Has lockdown given you the opportunity to develop better, healthier habits? As restrictions ease, here’s how to keep those habits going.
When England first went into lockdown, few of us predicted that there would be any plus points to the situation.
More than a year later, many people are realising that this period of enforced restriction has left us with more positive healthier habits.
But lockdown is easing, and we will soon be back in some kind of normality.
If you’ve developed better eating, sleeping, or activity habits, try to keep them going.
5 Areas Of Healthy Lockdown Habits
1.) Nutrition
Has lockdown had a positive impact on your eating habits?
With cafes and restaurants shut, and less opportunity to “nip to the shops”, we’ve all had a chance to knock bad habits on the head.
Out go takeaways, ready meals, and quick-grab snacks. In come meal planning, home cooking, and healthy new recipes.
2.) Training
Can gyms being shut really help our training habits?
I’ve seen my clients train more regularly and with more focus now they have to train at home.
We’ve all learned that home training can be just as effective as going to the gym – plus it takes less time out of our busy days.
3.) Activity
Walking seems to have become the national pastime over the past year! Have you developed a healthy new walking habit that’s increased your step count and daily activity? It’s a great habit that we should all try to continue.
4.) Sleep
I can understand that the anxiety of Covid has played havoc with many people’s sleep quality.
On the other hand, lack of commute might mean you have been getting more sleep.
If your sleep routine has improved over lockdown, think about taking this forward.
5.) Self-Development
Lockdown has prompted many of us to think about our futures, how we want to work, what our priorities are, and where we want to focus our time.
It has also given some people more time to read, study, and learn.
If lockdown has helped you make big decisions about your life, be sure to carry this over into post-lockdown life.
Maintaining Habits After Lockdown
Will you revert to your old routines after lockdown?
Or will you keep with your positive new nutrition, exercise, and health habits?
These things don’t just happen. Here are some tips to make it happen.
Sleep More
Maintain your lockdown sleep routine by going to bed at the same time and winding down in the same way.
Don’t let old habits creep back in. Protect your sleep routine.
If you need to get up earlier post-lockdown, try going to bed 30 minutes earlier.
Remind yourself how great it feels to get enough sleep and feel rested. You can hang on to that feeling.
Plan Your Meals
Cooking everything at home might be getting boring, but it’s actually a really healthy way to eat.
Once a week, plan your meals to make sure your food is healthy, nutritious, and budget-friendly. Have 2-3 go-to breakfast and lunch choices that are quick and easy.
Then decide on healthy, home-cooked evening meals that you’ll enjoy making – and eating!
Cook From Scratch
Most of us are looking forward to eating out, but try to keep more home cooking in your post-lockdown routine.
Home cooking means you can control the calories and nutrients in your food, which is absolutely key for any body transformation.
Eat more vegetables and plant foods.
Experiment with batch cooking and slow cookers. Enjoy finding tasty, healthy recipes that taste just as good as restaurant food.
Walk More
Once life gets back to normal, how can you keep more walking in your daily routine?
It’s going to be easy to get back to our busy, pre-covid schedules, so make a real effort to find 30 minutes for a brisk walk.
Walking has so many benefits apart from burning calories – it’s great for heart health, fat loss, mindset, stress, and long-term health.
Work Out At Home
Home workouts have been a breakthrough hit of lockdown – and there’s no reason not to keep them in your schedule forever.
All of my clients work out at home, whether they have a home gym with equipment or do bodyweight and HIIT training.
Home workouts save on time, fuel, and childcare. Win/win!
Mindfulness
For many people, lockdown has presented the opportunity to embed good habits around self-development, reading, journaling, and mindfulness.
Which aspects of your lockdown routine have helped you feel more connected, focused, and present?
Write these down, look at how they currently fit into your day, and plan ahead to structure them into your future routine.
My fitness and body transformation coaching is rooted in self-development.
I would love to help you create healthy habits beyond lockdown.
Message me and let’s set up a time to chat.
Coach Joseph Webb.
‘The number one rated Personal Trainer In Henley and Oxfordshire’
