TOP
Monique Eastwood

Monique Eastwood’s lockdown fitness

Monique Eastwood’s lockdown fitness

Celebrity fitness trainer Monique Eastwood on how to stay fit through lockdown 2.0

Monique Eastwood is credited with keeping A-listers like Emily Blunt, Ruth Wilson and Stanley Tucci fit during lockdown. In fact, during the height of the first lockdown, it was Tucci’s incredible physique that caught viewers’ attentions when he was hosting virtual cocktail lessons, with the actor commenting: “The biceps are by Monique Eastwood”. So read on for her tips for Time & Leisure readers, and you can also join her classes via Zoom.

  • Set your alarm

Try getting into bed and getting up at a similar time every day. This will help establish a routine and give you a sense of normalcy. Find a schedule that works for you if you have kids and work, but make sure you commit to working out within that. Make this a routine you have to stick to, like you would set your alarm to get up and travel into work. Think of all that travel time you’re saving, turn this time into a positive for your health and wellness. Prioritising your health has never been more important.

  • Get up and get out
Monique Eastwood

Monique Eastwood

The best time to do your runs, walks or cycle is early morning now that the clocks have changed. Not only does it give you the time to focus on your own headspace and body’s needs, but it will set you up for the day ahead. Being in nature is so good for our mental wellbeing, not only our physical needs. But mix it up: doing an indoor cardio, HIIT or power workout will boost your mood, flush out toxins in the body, pump oxygen into the bloodstream and help towards a healthier immune system.

  • Move throughout the day

When you are engrossed in your work, possibly hunched over your laptop or slumped in your chair, try to get up and move around a bit when you notice these things. If you have stairs, run up and down them a couple of times. Or take your phone on a walk when you are doing calls. In this respect, fidgeting is good for pumping blood around the body. Do some calf raises whilst you boil the kettle – chase your dog around the garden for 2 minutes between calls – just try not to stop moving in your day.

  • Focus on nutrition

Even if we’re doing workouts at home, we’re still getting less movement when we’re in a national lockdown. Remember to be smart and sensible with your nutrition during this time. Drink more fluids like water before reaching for the biscuit tin and try to maintain a steady routine of three meals a day. Keep treats reserved for the weekends. All these small steps will mean you’re staying on track with a good nutritional balance.

  • Choose a workout that inspires and challenges

The best thing to do to create new and lasting change in your body, is to commit to a regime that will challenge you but also keep you motivated. Make sure you are covering most of the important training aspects your body needs; cardio, muscle mass, balance, bone density and weight bearing exercises. Adding in a stretch, yoga or meditation session at the end will also be very beneficial to your mind and body, especially as the darker months are ahead of us. Finding a workout that keeps you on your toes with all these elements means you’ll  stay interested throughout your sessions.

  • Find An Online Community

What we leant from the last lockdown was the power of community. When I first launched my online-training sessions, so many people were giving feedback like; “It’s keeping me sane knowing there are regular times I can check in with you and your classes!”. Knowing there is a whole community of people with a common goal; staying active, being healthy and keeping sane – helps grow a spirit of togetherness. And more importantly, keeps you coming back for more!

  • Try going LIVE

You can decide whether you want your camera and sound on or off during my Zoom fitness session. I have never met some of my online clients, as they choose to stay on mute and off camera – but I can see them regularly signing in for the same class – and that’s perfectly fine if it works for you. But having access to someone there and then, that you know will be able to help you with modifications or suggestions for different moves when something gets tough, is absolutely crucial.

  • Be creative with equipment

You don’t need fancy equipment to get a good workout done. Body weight works very well too. In my class we work on the length and width of our mats and that’s it. Sometimes, it is great to use a set of light weights, if you have some. During the last lockdown it became very difficult to obtain weights, so some of my clients even used wine bottles or bottles of water as weights. Try to adapt and just have fun with it.

 

Monique Eastwood is a celebrity personal trainer, lifestyle coach, professional dancer and founder of online workout programme, The Eastwood Movement Method. Classes cost £15 per session.