Home and away: Five workout tips
We know it’s not easy to stick to your exercise routine when you’re away from home. Maybe you moved in with family or friends during lockdown. Or perhaps you’re planning to spend time with relatives over Christmas and New Year (let’s be optimistic…). Wherever you are, the KBPT team has some great suggestions for keeping you motivated.
1. Make exercise a priority
Schedule your workout into your day and stick to it. If you’re a morning person, do it as soon as you get up. You might even find it useful to put it in your calendar or set a reminder on your phone, just as you would a work call or other important appointment. Check with everyone you’re staying with so that it won’t bother them – they might not want to be disturbed when you go for an early morning run or do star jumps at bedtime!
2. Use what you have
Don’t worry if you don’t have access to any gym equipment, there are lots of alternatives. Use cans of soup or bottles of water as weights. Find a local running or cycling route rather than using a treadmill or exercise bike. Do an online HIIT class or yoga session. Make the most of your body weight – you don’t need any equipment to do push-ups, planks, lunges, squats, and loads of other exercises. And finally, don’t forget that KBPT offers remote personal training via Skype and FaceTime.
3. Find a fitness buddy
Just as you might go for a run or go to the gym with a mate when you’re at home, why not find someone to be your fitness buddy while you’re away? A relative or a friend who lives locally might be up for exercising together. Make sure that whatever you do suits both of you – it should be challenging but not too hard that it puts them off joining you next time! Doing physical activities with someone else can be both motivating and fun.
4. Keep track of your progress
Knowing how far you’ve come is key to the success of your workouts. If you have a smartwatch, it’s easy to record what you do each day. Otherwise, you could download an app, such as Asana Rebel or Runkeeper. As well as letting you set your own goals, tech devices, and apps can provide motivational prompts, help you keep a record of your progress, and might even offer an online community for that all-important peer support.
5. Give yourself some time off
If you’re away for the festive season, don’t put too much pressure on yourself when it comes to your fitness routine. Stay active, yes, but also have some lazy afternoons on the sofa. Go for a walk or a gentle bike ride. Do some yoga or stretching. Don’t worry, it can take a few weeks to lose any fitness gains you’ve made previously. And remember to get enough sleep – this is one of the best things you can do for both your physical and mental health.
If you’d like to treat a loved one to some personal training sessions with KBPT, please email kate@kbpersonaltraining.co.uk
