It can be difficult to keep motivated during isolation to stay active and eat well. Whilst we are all doing the best we can to stay healthy and safe during this difficult time – is there an opportunity here for us to find new and healthier ways to live? For those of us in self-isolation, we may need a few ideas to keep our motivation strong. We spoke to Nicola and Chelsee from our team, to see what they're doing to keep motivated!
Nicola's tips for staying motivated during isolation
See the opportunity – yes this is really hard and though we cannot control what is going on around us we can control how we respond to it. If we can shift our mindset to ‘What can I do?’ from ‘I can’t do anything!’ we will find that there are things that we have always wanted to do but never had the time before
Set new habits – get into a healthy routine; make your bed every-day, wash up every day, make a healthy breakfast, start reading a couple of chapters of a book every morning instead of watching the news, drink 10 glasses of water per day, the list is endless and completely up to you!
Set challenges – I started last week with challenging myself to do press ups, lunges and squats every day – last week it was 20 of each, this week it’s 40, next week 60 and so on. There are also some great work out routines out there. We will also be posting some of our very own soon.
Utilise every corner of your space – you may want to set out a little office, gym, craft or reading corner. If you are living in this space for the next 12 weeks get your money’s worth and utilise every inch!
Stay connected – we live in a digital age, we have chance now to use this to its full advantage – skype, zoom, whereby, houseparty, facetime – all of these and many more help us to connect face to face virtually. Write letters, emails, texts etc. Collaborate on ideas and projects. Reach out and make time to connect.
Where possible check out different websites that have loads of ideas, sites like Pinterest have recipes, craft ideas and tutorials, YouTube has loads of how-to videos – Use this time to learn an instrument, if you don’t have an instrument… learn to beatbox or body and cup percussion, junk percussion with household items.
Listen! – Radio (there is a channel for every musical and non- musical taste), podcasts and audio books – Never before has there been such a rich variety for us to choose from. Dust off your vinyl collection, wake up the CD player.
Whatever you choose to do with your time at them moment do it with passion, compassion and kindness. Stay safe 😊
Chelsee's tips for staying motivated during isolation
My situation also mirrors Nicola’s. During these challenging times complete isolation can be tough! Before going into isolation, I had embarked myself on a journey to change my lifestyle and prioritising my health. I am committed to still doing that!
My first tip would be to ensure our well being is maintained! Myself, like many others, tend to overeat or look for food that provides us comfort in times of distress. This last week has been anxiety provoking to say the least. Whilst it’s very important to stay up to date with current affairs and daily updates, I found myself glued to news and my anxiety levels rising by the minute. My approach is to now limit my media exposure by checking in just twice daily and instead find comfort in surrounding myself with things that make me feel calm and relaxed. For me, this is:- music, my beloved dog (when he’s not being monkey), calming smells – be that a candle I have burning or food I am cooking and the outdoors – super easy whilst we’re being blessed with this nice weather, my patio doors are open all day! I can work outside and take my break by diving into a chapter of the current book I am reading!
My second tip would be to be kind on ourselves. If you are committed to being motivated in your health journey, it’s important to allow room for the occasional slip or the enjoyment of that guilt free treat – particularly at a time like now when social events and visiting our favourite restaurants are – for good reason – a distant memory. If you want that piece of chocolate; do so! But remember, moderation is key! And whilst our weekends and days are rolling into one, why not try your hand at the next Master Chef – have a little fun with old, new or experimental recipes!
My third tip is to be as active as you can! It’s important to keep moving whilst we’re restricted to our homes. I’m very fortunate to have my puppy who certainly keeps me active! When I’m not running around the house chasing him for whatever shoe or slipper he is using as a toy; we will go for a walk. Current government guidelines state you’re allowed out once a day for exercise, so I use this time to walk my dog. We’re used to twice a day 30-minute walks, so now we make sure to make full use of our one and go for slightly longer. For those of you who don’t have the luxury of owning a hypoactive mischievous puppy, can you do some gardening and take advantage of the sunshine?! Alternatively, there are loads of incredible resources online for different types of activity and for all levels. And finally, is now a good time to scrub up on those dancing skills? Dance like nobody’s watching (literally)!
Final tip to stay motivated during isolation... Sign up to a FREE Lose Weight With Achieve course! We are still running courses (Via Zoom) and taking referrals so why not sign up today! http://bit.ly/Get-Started-Achieve
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