The phrase ‘New Year, New Me’ is often uttered throughout January, but with long, grey days and a new nationwide lockdown it can be hard to find the willpower to work out regularly. Try our five easy ways to stay on track with exercise at home, and you can fulfil your 2021 health and fitness hopes...
Make a schedule
Start the week by scheduling the days you would like to work out. Perhaps you’ll kickstart your morning with a run before work, or factor in a live aerobics class during your lunch break. Similarly, a Pilates or yoga class can be a great way to unwind and separate a busy day of home-schooling from an evening 'off duty'. By making your own calendar, you become more accountable and you'll find satisfaction in crossing off each session you’ve completed. You could even set reminder alarms on your phone as a trigger.
Mix it up
Keeping your workouts varied will ensure you won’t get bored or plateau. Results Wellness Lifestyle, the fitness programme founded by ex-TOWIE star Lucy Mecklenburgh and her personal trainer Cecilia Harris, features over 1000 exercise videos with fun, engaging classes including Tighten and Tone, Hiit Harder and New Beginnings for those taking their first strides into exercise. HELLO! readers can enjoy a free 30-day trial, plus specially discounted rates for subscriptions to the programme and its accompanying app. Pay £19.99 for one month plus 30 days free trial, £44.99 for 3 months (25% off) plus 30 days free trial or £119.99 for 12 months (50% off) plus 30 days free trial.
Find some me-time and factor in a home workout – even if you're joined by a guest star like Lucy Mecklenburgh and son Roman
Don’t go it alone
Joining a livestream workout or a friend via Zoom will give you the added motivation to commit to a class, plus it’s more fun than working out alone. Results Wellness Lifestyle offers a team of dedicated fitness professionals to offer you extra encouragement – and it will mirror the experience of a one-to-one personal training session while gyms are closed.
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Keep your goals in mind
Whether you have an event – like a holiday or family wedding – approaching later this year, or you are setting a goal to maintain your fitness and mental health in the long-term, it helps to visualise the end result. Imagine a dream outfit you would like to wear to that party, or a challenge you’ll be able to tackle once you’ve worked on your health – that 5K run or even The London Marathon are never out of reach!
Reward yourself
Finally, it’s important to build small rewards into your routine to keep enthusiasm up. Try not to make these food-related but more focused around activities: watching your favourite film, enjoying an at-home pamper session or perhaps treating yourself to a new item of clothing once you’ve completed a set number of workouts. That way, along with the added bonus of improved health and a welcome endorphin hit, you’ll feel like you’ve really earned the treat you’ve been looking forward to.
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