It’s the 2nd of April 2020 and I write this from my living room because we are firmly in the grips of a Coronavirus Pandemic. We have been advised to stay in our houses if we can apart from essential grocery shopping, collecting medication or to exercise once a day. Businesses are collapsing, schools are closed and people are finding ways to work from home, deliver business online or getting to grips with a word we had never even heard of two weeks ago – being furloughed.
Here we have transitioned to online personal training and bootcamp classes but like many other businesses we lost well over half our business within a matter of days (has anyone figured out how we can deliver sports massage over the internet yet?!).
This has got lots of us stressed, anxious, nervous and worried. People are worried about the virus, their loved ones, their income, their 
bills, homeschooling their children, proving themselves in their job, keeping their job or for some trying to find a new one. We all know someone on the front line and hear the horror stories and sadly now most of us know someone who has the virus itself. It is a difficult time to say the least.
The fitness industry as a whole has jumped two feet in. Stacks of celebrity trainers are offering online fitness, lots of which is free. People are dusting off dumbbells from under the bed, lacing up running shoes they haven’t used for years and there are so many bikes on the road. The once a day exercise all of a sudden feels so valuable. But what if that’s not you? What if this whole scenario has got you feel low, blue, totally lacking in motivation and seeing everyone on Instagram prance about doing burpees in their living room makes you feel even worse?
Do not fear – I absolutely promise you, you are not alone. This biog posts is motivated by the amount of messages I have had this week telling me someone has lost their mojo, feels awful or just can’t seem to motivate for a run. PLEASE please please, don’t worry.
In times of stress and crisis we need to prioritise but we definitely shouldn’t have “making-myself-feel-awful-about-what-I-haven’t-done-that-i’ve-seen-others-have-done-on-social-media” on our to do list. Here are my top tips….
1. Take a breath. Go on, right now…take a big deep breath. It’s ok. It’s all ok. If you have exercised, if you haven’t. It’s ok.
2. Try and think about health rather than aesthetics or even fitness right now. What do you need for your health? To walk rather than run? To drink more water rather than wine? To relax and combat some of the stress?
3. Stop thinking this ‘shut down’ is the perfect time to get a six pack! If you have more on your plate right now than normal, even if it is 
inside your house, it is not the time to add extra pressure. Focus on being active and healthy not doing 15 x 30 minute celebrity trainer instagram workouts a day.
4. Give yourself a break. Maybe you do have more time, maybe you want to try some new recipes but maybe also you don’t. Maybe you just need some time to lie on the sofa, enjoy some peace and listen to the birds.
5. We are ONE WEEK into this new life. It might last for a couple of months so if you have spent one week not running or not going to the gym or not doing anything – that is perfectly ok. If you want to try a new workout next week then do, but find something you want to do not something you feel you should do. That might be different to normal because right now life is different to normal.
6. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. “Comparison is the thief of joy” – such a great saying. You are you. You are fighting your own battles right now – you’re not janice on instagram or amzingmom1239817 on twitter (i hope that’s not someone’s actual twitter handle!). You’re you and I bet you’re doing a lot better at you than you think!
7. DO think about your mental health. Perhaps you never tried that meditation app? Perhaps you haven’t noticed just how loud the birds are right now. Perhaps you have drank more alcohol in the last week than you planned. That’s ok – just take one step today for your head. A walk, some water, a call with the friend who makes your sides split with laughter. Something for your soul.
I personally have not been for a run for two and a half weeks. Why? I don’t want to. I have been exercising and i have been out walking every day. I’m staying on top of hitting 12,000 steps a day even if it’s on the top step of my stairs before bed. I’m keeping alcohol to the weekends and i’m speaking to someone i love every day. I’ve eaten far more chocolate than normal and watched TV for the first time in a i don’t know how long but you know what? That’s ok!
SO, if you feel bad – don’t. If you’re comparing to others – don’t. If you want to feel better – make a plan, tell someone. Your trainer, your partner, your friend or a facebook group your in. Commit but don’t guilt. Be proactive but let yourself off the hook and find gratitude and positivity in something every day.
We will get through this and we will come out the other side and if we all have to start from scratch with running again – that is also totally fine.
Sending you loads of love, stay safe, stay positive and look after each other.
Hannah Talbot, Chief Catalyst at Lean Body Vision
Want to join our online bootcamp? Mudless bootcamp is now on 4 days a week from your living room live on facebook. CLICK HERE for details