How to improve your physical & mental health whilst working from home in lockdown.

In March 2020 we thought the global pandemic spread of coronavirus would only last a few weeks to a month or so, we now find ourselves starting a new year in January 2021 even deeper into the never ending sickness, misery and cancelled plans.. this is enough to make anyone feel unmotivated, but you cannot let it get the better of you, you need to make a conscious effort to make yourself be more productive. 

In the winter most people, myself included find it much harder to motivate themselves to exercise. Let’s face it, we’d all rather be wrapped in a big duvet in bed watching Netflix and eating snacks.. but it’s even more important now since we are staying in more and leaving the house less to take care of our physical and mental health. 

It’s hard to find the motivation or know what to do for exercise if you’re stuck at home so heres some tips to get you moving and become stronger, healthier and happier in lockdown!

• Write a physical list of small goals you want to achieve in a bold marker on an A4 piece of paper (or whiteboard) Stick it to somewhere you will see every day for example: A mirror or desk, the fridge or bedroom door. This list can consist of whatever goals you want such as: 

• Walking the dog twice a day or doing 5,000 steps a day (tracking with your phone, fit watch or pedometer.
• Do some form of exercise (Weight training, bodyweight exercises, yoga, HIIT/LISS training)
• Drink a full 1.5L bottle of water a day (Keep this always in your sight so you can see how much you’ve drank for the day and try to finish it before bed)
• Eat a source of protein with every meal 
• Eat five different portions of fruit a day and include vegetables with dinner. 
• Meditate, listen to an audiobook or read and/or perform gentle yoga to wind down half an hour to an hour before bed instead of using your phone.

Tick things off your list as you go, tell yourself the main priority should be done by a certain time such as walking 5,000 steps by midday, small goals add up and make you feel productive!

• Prepare healthier meals in advance on a day off or spare time to keep you accountable – Being at home more means more access to the cupboards and fridge, even if you aren’t hungry! Unnecessary snacking could cause unwanted weight gain, suppressed appetite for more nutritious meals, sluggishness or fatigue from lack of nutrients (depending on chosen snack) 

Preparing healthy meals in advance means when you’re hungry you can grab a meal straight from the fridge instead of creating leftover christmas food snack buffet to eat at your desk instead.

(If you have a health and fitness goal such as fat loss or muscle gain, you could also label them with the calories they have so you know straight away if they’ll fit within your daily calorie allowance) You’re more likely to eat preprepared meals if they are in the fridge for not wanting them to go to waste, try have set ‘meal prep’ days like a Sunday and mid-week like Wednesday.

• Get outside – A daily walk outside will do wonders for your physical and mental health (even more so when walking in nature) We are not meant to be stuck inside all day, even if it’s cold or raining outside, stick on a coat, grab an umbrella and get yourself moving! You’ll feel productive and its something you can do alone, with a friend or as a family. Walking outside lets your mind wonder and can give you some mental escape, improves cardiovascular health, reduces blood pressure, improves posture, circulation etc – Moderate-high intensity walking can contribute to a lower risk of stroke, diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease.

• Every time you walk up the stairs, do it twice! Let’s say you were to go up and down the stairs ten times in a day, that’s 15 steps up, 15 steps down (30 steps x 10) = 300 steps 
• If you walked up and down four times each time for ten times a day, that’s (60 steps x 10) = 600 steps a day! See how small changes can really add up!

• Commit to 1-3 exercise sessions a week – Being less active means you’re more likely to lose muscle mass or start to slowly lose strength or deteriorate, theres a saying in the fitness industry – Use it or lose it! Your strength and muscle mass will slowly decrease as you age, and so it’s important to continue to use some form of resistance (weights, bands etc) when exercising to keep that important muscle mass, strengthen ligaments, tendons, bones, brain health and perform at your best as you age (Weight training is extremely beneficial for all ages and will help you to become more capable and less prone to injury in your older years. 

• Take time for self care – Remember to do things that you enjoy or make you feel calm whether that’s reading, taking a hot bath, listening to music, being creative, watching a film, playing a sport or calling a loved one. Be kind to yourself and know you are doing your best during uncertain circumstances. 

• Keep weights or heavy objects round the house – Keep a kettlebell next to the kettle! Every time you make a cup of tea, do as many exercises as you can before the kettle boils. 

• Keep a dumbbell in the bathroom – Do bicep curls whilst waiting for the shower to heat up or whilst you brush your teeth – this might sound silly to some people, but small things throughout the day really do add up! (This should not replace an exercise session, but add to daily movement)
• Keep weights in your bedroom – Do a quick training session, circuit or HIIT workout as soon as you wake up or before you go to sleep. 

(Any resistance is better than nothing and will add some form of stress to the muscles, if applied with proper form and a good diet, you can build muscle, tone up and get stronger from home! 

• Get help from a online fitness professional – Just because you can’t leave the house doesn’t mean you cant improve your fitness! I am an online coach and offer my clients 1:1 online zoom, FaceTime or Whatsapp video sessions (and outdoor sessions too!) I offer weight training, bodyweight (no equipment training) and HIIT Training! All along with guidance on nutrition, other lifestyle factors that may effect your progress and going the extra mile by providing a FREE Ebook of ALL things health and fitness to put you on the path to success! 

So, why not take that first step and contact me via my email: coachedbykashima@hotmail.com 

Or visit my social media pages to see my client transformations and updates on my own fitness journey!

Instagram – @coachedbykashima & @CBKSuccess

Facebook – @Coachedbykashima