Winter 2020

Out&About wellbeing

FITNESS

VICKI BROWN empowers you with tools to help you stay on top of your movement and overall wellbeing during winter

W inter is more challenging at the best of times when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but 2020 could be even harder. I’m going to show you some small techniques that you can turn to when the need arises – you can do them alone or team up with friends and family. Here are some things that you might like to try: • Try a digital detox for a week to help with sleep – do not take your phone into the bedroom and/or stop using your phone after a set time each evening. •Go to sleep and wake up at a similar time every day for a week. • Walk 10,000 steps a day for a week – or set your own target lower or higher that works as a personal achievable challenge. • Choose a different form of movement for each day of the week. • Meditate for 10 minutes every day. • Keep a journal for a month. • Complete 5 minutes of movement every day after you get up. • Each week have a self-care routine: light a candle, take a bath, read a book. • Get in touch with a different friend or family member each week to connect with others. • Join some online classes or challenges to help stay accountable through the winter months (The LiveFitNow Club is entirely online) 5-minute movement routines Strength: Focus on each of these movements for one minute (rest as needed) Squats

let your hands and head hang heavy, legs straight

2 Quad stretch – take hold of your foot in your hand, bringing your foot up behind you towards your buttocks, stand up tall, knees drawn together 3 Chest stretch – put your hands on your lower back and gently squeeze your elbows towards each other 4 Neck stretches – chin to chest, look to ceiling, ear to shoulder repeating on both sides, look over your shoulder repeating on both sides) 5 Reach up towards the ceiling (stand tall, reaching your fingertips up towards the ceiling) challenges? Warning: may cause competitiveness and pre-event training requirement. 1 Who can hold a plank (safely) for the longest time? 2 Who can hold a wall sit – legs at 90 degrees – for the longest time? 3 Who can do the most press ups in one minute? 4 Who can do the most burpees in one minute? 5 How about a game of charades? Movement does not have to feel like exercise, in fact it can be fun. 6 Have a ‘dance off’. Plan and practice some moves and hold a mini group competition. Zoom Party Game Ideas How about some movement Give yourself time and space when you need to. Know that you can take control of a few simple things to help your own health and wellbeing. Have a think about what you want to do, and buddying up with people who want to achieve similar outcomes can help you to enjoy the process even more.

“buddying up with people who want to achieve similar oucomes can help you to enjoy the process even more”

Cardio: Each movement can be complete high or low impact, focus on each for one minute.

High knees Star jumps

Sidestep Burpees Mountain climbers

Calf raises Press ups Tricep dips Sit ups

Stretch: (take your time in each position, at least 20-30 seconds) 1 Hang down towards the floor –

Vicki Brown runs: LiveFitNow, Wash Common, Newbury. Telephone: 07879 447829. www.LiveFitNow.co.uk

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O&A WINTER 2020