Jennis Fitness

Has your exercise regime has taken a bit of a hit? Jessica Ennis-Hill explains what you need to know to get it going again…

Sometimes, when your calendar fills up, it can end up seriously sapping your energy and stalling your motivation for fitness. If your mojo has gone walkies, then don't worry. It's perfectly normal and there are easy ways to get back in through a few mind tricks.

Remind yourself that it’s okay to step back

If you're struggling with motivation, remember that sometimes the best thing you can do is step back from it – a bit of time away from your training can make you come back fresher and stronger. If that's the case with you, enjoy this break and use the time to psyche yourself up to get back into it.

Rest is training

This is often quite hard to get your head around. Rest days are super-important and they are key to physical recovery, so if you take a few extra, tell yourself it’s all part of the big plan – and DO NOT beat yourself up about them.

Get a mate involved

The more that you can make your fitness time fun, the more you’ll make it into a habit. If you invite a friend or partner to train with you, you are much more likely to stick to the session, train harder and burn more calories. So, if you are having a bit of a wobble, invite a mate to work out with you. I have a regular date night every Monday with my husband Andy… in our garage gym. Get a friend involved and you’ll be more likely to motivate each other.

Win or learn

You will always have setbacks – no matter how strong or driven you are. And learning how to deal with them is really important. The key is to look at them as a way to learn and get mentally tougher, then make sure that a positive pathway back to fitness is always in your sights.

If, for example, the flu laid you low for a couple of weeks; you ended up working late for days to meet a deadline; or a string of social or family events ended up overturning your exercise routine, the key is not to get disheartened. Accept it, get back into it, but start small.

A lot of people expect to come back to fitness after a break and hit the same levels, then get disappointed when they can't. Because of this, it's best to start small and build up gradually. If you get back into it this way, you'll be more likely to stick to it.

Small but mighty

When you have lost your mojo, you might not feel like going for a run or doing a full 30-minute circuit. At the same time, you may think there’s no point just doing 5 minutes.

However, even if you can squeeze in just 5 minutes of activity, it’s better than nothing at all – and,  according to scientists , it can have a huge impact on your body and brain. Importantly, you'll probably find that you'll end up doing more than you planned. 

To help you out with some fitness quickies, Jessica Ennis-Hill has shared some of her favourite 5-minute workouts on the Jennis programmes.