Staying fit and healthy is more important now than ever, but it requires consistency and a lot of work.
Consciously making the effort to maintain your wellbeing can be daunting, especially when you’re juggling family life, work and social commitments.
This year, people are increasingly preferring home workouts over hitting the gym. In fact, according to a recent study, 1 in 10 people have considered cancelling their gym memberships1, with many evolving their own workouts and favouring equipment-free exercises.
In collaboration with Nike trainer Naomi Heffernan, who recently partnered with Next to deliver a home workouts series, we’ve drawn up some resourceful tips to help you keep fit while balancing the pressures of childcare and working from home.
Tip 1: Set the scene for the day
Getting dressed in active-wear as soon as you wake up really sets the tone for the rest of your day. This way, you can ensure you are able to get your workout in at some point in between your daily tasks. Feeling like you’re ready to work out at any point throughout your day will encourage you to do so. For women who are working from home, you can wear a sweater or button up over your sports bra during your work meetings. That way, you will look like you mean business while always feeling ready for a quick workout whenever time allows. However, always ensure you’re dressed comfortably for your workouts. Naomi talks about the importance of wearing the correct kit when working out:
“A sports bra is probably the most important item if you’re working out. You want to make sure you are nice and secure, you are protected when you’re jumping around –you want to make sure you’re held in properly.”
In her workout videos Naomi wears the Nike Swoosh Sports Bra, a lightweight piece that features compressive fabric and sweat-wicking technology to help you stay dry during workouts.
Tip 2: Spread out your workouts into intervals
If a continuous full session of exercise is looking near impossible or you’ve missed a workout, don’t give up. You can still get some activity in by spreading out your workout into shorter bursts throughout the day.
Whether that’s a 30 minute HIIT workout, walking to the grocery store, or climbing up and down the stairs, you can still get that heart racing. This will ultimately keep you active throughout the day – every bit counts.
You could be a morning or evening person when it comes to working out and that’s perfectly fine, Naomi states that both have their benefits. The former facilitates that “post workout buzz” to kick-start your day and rev up your metabolism, while the latter is when energy levels are at their peak.
Tip 3: Have workout ideas and options ready to go
Preparation is key for any busy mummy or working woman. Be ready to take advantage of free time here and there by having a saved list of your favourite workouts and exercise routines. Having a pool of options prepared to pick from can save you loads of time from having to research and try and decide on the right workout for that specific day. Check out Next and Nike’s 5-week programme where you’ll find achievable, equipment-free workouts to do from the comfort of your own home.
Tip 4: Prioritise exercise
When it’s not a priority, you’ll always find excuses not to do it. Come to an agreement with yourself on your intentions behind staying fit. You might be doing it to feel stronger, to shed a couple pounds, to feel energized, or just to feel good! Whatever reason you have, constantly remind yourself of it and prioritise it every day. The power of intentions will keep you on track in the long run even on days where you slightly stray from the path of your wellbeing journey.
Tip 5: Know that rewards might be delayed
It’s worth remembering that it might take time to see results, and that’s okay. Physical transformation and betterment takes time, consistency and determination. While you might not see physical results instantly, the powerful impact that exercises can have on your mental and emotional well-being can be felt straight away.
The mental and emotional improvements that come with exercising are especially important because they can transform your energy and the course of your day. That said, for mothers especially, your children absorb your actions and daily habits as they begin to form their own self-identity. Seeing mummy enjoying a workout will have long-term benefits on their attitudes towards exercise and self-care.
If you found this useful, be sure to check out the rest of We Are The City’s posts on working out, career advice, education and loads of other gender-related content. You can also visit the Nike x Next workouts hub if you’re interested in following Naomi Heffernan’s workout routines and learning from her educational videos on staying healthy and fuelling your body with the right nutrients.
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