Staying motivated during lockdown: 6 tips to avoid distancing yourself from your health and wellbeing

Whether we like it or not it looks like lockdown is here to stay for a while. No gym, no sports, no bootcamps and I’m still trying to figure out if I’m allowed to go on a walk without my dog by my side!

Let’s face it… it hasn’t been the best time for keeping fit. A couple of weeks in and I’m already feeling my hard-fought habits of exercise falling by the wayside – to be replaced by the much more appealing hobby of sitting on my couch with a cup of tea and more biscuits than I know what to do with. In times such as these, times where going to gyms or regular places of exercise are out of the question, we need to change our strategy when it comes to exercise. Staying motivated to exercise becomes harder, but it’s specifically times such as these where maintaining fitness and health are important.

And so it all got me thinking… how can I stay motivated to keep exercising? I want to share with you the 6 ideas I came up with that have kept me out of trouble and off the couch (most of the time…)!

Tip #1: Figure out what exercise you’re willing to do

Before you can start on your revised fitness journey, it’s important to think about what types of exercise you enjoy. After all, it’s no fun doing an exercise you hate and I can guarantee your exercise habit won’t last longer than a week or two if you’re not having at least a reasonably good time.   

So what does exercise look like to you? Do you absolutely despise running? Have a burning hatred for burpees? Often it’s easier to find out which exercises you DISLIKE, and have a crack at some of the exercises that didn’t make it onto that list. Who knows – you might just be a dormant push-up whiz, waiting to be discovered!

REMEMBER: Even going for a walk can be a great form of exercise! Find what works for you.

Tip #2: Community exercise groups

Perhaps it’s not the idea of exercise that appeals to you, but the social connections you form through exercise that are important to you. In this time of social distancing we’ve had to throw out the conventional ‘go to the park and kick a ball with a couple of people’ way of socializing through sport. Thankfully, however, people are anything if not innovative! Many online groups are popping up with exercises to do and like-minded socially isolated people to engage with. We’ve even jumped onto the trend with our Lockdown-lates classes on Saturday mornings – free pilates sessions offered by physio/qualified Pilates instructor Deb! Sure, it’s a shameless plug, but it’s completely free and can be done from the comfort of your own home! We’d love to see you there!

Tip #3: Circuits!

Gym junkies, this one’s for you! Missing that feeling of going from machine to machine, or squat rack to bench, or bubbler to looking-at-yourself-in-a-mirror to a sneaky second bubbler run while nobody is watching?

Fear not, circuits are your answer! Deceptively simple to set up, and devastatingly challenging for the amount of time they take to run, circuits should become every exercise fanatic’s best friend in isolation!

Tip #4: Schedule a time of day

How many times have you told yourself you’d exercise, or do the washing up, or clean the house, only to never actually get around to doing it. It’s so frustrating, yet it happens so often! That’s why we’ve got to crack down on ourselves a bit more. Don’t underestimate the power of setting a specific time to do something, for example exercise. Especially in these times when you’re not sure whether it’s Tuesday or Friday, March or April – tangible times to anchor your schedule to have a very definite power.

If you’re struggling to start exercising, I’d consider penciling in a specific time when you KNOW that you’re going to be exercising. Take out the choice of watching television or browsing Netflix. If you can START moving, you’ve already won the hardest part of the battle.

Tip #5: Rope in a family member

It takes two to tango! (On a side note, if your exercise of choice is tango dancing, GO YOU)

You’re stuck with them, so why not try squeeze in a bit of exercise together! This tip actually goes really well with tip #3 of using circuits. You can set up some pretty wicked circuits in a fairly small space that multiple people can do together. The only risk is that you make it too hard and they get a bit grouchy at you. Even better than that, if you’re lost for ideas your family members can help keep things fun and interesting. Two brains are better than one after all!

Another slightly more competitive way of getting your family engaged is through challenges! Who can do the most push ups? Hold the longest wall squat? Having a challenge a week to try beat is a good way to keep a lively spirit in the house while also sneaking in some exercise on the side!

Tip #6: Get creative!

The final tip: Get creative! As we’ve been adapting to online consultations, we’ve been opening people’s eyes to how different household items can be used for exercise. Got a rolling pin? You’ve got a foam roller! Got a 2L milk bottle? You’ve got a 2kg weight! Got a dog? You’ve got a squat bar! (citation needed on that last one).

My point is, often there are heaps of ways to make exercises astronomically more challenging that are hiding in plain sight! Are you getting bored of squatting up and down against nothing but bodyweight for hundreds of reps? Try standing on one leg and lowering yourself down to sitting in a chair then back up 20x. Now THAT’s challenging!

With a bit of creativity, a home gym isn’t too far out of most people’s reach – sure it won’t be the polished home gym with all the bells, whistles and kettlebells you could think of – but you can still create a very challenging exercise program with nothing more than a 2kg weight (such as a milk bottle) to challenge every part of your body!

But if you’re not sure or it all seems too hard…

If you need some help setting up an exercise program, or have an injury or condition you’re concerned may limit your ability to exercise, we can help! Give us a call on (02) 8411 2050 to organise an appointment with one of our qualified physiotherapists to help you set up an exercise program to achieve your goals! We are conveniently located near Beecroft, Cherrybrook, Hornsby, Normanhurst, Pennant Hills, Waitara, Wahroonga, Westleigh, West Pennant Hills, and West Pymble.