Our new normal…
As we entering week 5 of lockdown we are settling in to a new and unusual normal and a different type of routine is bedding in. It has been an especially bumpy few weeks and if you are anything like me there have been a few sleepless nights with stress and anxiety levels reaching new heights.
I had a steep learning curve in the first few weeks, moving my client session online to Zoom or Skype and putting a few clients on hold while they adjust to the changes. Adapting to sessions utilising furniture and using bodyweight exercises can still give a reassuringly challenging workout!
Now that I have mostly adapted to working with my clients online, I have found myself looking for comfort and routine in my own exercise sessions and mindful hobbies to help cope. But, adapting to the change has been energy draining and, as much as I know that moving my body will help me feel and sleep better, I’ve found now more than ever that I need a helping hand to get going.
We don’t know how long this new normal will last and when or whether we will be able to return to our old version of normal, so fitting in a new temporary structure to day to day life is feeling particularly appealing.
Did you know even personal trainers have personal trainers? That includes me and my trainer, and many other fitness professionals I know. I get a great deal from my one to one session and I attend group training sessions, where I don’t have to be the motivator.
We all know how easy it is to let ourselves off that final round of repetitions – ‘no one will know and we have already done a good workout’ we reassure ourselves. It’s also really easy to make an excuse that we need a day off and we can do a workout tomorrow. When I did my day job (9-5 at a computer) I would spend hours debating whether a workout or getting home early from my day was the best thing for my brain and body. I spent ages posturing and would sometimes cancel workout plans but then regret the missed workout.
I regretted these missed sessions not because I wanted to stay in shape but because of the stress relief and mood boosting endorphins that came with the workout, were so worth the time. Now that I work in the fitness industry myself, it doesn’t mean that this has instantly disappeared. I am quiet often tired from sessions with clients but I do know that it’s different working out with a client and doing a session for myself. Some days I just need a helping hand – this is when I most appreciate my sessions with my trainer.
Motivation, like energy levels fluctuate hourly, daily, weekly, especially when there is so much anxiety and uncertainty in the current unprecedented climate. That is where having someone to be accountable to really helps.
It is widely accepted that exercise is so good for our brains, for using up some of the extra adrenaline that is circulating our systems at present, for helping us sleep better, for improved mental function, an improved sense of wellbeing and happiness, through the production of serotonin. These benefits are so important at the moment with such a monumental shift in our daily lives but we might not really feel like prioritising ourselves in this way right now and that’s where I can help.
Accountability can come in different shapes and sizes – working out with a friend, trying something new in a group environment or working with a trainer one to one can help us all.
If you are looking for someone to be accountable to and to motivate you to exercise more, I can help. I am offering a free consultation chat and a half price first session if you would like to try out online personal training.
Please email me on info@revolutions.fit to arrange a free consultation.
