If you’ve spent most of lockdown slumped in front of your work laptop eating crisps and chocolate, don’t worry, you’re not the only one. With the end of lockdown seemingly on the horizon (fingers crossed!), you may be wondering how you can get fit fast. Read on to find out how you can get into shape before social events resume:
Get walking
As a form of exercise, walking is seriously underrated. You can burn a high number of calories by just taking a leisurely stroll in the park, without even breaking a sweat. The key is consistency - try to walk for at least half an hour every day and invest in a Fitbit so you can track the number of steps you’re taking. Set yourself daily or weekly targets and try to beat them when you can. You can easily fit walking into your daily routine, whether it’s taking a brisk walk during your lunch break or parking your car slightly further away from your destination than you normally would, it’s pretty easy to rank up the numbers on your pedometer.
Find a running buddy
Going for a run a couple of times a week is a great way to burn fat and improve your cardiovascular health. Sometimes though, just getting your trainers on and getting out the door is easier said than done. Finding a running buddy will create a sense of accountability and when you’ve arranged to go for a run, it will be much harder to back out at the last minute. For beginners, it’s worth downloading a couch to 5k app and starting small to make sure you don’t injure yourself. Always remember to keep socially distanced with your running buddy for as long as government restrictions apply.
Try virtual classes
Attending virtual fitness classes is a great way to get fit from the comfort of your own home. You can take your pick from a wide variety of classes and find the perfect ones to suit your fitness levels and personality. If you’re looking to burn fat quickly, opt for a HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) class, if you’re looking to stretch out those muscles and achieve a sense of calm in this crazy world, why not give yoga a go? Lockdown has actually widened our choices as we no longer have to factor in how long it will take us to get to the gym; simply do a quick Google search and find the class that works for you.
Spring clean your house
News just in; spring cleaning actually improves fitness and helps you lose weight. You might not think whipping around with the hoover or running around with a feather duster is having any impact on your health, but doing these things is actually an excellent form of exercise. Not only does cleaning help keep you in shape, but you also get the added benefit of a lovely clean home. If that’s not a reason to do a big spring clean, we don’t know what is.
Over the last year, whilst the gyms were shut, we arranged various tasks and challenges to keep our members moving. This included our very own couch to 5k, a ‘beat loneliness’ walking club and a wide range of virtual exercise classes, streamed daily from our members-only Facebook page.
What are you doing to improve your fitness before lockdown ends? If you’re looking to join a gym with a pulse, get in touch or connect with us on social media for helpful tips and advice.