Just wanted to put this here for anyone that needs to hear it.
You are on your own journey, running your own race. You’ve got your own goals, your own worth and your own motivations.
Don’t compare your journey to others as that’s not a measure of how well you’re doing. You’re doing great ๐ฆ
Iโm not going to lie; I was pretty sad when they announced the closure of gyms across the UK to encourage social distancing. The immediate thoughts that went through my head were Iโm going to lose all my motivation and undo all of the progress Iโve made so far.
The gym is not only where I work out but itโs also my happy place, somewhere that actually makes me want to get up in the morning at 06:00 and go there before work! Mad I know, but itโs the best routine ever to be in and I was really loving it, so you can imagine how I, and every other gym-goer, felt.
Initially, I was bummed out about it but then I realised two points: 1. Itโs what needed to happen to help the UK get through this coronavirus period and funnily enough I was going to live without the gym, whereas some people sadly wonโt make it through. And 2. Itโs actually given me more motivation as itโs made me switch up my workouts, think outside the box and Iโm even more determined to not let this hinder my goals or to gain any weight through this!
There are actually so many exercises you can do at home and I thought Iโd share with you some of them โ no gym equipment needed (apart from a trusty little suitcase)!
I put together this workout when the dumbbells that I ordered were taking forever and I really wanted some extra weight as I was missing it from the gym.
I decided to use my suitcase as you could fill it to your desired weight for different exercises which was an absolute game-changer โ itโs actually surprising how much you can do with a suitcase! I know Iโm starting to sound a bit crazy, but I was surprised at the burn I got from this.
Fill the suitcase to quite a heavy weight. Hold the suitcase at shoulder height, squat down whilst pausing at the bottom, return to standing and squeeze the glutes and then press the suitcase above your shoulders. Repeat this for 12 reps, have a little break and repeat 4 times.
This is definitely an unsettling time for everyone, but it is important to remain positive and remember to take care of yourself. As a lot of people are working from home, it can be easy to forget the importance of self-care.
I know when Iโve been in doors all day, it can soon take its toll on my mental health and I end up feeling less productive and sluggish. However, besides from social distancing, there are a number of ways to give your body the best possible chance of getting through this unscathed and keep you feeling like yourself.
Of course, Iโm no expert on health, nutrition or the coronavirus, itโs just what Iโve learnt from my personal experiences and research and something I have a personal interest in.
Ensuring youโre eating a healthy, balanced diet is even more important during times like this. It can be very tempting to feed your angst with an abundance of naughty foods (if you can get your hands on any that is!) and pig out on chocolate just to make yourself feel better, however, this isnโt giving your body what it needs.
Eating a whole-food diet packed full of nutrients and vitamins will help boost your immune system so that you stand a better chance of fighting off the virus โ if it comes your way. For example, foods that contain a high amount of vitamin C such as citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits can boost immunity. Vitamin C helps build up white blood cells which are great for fighting infections.
Of course, allow for little treats every now and again because hey, we definitely deserve it right now! But make sure the majority of your diet is being made up of healthy carbs, fats and proteins, with lots of fruit and veggies.
Read moreUnfortunately, Iโve always been one of those girls that if they even look at a chip, they instantly put on like 5 pounds. Okay, I may be slightly exaggerating but I have a mega slow metabolism and so have always had to watch what I eat from a young age.
Iโve been going to the gym and lifting weights for over 5 years now, battling with a full-time office job, and being mindful of what I put into my body. As it is such a huge part of my life and has such a positive impact on my mental health, I thought Iโd share my fitness journey, right from the start.
I havenโt always had the best relationship with food and fitness. When I was younger and at the time in my life when I was still learning โwho I amโ, I hated the way I looked. Literally everything about it. This led to an unhealthy perception of what I wanted to look like and therefore how much exercise I would do or how little food I wanted to put in my body.
Instead of exercising to stay healthy and to make myself feel good, I would exercise to burn off the little calories I consumed, tracking every last detail to the gram on My Fitness Pal (an amazing calorie tracker that I still use now). I was so wrapped up in what other people thought of me that I completely lost myself.
This obviously wasnโt a sustainable way to live and in the long run just made me miserable. It took me around 2/3 years to come out of this negative phase and into a much more positive mindset which is where Iโm at today. Now I train at the gym because it makes me feel good and I do it for me.
And if I want to eat a whole pizza and pig out on crisps and dip because that makes me feel good too, then I will and definitely not feel guilty about it (okay, sometimes I do but Iโm working on that! We canโt all be perfect, right?)
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