From work to school, fitness to time with friends, our environment has changed – and so have we. But now that we’re getting used to these strange times, we have to “adapt and keep playing the game of life”, Aussie fitness guru Tim Robards tells WHO.
“For some people, it’s a time to take a step back and take time to chill, watch lots of Netflix, and eat a lot of food,” says the Bachelor alum, who is a chiropractor and personal trainer. “For others, it’s a time when we make a choice to keep moving forward.”
But just how do we approach health and wellness in this new landscape?
It begins with reassessing your goals, explains Robards, who’s offering Australians his 12-minute abs challenge for free.
“For most of us, some of the goals we had before COVID-19 just aren’t achievable,” the 37-year-old explains, adding that this extends not only to health and fitness goals, but also career and other aims we set for ourselves.
“In terms of fitness, some big ones are losing weight or being able to run a certain distance,” continues Robards, who often who works out alongside his fit and fabulous wife, Anna Heinrich, who recently announced her pregnancy.
“Break down your new goals into achievable weekly and daily goals with a timetable – for example, you might aim to do four workouts this week, three outdoors and one at home.”
Of course, not everyone has exercise equipment, such as weights, at the ready, but the former Bachelor insists we can still get a great workout in the lounge room.
“We can use chairs, the couch, a couple of water bottles – you can even load up backpacks and use them as weight vests,” he suggests.
And, of course, many of us are still able to get outside for some exercise.
“Anna and I have been going on lots of walks,” Robards shares. “It’s been really nice to get outside and do that. We also go down to the park with kettlebells and rings. Anna loves a morning walk and then I prefer to do a training session in the afternoon.”
The couple have even found a way to merge group fitness with family time!
“Anna’s sister has a Pilates instructor over in New York where she lives, and she’s obviously missing the family, so we have her Pilates instructor do a Zoom session with the whole family,” Robards tells WHO.
“We have Anna’s parents at their house, Anna’s other sister at her place, then us and the guys in New York. We’ve been doing that once a week.”
And if you just don’t feel like working out some days? Don’t do it, says Robards.
“Have an Epsom salt soak in the bath, or get your partner to give you a massage, and make sure you commend yourself for hitting the small goals on the way to your bigger goals.”
Of course, for many of us, the hardest part of staying healthy in iso comes down to what’s going on in the kitchen. But rather than chastising yourself for indulging, Robards suggests relaxing your mindset.
“It’s not a ‘good food, bad food’ thing,” he explains, adding that an “all-or-nothing” mind frame isn’t helpful.
“There are times when I’ve just finished a big training session or had a long day, and I really feel like a glass of red wine. But I’ll make a green smoothie first, because if you jump straight into the red wine, you’re more likely to have three glasses. Anna loves oranges, so after dinner she’ll chop up an orange and if she still feels like some ice cream after that, she will only have a little bit, but most of the time she won’t feel like it anymore.”
The healthy-living pair find other ways to indulge at home, too.
“Anna and I haven’t been out to a restaurant in a while, so we bring the fine dining home – we have days where we go to the fish markets and get some bugs and oysters.”
The pair have also been pulling out old cookbooks and trying out new recipes together.
“It’s a great way to connect in a relationship and have fun,” Robards enthuses. “One night you cook a meal and then the next night your partner or housemate cooks. Or you can do a cook-off! It’s a nice thing to do for your partner or housemates, and a great way to try new healthy recipes.”
Tim’s Fast-5 Workout
“You can have a great workout with just five moves,” shares the trainer.
For each of the following exercises, do three to five rounds of 10 to 20 reps, depending on your fitness level.
Step-back lunge
Start standing upright with your legs together. Take a big step back with your right foot until your knee touches the ground. Keep your left foot pressed to the floor. Alternate sides.
Push-up
On all fours, place your palms on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders. Lower your body to the floor without collapsing, push back to a plank position.
A simple squat
In an upright position with your feet shoulder-width apart, lower your body into a seated position and then push back into a standing pose.
Burpee
Start with a squat, then lower hands to the floor and kick legs out to a push-up. Do a push-up, then leap back to a standing pose.
Commandos
In a plank position, alternate between your hands and elbows to support you.
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