Fitness for me has always been a love hate relationship. I love the way it makes me feel, but I hate the lack of motivation I have to start any session! Having said that, I have tried really hard in the last couple of months whilst in lockdown to get back in shape and start to feel like myself again.
After having my third child in December last year though, it finally dawned on me that getting in shape was much harder work than it used to be. Not only that but I have had to accept that what my body used to look like is no longer a reality. Honestly, I am in awe of my body for carrying and bringing my children safely into the world (and eternally grateful being able to do so), but that doesn't mean I find it easy to accept the changes to my body as a result of my pregnancies.
Fitness has therefore been a way to focus my mind on the miracle of the body I have, rather than critiquing it.
It has also helped me to stave off more negative feelings as a result of the challenges faced in lockdown, so I thought I'd share some of my favourite home workouts which require very little equipment, together with a couple of my workout looks.
1// Kayla Itsines BBG (Bikini Body Guide)
This is a 12 week workout plan giving you Hiit circuits for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays of each week. There are two circuits per workout and each circuit should be repeated twice over meaning as a result you end up doing 28 minutes of Hiit training in total. The training focusses on different areas of the body each day, for example legs & cardio, arms & abs or full body and on Tuesdays and Thursdays you are then encouraged to do lower intensity exercise for 35-45 minutes as opposed to Hiit training again.
I find this a great plan because the shorter sessions are easier to fit in and don't feel as hard to motivate yourself to do. Don't get me wrong they can be hard work but I feel better for doing it afterwards!
2// Fiit
I have being using the Fiit app for a fews weeks now and love the variety you get in the form of different types of exercise focussing on different areas of the body, to the length of classes and choice of trainers available. I have been mainly doing the pre recorded cardio and yoga sessions which are great, but if you need more motivation they also have over 40 group classes scheduled everyday. In those classes you can train with friends and try to climb the leadership board by working harder and gaining more Fiit points, and if that isn't motivating I don't know what is!
A definite plus of the Fiit app is that if you only have a tiny bit of time to exercise then you have the choice of a 10 minute class, but if you have more time you can opt for a 40 minute class. So you basically train to suit your timeframe and needs which is perfect for me with time constraints because of family life.
3// Walks with the Family
One of my favourite forms of exercise though is a walk with my family. I think the last few months have been a really testing time for most people but there's something to be said for the fresh air on your face and a chance to absorb everything around you with the people you love. That said, even enjoying a walk on your own to re-ground yourself and appreciate the small things just breathes some light into difficult times and certainly allows my mind to re-set a little.
We've been around the block, discovered woodlands near our house we never knew we there, and also gone further afield to some beautiful areas, but one thing is for sure.........every time without fail we've managed to forget our stresses for a while and be in the moment just enjoying the small things like our kids do. In fact it's them who have reminded us to do that!
If you would like anymore information on anything I have mentioned including my sportswear which I rate highly for performance and sustainability, then please do get in touch.