5 Ways to Manage Your Fitness During Self-Isolation

There is a lot of uncertainty that can arise during a pandemic, and with the recent closures of gyms in Australia, fitness fanatics may find themselves feeling an added sense of anxiety about how these changes may affect them mentally and physically. Although we cannot control the sudden changes that are happening around the world right now, we CAN control how we adapt to these disruptions in our routine and look at them in a positive light.

Here are our 5 tips for managing your fitness during this time of self-isolation:

1 – Be kind to yourself

The first step to managing your fitness during this time is to understand that it won’t be easy. None of us have ever experienced anything like this before, so simply getting used to these changes to our routines can be a mission in itself. Cut yourself some slack during this time and celebrate the little wins; you may not have been able to hit a PB today but maybe you managed to work up a sweat for 30 minutes before 8am… win! Start slow, be kind to yourself and we promise it will get easier.

2 – Keep your usual routine

If you’re someone who thrives on routine and are feeling lost due to this disruption to your schedule, we suggest sticking to your usual routine as best as you can, despite being in a different environment. If you used to get up at 5am and head to the gym, get up at 5am and head to the living room for a home workout. Set your alarm like you would any other day and put in just as much effort as you would in a gym environment.

Even though you may be steps away from the fridge and pantry – rather than grazing mindlessly all day, plan your meals in advance and eat at set times. If you are used to having a piece of fruit at your desk at 10am, keep this up at home! Simply being disciplined and scheduled with your eating can motivate you to act this way in other aspects of your day too.

3 – Utilise technology & apps

Health and fitness technology and apps are in such abundance in 2020; giving us the tools we need to smash our fitness goals without a gym. We can use an Apple Watch, Fitbit or Garmin to track our step count, heart rate and movement, allowing us to set specific goals and reminders. There is no shortage of fitness apps, many of which provide you with home-workouts, fitness videos, inspiration and motivation to achieve your goals without needing to leave the house.

4 – Attend online classes

Everything is online! Many companies have had to adapt very quickly to the government restrictions, resulting in a surge of online versions of your favourite exercise classes. Yoga and pilates sessions, dance lessons, weights workouts, high intensity group classes and so much more is all available online, so we suggest you get involved and try something new whilst supporting your local gym or studio.

 5 – Increase your NEAT

NEAT stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis and refers to the energy we are expending when we are not exercising or sleeping. Ways you can increase your NEAT whilst at home include: cooking, cleaning, walking around the house whilst using your phone, taking regular breaks from your desk to stretch, playing with your children, hanging out your washing and trying to reach a certain step goal each day. While these tasks may seem small, over time they will make a huge difference.

Start implementing these 5 steps today and challenge yourself to change your perspective regarding gym closures. This is an opportunity to embrace change and experience new things whilst keeping ourselves and our community safe!

If you are looking to pursue a career in health and fitness, you could also use this time to study our Master Trainer Program™ from the comfort of your home so that you are ready to step into the industry when the gyms and studios re-open.

• Bio

Jessica Bryant

Communications & Marketing Manager