November 17, 2020, by Charlotte Gauja

6 Tips to Help You Stay Focused on Your Fitness During Lockdown

Since the second national lockdown was announced many have reverted back to exercising in their living rooms in a bid to keep fit and mentally strong during these testing times. In this blog, fitness expert, Michael reflects on behaviours in the last lockdown and provides tips stay motivated.

I’m sure many of us are worried about once again falling off the wagon with our health and fitness. I know I won’t be the only one who could admit that last time I found it all too easy to stay sat on the sofa, watching Netflix, tucking into a share bag of chocolate… on my own!

With that in mind, I am here to share with you 6 tips to help you stay focussed on your health and fitness during this lockdown.

1. Set yourself a specific target

   Try to ensure that your goals are SMART, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. For example, your goal could be to increase your 5k running time, or to perform a full push up. Be realistic with your targets; don’t aim to increase your back squat by 20kg if you don’t have any weights at home. A target will give you a reason to exercise, and hopefully provide you with the motivation you may need to make a start.

2. Track your progress

   By tracking your progress, you give yourself a better picture of your improvements, seeing those improvements will encourage you to keep going as you know your time is not wasted. Tracking progress can also keep you accountable for your actions. Miss a few days training and you could notice that when you track your next workout you may not perform as well as in a previous session. For example, timing your runs with the aim of seeing improvements in your times. With the push up example you could film your efforts to see how your technique and depth improve as you work on increasing your strength through the movement.

3. Don’t go ‘all in’ too fast

   If you sprint for the finish line from the start, working out maximally in every spare moment you have, you’ll almost certainly burn out before you see any worthwhile progress. Be sure to set a realistic schedule for exercise that you know you can stick to, planning out specific workout routines for different days that all compliment your overall programme, helping to work towards your goal.

4. Create a workout space

   If possible, have a specific space in your home where you plan to workout, ideally somewhere away from where you have been sat all day doing other activities such as work or studies. By doing so, it will help your brain to associate that space with exercise and have more focus during your workouts.

5. Organise your day

   Rather than having it in your mind that “I will exercise at some point today”, plan when you will exercise around your other daily tasks so that it has a set time and then stick to that. When the time comes to workout, if you’re not feeling ‘up for it’ just remember that more often than not you’ll only regret the workouts you skipped, not the ones you completed (even if it wasn’t your best!).

6. Give your body what it needs

   Now that we are working or studying from home it is easier to skip meals because we haven’t prepped, then head to the cupboards for a quick-fix meal that is nowhere near as nutritious as your usual choices. When we are out and about with our usual schedules, we often plan and prep our food intake better. Try to keep on top of planning your meals to keep your body fuelled sufficiently, whilst ensuring you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water . The NHS recommends 1.2ltrs per day – this will increase on days of exercise. Sufficient intake of food and water will have a positive effect on your focus and energy levels, resulting in higher productivity.

By putting the 6 tips above into action, you will give yourself a better chance of having a productive lockdown with your health and fitness.

Need some help with your fitness programme whilst in lockdown? Here at UoN we’ve got you covered! Visit our online Health and Wellbeing Homepage  where you can access an array of workout content produced by our Fitness Team. Alternatively, if you would like to connect with our fitness team please complete this form so we can better assess your needs and direct you to relevant content on our online hub, or connect you directly with an instructor to help you reach your health and fitness goals.

Stay safe and smash your goals!

To view a range of fitness sessions delivered by University of Nottingham Sport be sure to visit our Health and Wellbeing Home: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/sport/health-and-wellbeing-home.aspx

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