Ageing is a natural part of life, it is inevitable, but there is also truth in the saying ‘we are only as old as we feel’. Listening to your body really helps head off aches down the ages. 

Gyms can be fairly polarising places: people either love them or hate them. If you are looking to get in shape, working out at a gym can be useful, but what about if the gym is not for you? In that case, you can simply find other alternatives.

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Gyms are not for everybody, but they are not the only places where you can tone up, get fit, and get healthy. Gyms can be intimidating for some or expensive; they can get crowded, and be time-consuming if you consider the time to get there. Luckily, gyms are not the only option when it comes to working out.

Whether you are working out indoors or outdoors, there are still plenty of options for people looking to get in shape, you just need to know where to look and what to do! Here are 3 ways to get fit and healthy without the gym.

Hiking

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One of the easiest ways to get fit without the gym is to take up hiking. Hiking is a great alternative because it allows you to get outdoors and get some fresh air, which does wonders for your mental health. Add to this, the fact that many hiking trails are set amongst stunning scenery, and it is easy to see why hiking is proving to be so popular amongst physically active individuals, especially since lockdown. Hiking is not just good for your mental health, it is also a great form of low-impact cardiovascular exercise, making it ideal for weight management, cardiovascular health, and fitness in general.

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Cycling

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Another fun outdoor activity proven to help shed those extra pounds is cycling. Cycling is a great form of cardio that burns a serious amount of calories, while also toning the muscles, especially in the lower body. If you want to shape and tone your legs and glutes to build a defined and shapely booty, cycling really works the lower body muscles, while also promoting cardiovascular fitness in the process.

Now, you could take up cycling and hit some of the many beautiful cycle trails near you several times a week, or you could just swap the car for a bike and cycle to work or to the local store to pick up a few essentials instead.

Stream-home Workouts

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Thanks to websites like YouTube, finding workouts everyone can perform at home is now easier than ever before.

If you are not keen on working out at the gym, or if you simply cannot work out at the gym, why not exercise in the comfort of your own home instead? Home workout videos are great because they are designed to be done at home with minimal or no equipment at all. From dance workouts and HIIT, to bodyweight circuits and yoga, finding workout videos and programs that you can do at home in your own front room has never been easier.

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If you commit to these workouts and gym alternatives by really giving them your all, you will burn hundreds of calories, tone up, and get an awesome endorphin rush. You will feel better than ever before without the gym.

Lockdown restrictions are finally easing, which means we can look forward to embracing some form of new normality.

At the moment, many of us are stuck indoors, unable to go outside much because of the lockdown restrictions and also the weather.

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If you are looking at your expanding waistline, or your dull skin tone, wondering how you are ever going to look and feel good in your bikini when summer comes…Fashions Finest has put together some tips to help you feel good about yourself, and make some small but positive changes towards a healthier mind and body.

Tip 1 - Detox Your Body

Don’t be put off by this title. This is not as daunting as it sounds. There are many common misconceptions about detoxification, but the truth is, your body has a natural way of detoxifying itself constantly through your lymphatic system and your liver. All you need to do is give your body a helping hand to make its job a little easier. Follow these suggestions of how you can do this here.

Start by looking at how much alcohol you drink, and writing the amount down (this helps you to really see what you are drinking) You can help your liver to do it’s job so much more efficiently if you gradually reduce the amount over time. You can also drink more water throughout the day. Drinking more water may make you wee a lot more at first if your body isn’t used to it – but this will improve as your body adapts, and you will find your skin tone and texture improve, as well as more .

Try drinking a pint of water as soon as you get up in the morning (yes before your coffee!) and always having water or juice near you while you work (or home-school) this will help you to remember to drink plenty.

Tip 2 – Move More

This might sound simple – but it can be difficult to move much when you are stuck at home, and the weather is wet and cold outside. Try to plan movement breaks into your day – stick on some dance music and spend three minutes every hour boogying around your living room, or do star jumps for 1 minute every hour. You could walk up and down your hallway every time you have to talk to someone on the phone.

Try always using the farthest toilet from where you are (if you are lucky to have more than 1 in your house) or run up and down the stairs twice instead of once every time you go upstairs.

All of these things may sound small, but they will begin to get your heart working that little bit more, your body moving and adrenalin pumping too. You can work your way up to doing online workouts, or outdoor running over time. Start small but aim big!

Tip 3 – Use A Food Tracker

Aps which track your food will really help you to see what you are eating and make conscious food choices. You might think you only have a few biscuits with your cup of tea at the end of every day – but when you have to track it – you realise you actually eat half a pack at every sitting!

Find your chosen tracker and download onto your phone, then weigh your food (yes all of it) or some apps let you just scan bar codes from food packages for ease. It might be a little more time consuming at first, but the app will retain information and the next time you eat the same meal, or the same snack – it will already be accessible in the app.

You will be able to see the breakdown of nutrients in your food on a daily basis, and work out where you can make changes for the better, for example – adding more fibre by eating greens with your dinner, or choosing turkey rashers over bacon to lower the amount of fats you consume etc. There are plenty of tip and help on how to eat well online to help you.

Tip 4 – Plan Quality Time For Yourself

You may feel like you have nothing but time at the moment, and nothing to do with it all, but planning some quality time (even if it is only once a week) for yourself will help you to feel good about yourself. Have a good long bath. Read a magazine or book with candles lit. Listen to some of your favourite music, Write in your journal, Give yourself a facial or manicure. Exfoliate, paint your nails…or if you can - do all of these things.

Relaxing and having these positive experiences will help you to feel positive, sleep better, feel calmer and give you a purpose.

Feeling good about yourself means you will feel more energised and able to have a positive outlook. What’s happening on the inside of you will shine outward.

Tip 5 – Sleep More

Sleep is essential for us as humans, and having a good, regular sleep pattern can help you to feel better, and even look great too.

Plan in at least eight hours of sleep a night, and try to go to bed and get up at the same time every night in the week, to help your body get into a rhythm. Limit the use of tablets and phones an hour or so before bed if you struggle with falling asleep, and try to drink less caffeine in the late afternoons and evenings, as these will all keep you awake into the night.

Your body will thank you by feeling more ‘alive’ and energised during the day. Your brain will be more alert, and you may even be less likely to end up with some diseases like type 2 diabetes! 

Tip 6 – Get Some Help

If you are really stuck in a rut, and feel like you need some help with the way you are feeling, or how you look, then Fashions Finest says get the help you need.

Having a personal trainer to help you with your food choices and exercise can give your body and mind a much needed boost. There are personal trainers who work online, whereby you can get expert knowledge and advice online - whilst in the safety of your own home. It is also a great – pocket friendly option which is growing in popularity due to the current national lockdown. Using a PT for socially distanced 1:1’s can also be a great option, even when gyms are not open and accessible.

Getting emotional support by speaking to a friend, someone anonymous or even your doctor about any negative feelings can help you to re-order your emotions, and gain a different perspective on life at the moment.

If you are worried about your mental health, there are plenty of places you can go for help quickly. Never suffer in silence.

This National Workouts and Wellbeing Week, the co-founders of new emotional fitness app Fika are urging people across the UK to make time for an emotional workout as well as a physical workout.

Sweating it out is one of the best ways to feel good about yourself, inside and out. But who says exercising and staying in shape needs to be limited to repetitive and monotonous workouts in the gym?

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