STAYING MOTIVATED IN LOCKDOWN
Working out at home is just one of the many things we are now doing at home, or at least trying to. With gyms, Pilates studios and fitness centres closed state-wide, it’s now up to you to find new ways to stay fit, healthy and active from home. But switching from “working from home” to “working out from home” can be difficult. Here are some tips to keep you moving.
KNOW YOUR WHY
Why do you exercise? We all know the many benefits of exercising for the wellbeing of our mind and body, but what is your motivator to work out? It could be anything, and everyone will have a different why.
And it’s okay for your “why” to change. Right now, most people want to exercise to keep routine and normality in their lives; to help beat the lockdown blues; and to avoid stiffness in the joints and putting on weight during lockdown.
Once you know your why, you have a purpose – a motivator, if you will.
Now I want you to ask yourself how do you view exercise? Do you enjoy it? Do you feel like it’s a chore? Does it bore you, or excite you? The way we view exercise is part of the motivation puzzle. If you enjoy doing something you are more likely to do it. That means if you like the exercise, you’re doing you are more likely to commit to it without giving up. If something feels like a chore, we will procrastinate for as long as we can, push it down the to-do list and hope it eventually falls off the list.
If you see exercise as a chore or something that is boring, I want you to start trying different forms of exercises until you find something that you enjoy. Once you find something you enjoy you will see the shift in your attitude towards exercise.
STAY IN ROUTINE
It might not be “business as usual”, but don’t let lockdown get in the way of your usual routine. Try to stick to your daily routine as much as possible. If you usually workout at 6am before work, then continue to do that. If you like your workouts in the evening and usually hit the gym or studio once the kids are in bed, then stick to it! Not only will sticking to your routine help you stay motivated, it will keep you feeling balanced.
PUT IT IN YOUR DIARY
Have you got a calendar, or diary, that you use for all your appointments? Even the calendar on your phone is awesome! Just like a work meeting, a doctor’s or hairdresser’s appointment your workout also needs to be scheduled in. Set yourself a time that you can commit to and show up. A great way to make sure you stay committed is to book yourself into a virtual class, so you know you have a time that you need to be present and someone is waiting for you to show up.
CREATE A ZONE
It can be hard to transition between all the things we are now doing from home. After a while everything seems to start blending in with each other and you might find that one thing takes over another thing. To stop this from happening it’s important to set up zones around your home to distinguish the different tasks you’re now doing. In order to work from home well, without distractions, it’s good to have a study or office area set up away from your TV or lounge room. Somewhere that helps you get into work mode. The same applies with working out. If you’re lucky, and you have the space, you might have already set yourself up with a home gym. A place where you have all your workout equipment and gear ready to go. But if you don’t have the space (or all the equipment) find yourself a place in your home that can be your make-do gym/studio/workout zone, so that you know when you step into this area you’re ready to exercise! I have a room in my house and an outdoor area set up with my Pilates Mat laid out ready to go. Having my mat ready to go means when it’s time to workout I don’t have the excuse of set up that deters me from getting it done.
Avoid setting up in your bedroom or lounge room if these are your usual “chill out” or “relaxation” zones so that your mind can distinguish the difference between where you workout and where you rest.
GET DRESSED
Time to change out of your pyjamas! Just like creating your workout zone, you too need to look and feel the part. Put on some awesome activewear and get ready to move.
CONNECT WITH A COMMUNITY
Join a community! If you already have a gym or studio that you are a member of stay connected with your fitness community virtually via social media and see what they are getting up to. If you’ve never been part of a fitness community before, join one! At Flex & Flow Pilates we are offering daily online LIVE Pilates classes and we also offer an online Mat or Reformer Pilates Library subscription. Our Library subscription is super flexible and gives you access to classes on-demand wherever you are and whenever you like! We want our community to stay connected and stay accountable, so we also encourage everyone to share photos and tag us using our social hashtags #FlexandFlowathome #FlexFlowFam @flex.flow.fam. You don’t have to be active on social media to be part of it all, but it sure does help you feel connected. You can join us too by booking online or subscribing by emailing us. And of course, keep following us on Instagram or Facebook to stay connected with all the current info!
MAKE IT FUN
Working out shouldn’t be boring. So, ask yourself, what can you do to make it more enjoyable? If you don’t like running, then don’t run. Find something you like doing instead. If you like doing it, the chances that you will stick to it are much higher.
Play some music in the background to get you motivated. Set yourself up outside under the sun. Get your family involved – maybe even your pets! Rather than seeing kids and pets as a hindrance to your workout routine, get them involved! Let them join in and make the workout fun! Remember it doesn’t have to be a perfect workout – it’s about moving and feeling good!