Five WAYS to Stay Active during COVID’s Lockdown
Let’s be honest, COVID-19 is a real b*tch. When it’s good, it’s really good but when it’s bad, it’s really bad. With Sydney’s harsher lockdown restrictions, I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s finding it harder to stay active during lockdown. With everyone working from home and gyms closed, both incidental activity (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) from commuting or running errands, and physical activity have dropped. But it’s important to stay active for our physical and mental health as it has many benefits.
Physical activity and exercise guidelines recommend that adults should do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days, preferably daily. While the COVID-19 lockdown makes it more complicated than it should be, there are other ways to help you stay active until the gyms reopen and we can go out again.
1. Schedule a time to exercise
Working from home can make it difficult to separate your personal life and work life. Scheduling a regular time in your work calendar to exercise or go for a walk can be a good reminder when it pops up while you’re working and also help you prioritise exercise, so you’re more likely to do it.
You can download an exercise planner from the Government here.
2. Go for a walk
If you’ve got a pet, lockdown probably means you’ve got more time to take them out for more walks. If you live with family members or your partner, you can walk together to get outdoors and get some fresh air.
Walking on the spot can help you stay active, even in a small spaces. If you have a meeting that doesn’t require you to be on video, stand up or go for a walk instead of sitting down.
3. Exercise outdoors
One of the good things we can still do while in lockdown is exercise outdoors with a limit of two people so you can meet up with a friend, family member, or trainer (who are within a 10km radius) and train together.
If you’re based in South West Sydney, I’m still offering Personal Training sessions in my outdoor home gym. Enquire now to book your initial deep dive call, and let’s get started!
4. Do an online class
One of the best things about technology these days is that we have access to literally everything. There are a lot of free online YouTube workouts that you can follow. A few of my favourite are:
A lot of these classes don’t require you to have equipment either, so don’t stress! There is a long list of bodyweight exercises that you can do, but there are also different ways to overload your training so you can still see results progressively. More to come on this topic!
5. Take regular breaks
It’s easy for us to get stuck at our desk from 9 am to 5 pm. Research recommends taking a break every 30 minutes and get up from your desk and move - whether it’s a quick 5-minute stretch or mobility drill, cleaning up the house, or grabbing yourself a glass of water and walking around for 5 minutes.
