Lockdown has been a difficult time for everyone, and we are not yet out of the woods. Being stuck indoors for months on end has hurt both our mental and physical health, with our time outside being restricted to the bare minimum.

Many of us have been working from home during this time and have been getting used to a new way of doing things. However, with gyms and other sports settings closed, there has been limited opportunity to maintain our fitness – resulting in the dreaded lockdown weight gain. If you have put on a little bit around the waist, there is no need to worry as many will be in the same boat as you. Whether or not you are comfortable hitting the gym now that they are slowly reopening, there are still ways you can work on your fitness at home.

HIIT Training

HIIT sessions are fantastic for burning fat and only take up a short amount of your day. In just 20 minutes, you can complete a quick full-body workout which will go a long way in helping you achieve your fitness goals. You can incorporate equipment such as dumbbells, kettlebells and more, depending on what you are hoping to achieve, the space that you have available and your budget.

If you require a little inspiration, YouTube has many videos of HIIT sessions that you can follow from your living room (or any other area of your home you have ample space). Make sure you have plenty of water to hand, because HIIT training is all about working as hard as you can, so you will feel the burn once you have finished!

Meal Prep

Many of us in lockdown are finding that we have a lot more time to ourselves. However, if you are still busy during this time, added with the stress that a pandemic brings, the last thing you want to do in the evening is spend hours cooking in the kitchen. This is where meal prep comes in handy because it saves you a lot of time when you either cannot be bothered or you only have a small window to get yourself some food.

Dedicating one evening a week where you cook your meals for the week and freeze them not only helps you to eat healthier on those weeknights where all you want to do is order a pizza, but can also save you money. In these uncertain times, saving money is not something to turn your nose up at, especially if you have a family to feed.

Couch to 5K

You might have seen a few people on social media talking about taking part in the Couch to 5K challenge, with various apps available. This is a challenge for those who either don’t consider themselves to be runners or aren’t regular runners as a means of slowly building up your fitness, stamina and ultimately losing weight.

If you can’t run for a constant 5K, don’t worry, because the challenge is geared around building you up to that milestone. Through the weeks, you will complete shorter distances, both running and walking depending on your fitness level.

By incorporating a little more exercise along with an improved diet, you won’t have to worry about the dreaded lockdown weight gain. It is also important to remember that if you have changed from a more cardio-intensive regime to focus on strength, the weight you have gained is likely to be muscle, which weighs more than fat.