Erin Holland said focusing on a consistent exercise regime and eating a healthy diet were key to getting through the coronavirus lockdown.

The model, TV presenter and former Miss World Australia said when her work temporarily dried up and she was mostly housebound, her daily fitness routine gave her something positive to focus on.

Holland and her cricketer fiancé Ben Cutting were both in Pakistan working at the Pakistan Super League before the COVID-19 lockdown was imposed.

They had to fly home but fortunately managed to get back to Australia before the mandatory hotel quarantine was enforced. They self-isolated for 14 days at Cutting’s house in Brisbane, complete with home gym and dog Sicari.

“I ended up staying in Brisbane for about two and half months… so, it was two and a half months of being in the same place. For someone who has a really nomadic lifestyle – I’m usually on a plane every single week somewhere – it was really tough,” Holland said.

“It (lockdown) was really mentally challenging. I’m not someone who is an outwardly anxious person, but I definitely found my anxiety was manifesting in my sleep a lot – I wasn’t sleeping, I was stressed about work, I was stressed about money because everything (with work) essentially disappeared.”

Due to work and travel commitments, Holland is usually based in Sydney and Cutting in Brisbane, so lockdown was the longest time they’ve ever spent together in one hit.

“It ended up being one of the silver linings of COVID for me that I did actually get to spend a good amount of time with Ben,” Holland said.

“Long distance relationships are always super challenging, but luckily because the both of us have these crazy, spontaneous, often really uncertain schedules, it works OK because one person is not always being left behind.”

The pair were meant to get married on June 13 but had to put wedding plans on hold due to the pandemic.

In addition to the stress that came with lockdown and work being put on hold, Holland also had to navigate the logistics of rescheduling their wedding.

“Unfortunately, we don’t know when we can reschedule because Ben’s domestic cricket season hasn’t been announced yet, with all of the delays of coronavirus, as well as all of the stuff he does overseas. It’s all just kind of up in the air at the moment,” she said.

Erin Holland’s tips for staying healthy and motivated

Despite the recent hurdles, Holland found comfort in focusing on exercise and a healthy lifestyle.

“I really had to rely on things like exercise and looking after myself with my diet, and trying to practise a bit more self-care to get back to a healthy equilibrium, because it was all a huge shock to the system,” she said.

Here are some of the things Holland employed to get through lockdown, many of which she plans to maintain:

Create a morning routine

Creating a morning routine during lockdown was important for keeping the days consistent, said Holland.

She began her days by taking her dog for a walk, getting a coffee, then doing a training session.

“My morning routine sets me up for the rest of the day. If I don’t train in the morning, I probably won’t do it, because I get less motivated as the day goes on,” she said.

“I’d do a workout for about 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on what I was doing, then all of a sudden it was midday and I felt like I’d really achieved something and done something that was good for me.

“I don’t always feel like training, but I never regret putting the effort in and doing it… so I found having that routine really helped me get through my day.

“My morning routine became really important for me, and I’m trying to keep as much of it as I can even now that I’m getting back to normal life.”

Mix up your training

Holland has found mixing up her daily exercise has been important to stay motivated.

“Mixing it up is the most important thing, so I’m never doing the same thing twice and so that things are not getting stale,” she said.

Holland does a mix of strength and weight training, along with some cardio including running and circuits. On days when her body feels tired, she opts for stretching and yoga, so she can continue to move while listening to her body.

Have a Berocca

“I started having a Berocca every day, as part of the Berocca 28 Day Challenge, which has been awesome for boosting my energy and mental sharpness,” Holland said.

“We can try and have a balanced and healthy diet but there’s probably always something you’re not getting enough of, and Berocca is packed with Vitamin Bs and C, zinc and magnesium, and all of this good stuff. I decided to take that as part of my daily routine.”

Healthy body, healthy mind

Holland said keeping track of her exercise and maintaining a healthy diet has been helpful in recent months.

“I’m a big believer in the ‘healthy body, healthy mind’ mantra, because when I start letting my training and my diet slip, I started not feeling great about myself and it really affects my mental state too,” she said.

Holland also nurtured her mental health, especially at night when she found it hard to unwind, by stretching, listening to music, or taking a hot bath with salts.

 

Disclaimer: Erin Holland is an ambassador for the Berocca 28 Day Challenge.