Joe’s Fitness Tips

Once a player at Forest Green Rovers, Joe Stokes now spends his days training others to help them reach their fitness goals, writes Holly Hughes. 

Working out of Westgate Fitness, Joe works with a wide variety of individuals, from those looking to lose weight to young aspiring rugby players seeking to improve their game.

Yet, following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, Joe has quickly adapted his training programmes for online home use, which you can visit by going to  @westgatefitnessgym.

Providing two live classes a day as well as daily pre-recorded workouts, Joe is not short of ideas for keeping fit during the lockdown.

As a result, every week he will be providing everyone with his three top tips for staying healthy whilst we’re all forced to stay home.

TIP #1: Make use of your daily walk/run/cycle allowed by Boris.

The government haven’t permitted us the opportunity to get out of the house for no reason.

Getting out and moving your legs is incredibly important for both your physical and mental health.

Just a simple walk can help to prevent weight gain and is essential for improving circulation, which is naturally a worry when we will all inevitably be sat down for long periods of time over the next few weeks.

It is also a great way to improve your mood, which is a particularly important reason to get outside in the current state of things.

TIP #2: Maintain a consistent sleep schedule.

Don’t get into a routine of going to sleep late because you know you don’t have to necessarily get up to commute to work or take the kids to school in the morning. An important part of preventing weight gain and maintaining good mental health is sleep – it’s definitely not overrated.

Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night, and try to go to bed and wake up at a similar time every day. Set an alarm to wake you up and even one to remind you to get to bed!

TIP #3: Stay hydrated

This goes without saying that drinking water remains central to any healthy lifestyle, you should try to drink at least two litres a day. Water is also important in preventing weight gain, not because it contains a magical weight loss ingredient, but because it reduces ‘sugar cravings’ that often lead to snacking.

These cravings are often just a sign that we are thirsty! But despite its health benefits, drinking water in regular intervals does not flush the coronavirus into your digestive system – that was just fake news.