How To Adapt To a Changing World

We all have our fair share of personal challenges. When COVID-19 reached our shores a few months ago, we were warned that outbreaks would likely come in waves.

To complicate matters, we’re also experiencing ongoing human-made and natural disasters around the world. In such times of uncertainty, we need to do our best to control what is controllable and accept those things that we have no control over.

One of the things that we do have control over is our health and fitness routine. No matter what situation we might find ourselves in during the coming weeks and months, if we take some time to prepare in advance, we can take comfort from the steps that we have taken. Obstacles can be seen as opportunities to grow in many new ways. 

During lockdown, many people realised that maintaining a focus on their health and fitness was more crucial than ever. We saw many people take to their local footpaths and develop a new appreciation for what they have on their doorstep. 

It became even more important to set boundaries between home and work life. We often had little to no physical separation between work and home. People found themselves spending longer hours in their home office than ever before. A great strategy is to keep your commute time as normal. If during a normal workday you leave home at 7 am and get to work by 7.45 am, then do the same when you are working from home. Leave home at 7 am, go for a 45-minute walk and then arrive at the ‘office’ by 7:45 am. Do the same for your commute home. Use this time to off-load your working day and relax for your time at home.

Set yourself up with an environment conducive to your health and well-being. This might include equipment, an app or a personal trainer. Since lockdown, I have added a set of adjustable dumbbells to my ‘home gym’. I now feel that I have what I need for my own routine and to demonstrate exercises to my clients. 

During lockdown, I worked with many clients with varying levels of contact time and equipment. One person that I trained remotely once a week with great success, only had a Swiss ball, but we added furniture into the mix too. Overhead squat presses can be done with a dining room chair; just check the ceiling height first!

Here’s what a couple of recent clients had to say after remote training.

“Ian and I have trained together for several years. When we were instructed to plan for lockdown, Ian worked with me to make sure we could retain a routine from home.
 
I sourced all the exercise gear I had at home, and Ian worked out how to incorporate it all into a workout plan.  We used
 
•    Kettlebell
•    Swiss ball
•    Roller
•    Mat
•    2 x sets of dumbbells
 
We stuck to our regular schedule (twice weekly). Ian kept the workout varied as always, and it ensured I made time to take breaks from my home workstation.”  ~ Kath

“Over lockdown, instead of a gym full of equipment to work with, Ian was faced with designing workouts to be done in a house with very minimal gym gear! I really enjoyed the challenging, interesting and varied workouts he set each fortnight. Ian patiently talked these through online and sent photos of the exercises. My recent purchase of a TRX suspension trainer from Habit has been a great decision, extending the possibilities of exercising at home.” ~ Gabrielle

Keep Moving Forward with Your Fitness Goals
Book a Habit Personal Trainer
 

As we deal with what is thrown at us in the coming days and weeks, my advice is to take some time to make a realistic plan for your health and fitness. Make this a priority, as we never know how long we might be living under restrictions. Contact a Habit Personal Trainer to get an idea of what equipment you might want to get hold of. Get help with setting up an exercise routine that will work for you. Run through a programme with the Personal Trainer and decide if a set appointment might be a wise choice, be it a fortnightly catch-up or on a more regular basis.

You can access all things Habit from the MyHabit app. Book time with a personal trainer, check out a group fitness class, connect to our Facebook community page, find a physiotherapist, access your membership portal and more. We continue to build the MyHabit app with you in mind, so try it out and let us know what you think.

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