5 Fitness Tips during the Autumn Internationals

By Regan Phillips

Personal trainer, fitness coach and online coach. Currently fitness coach for the Hungarian 15s and 7s teams.

That's right, Autumn is here.  The days are getting colder, shorter, and you're a full year away from your next summer holiday.  But don't worry, it also means the are back! 5 weeks of jam-packed non-stop international rugby action, November couldn't get any better!

But here's the thing, what comes after November?… December.  And what happens in December?… A bit too much eating and drinking (or quite a lot for most of us).  So I thought I'd help you get ahead of the game with 5 fitness tips that you can implement during the rugby mad month!

The Early Risers Club

Now I know our alarms are never a welcoming sound, but just hear me out.  If you commit to waking up just 30 minutes earlier, 5 times per week, you could reap the benefits by the end of the month.  By squeezing in a home bodyweight workout or a quick run you could: burn a few hundred calories, kickstart your metabolism, wake yourself up properly and kickstart your day!  Plus it gives you more time in the evening to relax.  The first week is always tough, but just give it some thought. You could shift up to a stone by the end of the month!

Snack Swap 

This is an idea for those who find themselves nibbling a bit too much on the sofa… pretty much all of us fall into that category!  First of all just so you know, sofa snacking is generally because of a boredom rather than hunger, but anyway let's carry on. We all have our favourite snacks and nothing can replace them, however you can find something similar or at least a lower calorie option.  Take ice cream for example, swapping a Ben and Jerry's for a Halo Top would cut the calories by roughly 75%. Or swapping a pack of Pringles for some Snack a Jacks would take a chunk out of the calories too.  Or if you're really hardcore, some raw veg keeps the hands busy and cures the boredom until your next meal.  Next time you're at the shops try some snack swaps, it's really not that difficult to keep the junk from your basket.

1 Bottle Per Half Rule

Let's not lie, we all like a beer watching the rugby (even me as a fitness coach, I know shoot me right), but here's something to consider.  Does drinking a few beers a weekend ruin your fitness progress? Not really.  Does drinking for 3 days straight watching all the rugby games ruin your progress?… Definitely!  For the guys thinking of having a few beers without ruining their fitness, I created the 1 bottle per half rule.  Quite simply, stick to drinking 1 330ml bottle of your favourite beer per half.  That means you could have 2 beers per game, and at roughly 120 calories per bottle, that's not breaking the calorie budget too much.  Give it a try next time if you want to enjoy your favourite ale but not ruin your whole weeks hard work.

Challenge Yourself

The question is, why workout?  During a rugby session, if the coach says you're going to finish the session with 10 laps of the pitch, you do it with no questions asked.  But when you're alone, it's usually a heck of a lot harder.  There are tonnes of workout challenges out there that help with motivation: Daily push up challenge, cycling distance challenge, couch to 5k to name a few.  Do some research and pick a challenge that excites you, grab a friend or two, and get working at it!  Having a plan and some support is usually the key to sticking to your fitness regime.

Designated

Now I never ask someone to go sober, even though it is the best idea if you want to get the most out of your fitness regime, but it is worth considering.  For the typical rugby fan, alcohol does contribute to a lot of their total weekly calories. Plus if you like drinking in the pub, the financial cost can add up too.  An easy way to get out of drinking for the night is to offer to be the designated driver. You might get some peer pressure at first, but they'll be thanking you come last orders!

So, as you can see, all of these tips are easy and actionable for pretty much everyone.  You should be able to commit to at least 1, or maybe even a few during the Autumn Internationals.  That way you can still sit back and enjoy the rugby on the weekend, but at the same time you know you're chipping away at your fitness goals before the crazy Christmas season is upon us!

Thanks for reading, see you next time.

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