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Exercise motivation

Returning to physical exercise post-lockdown

For a lot of people, exercise motivation has plummeted during a prolonged lockdown. In light of this, many of our exercise habits have changed during the past 7 months.  We’ve all tried our best to stay active during COVID. Whether it be walking blocks or running laps of our suburbs. Perhaps it was Zoom exercise classes or 1:1 sessions. For many, it was using an exercising app or following a Youtube workout. Some of us stuck to our goals during this time. However, others lost their exercise motivation as the weeks started to stack up. With many restrictions being lifted, now is the perfect time to create new exercise goals and get back into your routine.

Have you lost your exercise motivation post-lockdown?

At different times we experience peaks and troughs in motivation. Peaks occur when we get excited about things. With the lockdown lifting, we may be heading towards a peak in our motivation levels. This will enable us to perform harder tasks or take on challenges. The strength of the motivation peak is time-limited. With this in mind, you need to act quickly before the peak subsides. When our motivation peaks flatten out, our ability to complete challenging tasks subsequently reduces.

Ways to increase our exercise motivation

Different people will respond to different cues for motivation. Here are just a few to help get you motivated:

  • Set small short term goals
  • Exercise with friends
  • Make your exercise fun and enjoyable
  • Eat well – information about our dietician, Bella, can be found here: https://www.chowbellanutrition.net
  • Buy some new workout clothes
  • See a professional for guidance

Take time getting back into a routine

It is really important to start off small.  Don’t try and launch back into everything you were doing prior to lockdown. Lockdown can cause significant strength and fitness losses, which puts you at a higher risk for injury. Come and see one of our Physiotherapists to reassess your goals and create a safe and effective exercise plan. Getting back into regular exercise following time off can cause DOMS. DOMS stands for ‘delayed onset muscle soreness’. This occurs as muscles regain strength and is usually noticed 24-72 hours following exercising. We recommend continuing with light exercise to reduce the stiffness and pain that DOMS causes.

Hopefully, after reading this blog, you will have renewed exercise motivation! When starting a new program, it is important that you listen to your body. Our team of Physiotherapists is excited to help you reach your post-lockdown fitness goals. 

~ Alex

You may find this blog on mental health and exercise of interest . . https://portmelbournephysio.com.au/mental-health-and-exercise/

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