Derval O'Rourke: Beat the winter blues with my warming winter soup
Pic: iStock
Making sure you are staying active this time of year and finding ways to move your body is really important.
With the limited sunlight we get in the evenings, I take advantage of my weekends to spend time outdoors but midweek it’s more of a struggle to stay active.
That’s why on weekdays when I’m busy working I tend to focus on quick bursts that help me feel good but are easy to fit into my life.
Today I’m sharing 3 options for 30-minute fitness ideas at home.
If you are looking for a soup that will supercharge your lunch then this greens soup is the perfect option, too.
Creating a simple home exercise circuit can make doing 30 minutes of fitness so much more accessible than the idea of getting in the car and going to the gym.
An effective circuit often requires minimal space and equipment.
Short, focused circuits can provide a full-body workout in a relatively short amount of time.
Regardless of your level, doing a home circuit can be adapted to various fitness levels and modified based on individual goals.
At this time of year, one of the hardest things to achieve is consistency, these are so simple that it's really easy to stay consistent.
My go-to home circuit: do each exercise in a circuit, take 1 minute of recovery, and then repeat the circuit 4-5 times.
Stand with your feet together, arms at your sides. Jump and spread your legs while raising your arms overhead. Return to the starting position and repeat. Aim for 15 reps.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back as if sitting in a chair. Keep your chest up and back straight. Return to the starting position. Aim for 15 reps
Start in a plank position with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower your chest toward the ground by bending your elbows. Push back up to the starting position. If needed adapt this to hands on a table or against a wall. Aim for 8 reps
Stand with your feet together. Take a step forward with your right foot, lowering your body until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Return to the starting position and switch legs.
Get into a plank position with your elbows directly under your shoulders. Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, engaging your core. Aim for 40- 60 seconds.
Doing pilates classes from the comfort of your home has become really popular.
With just a mat and some simple props, you can do a series of controlled, low-impact movements designed to strengthen your core, improve flexibility, and enhance overall body awareness.
I’ve developed two online wellbeing platforms, Derval.ie and Saol App.
Whilst Derval.ie is a female community platform, and Saol App is more focused on workplace wellbeing, both of these platforms have always had a huge uptake on at-home pilates.
From a beginner to an experienced practitioner, at-home pilates allows you to progress at your own pace. From gentle mat exercises to more challenging routines incorporating props like resistance bands or stability balls, the versatility of pilates makes it accessible to a wide range of individuals.
For me pilates is definitely the type of activity that should be guided so I would strongly advise using either an online class from a practitioner you may know or following an online programme to learn the best way to move on the mat.
I stumbled onto Lauren Flymen's Instagram page one day and was blown away by her skipping rope workouts.
This type of workout definitely is not for everyone but it’s a great option for anyone who is looking for a novel way to exercise at home.
A skipping rope might bring back memories of childhood and make you wonder if this is really a great workout, but you really can get a high intensity full body workout that is cheap and convenient.
When buying a rope there are loads of options - two I liked were a digital counter speed rope, which is super handy for keeping track of your workout, and also, when you have really mastered it, you can invest in a weighted skipping rope.
Research claims that up to 30 minutes of a skipping rope workout can burn between 200 and 300 calories.
Skipping forces you to engage your core to stabilise your body. Skipping requires you to use lots of parts of your body simultaneously which means your brain is working hard to coordinate it all, and this will help you focus.
Beginner: 5-10 rounds; 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off; single unders (one rope rotation per jump)
Intermediate: 5-10 rounds; 1 minute on, 30 seconds off; single unders
Advanced: 5-10 rounds; 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off; double unders (two rope rotations per jump)
Remember when you are exercising at home you don’t have the supervision you might get in a gym or a class environment.
It’s important to focus on correct form to maximise the effectiveness of exercising at home and to prevent injuries.
Adjust the duration and intensity based on your fitness level, for this column I have aimed for 30 minutes but your starting point might be less, figure out where you are fitness-wise and adjust to match that.
Some minutes are better than no minutes when it comes to exercise so please don’t be put off if your starting point is low.
Consult with a fitness professional if you have any concerns.
: Make sure you are staying connected with people in your life. Reach out to friends or family; I always enjoy going for a walk with a friend!
: When I’m working from home, I try to incorporate movement breaks into my day. I aim to get outside (when the weather permits!) and move around as much as possible.
Greens Soup
Eat yer greens! - in this convenient and comfy soup recipe.
Servings
3Preparation Time
5 minsCooking Time
40 minsTotal Time
45 minsCourse
SideIngredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 leeks, finely sliced
250g broccoli, broken into florets
200g kale, cut out the hard stalks
500ml vegetable stock
salt and pepper to season
Method
Melt the oil in a large pan over a low heat. Add the onion and leeks and cook for five minutes, until softened. Add the broccoli and kale, stir well and cover.
Cook for five minutes, stir occasionally. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 8-10 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Take the pan off the heat. Purée the soup with a hand blender until smooth. Season to taste and ladle into warmed serving bowls. Serve with brown bread or a wholemeal pitta.
