there’s still no excuse. Walking, running, bodyweight training, home gym equipment, cycling… there are hundreds of options!

Schedule your workouts into your days.

Make sure you are staying active, both with general activity (walking around) but also with dedicated “workout” time. Set aside 30 minutes a day specifically for some form of exercise.

It doesn’t have to be hours lifting weights, just half an hour of something active and moderately strenuous. You can always increase this as you go, but a modest starting point is more achievable and more likely to happen.

I have a 30-Day Challenge that helps people do just this – you can get more info from my website if that’s something you think could help you.

Healthy eating and daily exercise can also help with stress levels through what is renowned for being a stressful time of year (Christmas) as well as colder, wetter weather and darker days. So it’s not just about losing or maintaining weight, but also about staying in a more positive place mentally.

There’s really no downside to regular exercise and improving your diet, so whether you’ve made excuses up til now, or have been doing something all along – make this a part of your routine and reap the rewards.

If you need some more help, you can always contact me.

Mark