Getting back to the gym

During lockdown I wanted to keep fit and healthy, so I tried to do lots of home workouts and runs.  However, after 4 months of this and a few running injuries I began to lose motivation and stopped doing it.  Lately, I have been feeling really sluggish and as if my day has no purpose, so this week I decided it was time to get back to the gym.

 

Although I enjoyed doing home workouts, there is something about the gym that gets me more motivated to work hard.  Maybe it’s because I am surrounded by people getting fit and healthy and it pushes me to do the same! That’s why instead of continuing with home workouts I wanted to go back to that surrounding as I knew it would push me.

 

My mum is a manager of a gym and so told me all about the safety measures in place such as boxes around workout areas to maintain the 2 metre distance, sanitising stations and extra spray/ blue roll to clean equipment before and after use. Although I knew what was there, I was still a little nervous as change can always be daunting.

 

Despite the clubroom looking emptier and the gym covered in stickers and markers as soon as I saw all the friendly staff and got started, I felt great! It was such a good feeling to get back into it and it was quite funny to see how much weaker I was having not done exercise in a while.

 

My favourite thing to train at the gym is legs and bum and although I do use the machines, I prefer to do most of this on a mat using a resistance band and my own bodyweight.

 

I also love to do HIIT workouts as they are more fun than cardio but still get my heart racing and work all areas of your body.  Over lockdown I discovered the Chloe Ting workouts and they are amazing!  I know she advertises these as a way to target specific areas or to shred, but I don’t do them for that reason and more just to keep active.  I like them as she shows an easier and harder way of doing each exercise so if I am feeling tired that day I can do the low impact one.

 

Now I am back at the gym and hoping to stick at it, one goal I want to set is to improve the strength in my arms.  I am not joking when I say I have no strength in this area…I can barely hold my own bodyweight up and struggle after two knee pushups! So, I will keep you updated on how this goes.... wish me luck! 

Due to being back at work full time and having other bits on during the week I have decided I am going to try and go to the gym 3 times a week.  I feel by doing this I won't get bored or too fed up of the gym as I would do if I went everyday. 

 

I hope you enjoyed this post, please like and comment if you did.  I would love to know what your favourite workouts are!

This week has been crazy for all as we have seen our world flipped upside down and normality go out the window.  If you have seen my Instagram, some of you will know I really struggled with this the last few weeks hence why I have not posted much this month.  I wanted to stay in bed, cry and shut the the word out until this whole thing went away and I felt really low.  This week, I made a change to my routine and as a result, my mood changed for the better.  So, I thought I would share some tips and ways I have used to get myself out of the dark place during this crazy time in the hope that it will help some of you who may be feeling the same. 

1) Get out of bed, showered and dressed - I have found if I force myself to get out of bed and get dressed I feel so much better already as I feel fresh and ready to start the day. Don't get me wrong, I am not setting an alarm and am still having a lyin, but I am not staying in bed all day. 

2) Go out for your daily exercise - The government have said we are allowed out of our houses once a day so why not make the most of it to get some fresh air! You can go for a run, cycle or walk as long as you follow the social distancing rules it is completely up to you.  I have found by getting myself to do this, it gives me something to do to a) pass time haha, b) have a chance to get out of the house and c) get some fresh air and time to clear my head.  I have loved looking at all the rainbows and artwork in people's windows, it puts a smile on my face each time I spot a new one and reminds me things will turn around and we are all in this together. 

3) Do the things you felt you never had time for - This week I actually read a book, in a week! It was so nice to be able to sit and binge read a book as this is something I love doing but only get the chance when away on holiday and it felt so nice.  So, do those things you have wanted to do for ages but said you were always too busy. Make a cake, finish that scrap book and read that book! 

4) Stay in touch with loved ones - Just because we are in lockdown and can't go and see friends and family doesn't mean you can't still speak to them. We are very fortunate that there are SO many ways we can talk to eachother nowadays from social media, texting and phone calls to facetime and zoom calls!  So, you can still chat to people, catch up, play games and give each other recommendations on stuff to do . 

5) Make a list - sometimes making a list helps me feel better as I work my way through it and tick tasks off.  Even my grandma has found doing this and really breaking it down has helped cheer her up as she gets bits done.  You can put it one big task such as get up and ready for the day or if you want you can break it down such as get out of bed, shower, get dressed and eat breakfast. By doing this can be good start point to help you get out of that dark place. 

I hope you have found this useful.  If you have any tips on how to keep positive in this crazy time, please let me know! 

Stay safe, stay home.

Why exercise?

As a child I was always very active, with PE and playtime at school, dancing after school and a trampoline in the garden, I was always on the go!  However, during my teens I became unwell with Glandular Fever and pretty much stopped exercising all together as I was so tired and extremely stressed with GCSES.  However, as I have gotten older and better, I saw more and more of my friends joining the gym and getting active. 

Whilst at university, I joined the cheerleading team and this was the first step in getting back into exercise.  I couldn't believe the differences it made to my life.  This sounds a bit dramatic, but honestly I felt so good! Although tough at times, the feeling after cheerleading training was unreal! I felt fitter, healthier, more confident and generally happier.  

Another change I felt within myself when doing cheerleading at university was that it was a way to forget about the stress of deadlines, assignments and exams.  Now I have finished university and have swapped assignments for actual work deadlines and changed cheerleading to the gym, I still find that after exercising I feel great and I feel as though all the stress and anxiety goes away.  Getting out and exercising is a good way to keep busy and meet people and is like a hobby!  

I personally have decided to go to the gym more to reduce stress, to become fitter/ healthier, get a peachy bum and as I am doing a physical challenge in October (more of this in a future blog post). But there are lots of motives as to why people want to get more exercise such as weight loss.

According to the NHS, research has shown that regular exercise can improve self-esteem, reduce stress and reduce the risk of developing long-term (chronic) health conditions. 

When I say exercise, I don't mean you have to religiously go to the gym everyday for 4 hours.  I mean, you can go all out if you want too haha! But even little changes like parking further away from the shop can make all the difference.  I said in my new years resolutions that I wanted to exercise more, and I would say I have done this so far.  I don't necessarily go to the gym everyday day, one week I didn't go at all.  But, I am defiantly going a lot more regularly than I used to, especially if I feel myself getting stressed at work and the feeling I get afterwards is amazing!

There are so many different ways you can exercise too, you can go to the gym, go to classes, walk the dog, go running, swimming, cycling, join a club like boxing or dancing the list is endless! 

So, if you are looking for something new to do this month that will improve your health both physically and mentally as well as give you the opportunity to meet new people, I would recommend getting more exercise!