{"id":624823,"date":"2020-06-08T06:05:00","date_gmt":"2020-06-08T05:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/?p=624823"},"modified":"2020-11-08T09:32:03","modified_gmt":"2020-11-08T09:32:03","slug":"how-to-stay-active-and-healthy-during-the-lockdown-7-tips-you-can-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/how-to-stay-active-and-healthy-during-the-lockdown-7-tips-you-can-use\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Stay Active and Healthy During the Lockdown: 7 Tips You Can Use"},"content":{"rendered":"

Photo by Nathan Cowley<\/span><\/span> from Pexels<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The world may feel as though it\u2019s been turned upside down due to the pandemic. And for those who love sport, the transition from attending the gym regularly or sports matches (such as rugby<\/a><\/span><\/span>) to essentially nothing might feel difficult.<\/p>\n

But for anyone that wants to stay healthy and active during this time, there are still things that you can do \u2013 thanks to modern technology and the fact that nature is surrounding us. So where do you start with this? If you\u2019re stuck for inspiration, then here are 7 tips that you can use throughout the pandemic and beyond:
\nSet Realistic Goals
\nBefore you get started, you want to set out realistic goals. As everyday life is so different from what it was before, you now need to adjust your expectations for both your diet and exercise.<\/p>\n

Lay out goals that are specific, measurable and attainable. You can then determine what exercise works for you, along with what weekly diet you follow.
\nUse an App
\nAs aforementioned, in the modern-day there is technology available to help you stay fit and healthy. Not only are there apps like MyFitnessPal<\/a><\/span><\/span> that track your exercise and what you eat, but virtual workout apps that include instructor-led classes.<\/p>\n

From simple stretches to fat-burning workouts, you can keep active whilst in the comfortable (and safety) of your own home. Although many of these classes cost, there are certain ones available for free \u2013 so you don\u2019t have to worry about splashing the cash whilst you\u2019re on a budget.
\nRefrain From Excess
\nAt the moment, it might be tempting to rely on takeaways, drink more alcohol than you should and increase your caffeine intake to keep up with the ever-changing daily routine. But by doing this, you\u2019re only damaging yourself in the long term. With unhealthy eating, it will make you feel sluggish, whereas with caffeine you\u2019ll likely sleep poorly \u2013 leading you to wake up the next day feeling anxious and irritable.<\/p>\n

Therefore, it\u2019s vital that you refrain from excess during this time. Whatever you can do to be the best version of yourself, even when times are uncertain, the better you\u2019ll physically feel after the lockdown comes to an end.<\/p>\n

Stay Connected
\nNot only is it important to try and stay physically healthy, but it\u2019s vital to stay mentally healthy. As so many people are away from their loved ones, it\u2019s easy to feel isolated and lonely throughout the lockdown. Which is why it\u2019s so essential to stay connected \u2013 even though it\u2019s only virtually at the moment.
\nCatching up with friends and family is very beneficial for both your mental health and theirs. Plus, it will make it that bit more wonderful when you finally get to see them in person again.
\nEnjoy Nature<\/p>\n

As well as trying virtual workouts, it\u2019s a good idea to go out into nature and enjoy a run, walk or jog when you can. Of course, when doing this you should social distance. But as long as you\u2019re doing this, there\u2019s no reason why you can\u2019t enjoy some outdoor exercise each day.<\/p>\n

By heading out it will also give you a break from the four walls of your home \u2013 something that everyone can benefit from throughout the lockdown.
\nEat Sensibly<\/p>\n

Following on from the above, it\u2019s important during the lockdown to eat as healthily as possible. Not only should you aim to eat your 5 vegetables and fruit a day, but also not to increase your portion size.<\/p>\n

Whilst working out, you may also want to invest in the best protein powder<\/a><\/span><\/span> \u2013 whether you\u2019re looking for vegan protein powder, meal replacements, etc. This will perfectly complement your workouts and give you the vitamins that you need to retain your healthy lifestyle.
\nTake Time For Yourself to Relax
\nAlongside working out and eating healthily, you also need to take time for yourself to relax. Self-care is a major factor in keeping healthy \u2013 both physically and mentally. So whatever you can do to try and relax and unwind during this time, will be worth doing.<\/p>\n

This can be anything from reading a book to relaxing with some soothing music. From doing this, you\u2019ll notice the difference in how you feel almost instantly afterwards.
\nFinal Thoughts
\nSo, there you go! Those are 7 simple tips that you can use to help you to stay active and healthy during this time. What you decide to do, of course, is up to you. But whatever steps you take, you\u2019ll be on the path to success both during the lockdown and in the future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Photo by Nathan Cowley from Pexels The world may feel as though it\u2019s been turned upside down due to the pandemic. And for those who love sport, the transition from attending the gym regularly or sports matches (such as rugby) to essentially nothing might feel difficult. But for anyone that wants to stay healthy and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":624824,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-624823","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ulster-rugby"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/624823","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=624823"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/624823\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":637356,"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/624823\/revisions\/637356"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/624824"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=624823"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=624823"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.intouchrugby.com\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=624823"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}