Simple changes can help you maintain your weight and fitness levels

As more of us are still working from home, it’s important to ensure we keep up our fitness regime and dedicate a section of our day to exercise. Despite having more time on our hands now that we’re not commuting, it can be tempting to spend that time lying horizontally! Whilst our journey to the office might have once been a ten-minute walk from the station, for many of us, this journey is now a walk down the stairs. To help you make up for lost steps and exercise, we caught up with Head Trainer and Co-Owner of F45 Stratford, Sam Gregory, who offers his expert advice on how to ensure your fitness regime stays on track whilst working from home.

Be Realistic: It’s important to remember that it can be tempting to eat more at home than you would if you were working from the office. The fridge is that much closer to your desk, and it’s probably not filled with other people’s Tupperware, as well as your own! This should not fill you with dread, as you’ll get used to your change of environment and possibly your change in routine. Be patient and give yourself some time to adjust to your new workspace, it’s okay if this takes a few days – don’t be too hard on yourself.

Try Fasted Cardio: When you’re working from home, your daily step count will naturally drop. The good news is that there are easy ways you can counteract the damage. For example, I would recommend you adapt your training regime by opting for a morning cardio session on an empty stomach, as depleted state interval training burns significantly more body fat than training after you’ve eaten. You could also try taking part in a HIIT class, that will help you burn around 800 calories in a short space of time, you can see the classes available by visiting F45 Training

Ramp Up Your Resistance Training: If you feel like you’re snacking more since working from home, your body might be in a positive calorie balance, i.e., more calories coming in than going out. These are the ideal conditions to help build muscle, which is why most summer bodies are made in the winter! Use this to your advantage and get down to the gym to lift some weights, as and when you can.

Incorporate Certain Exercises: If you’re snacking on foods that you wouldn’t normally eat in the office, it is a good idea to incorporate large compound exercises into your resistance training. This includes squats, deadlifts, push ups, chin ups, lunges and shoulder presses. These movements have a much greater ‘anabolic’ effect, meaning you’ll recruit more muscles and burn more calories, even during your rest period.

Eat Your Greens: A really great way to stay healthy is by filling up your plate with all the vegetables that you can find. Vegetables are full of insoluble fibre, which not only fills you help but also helps to transport excess waste. There are also very strong links between good gut health and improved mental wellbeing, so you are doing yourself the world of good by incorporating vegetables into your daily diet.