Oh hey there,
Welcome to Spring!! A quick self-check in, how are you feeling? Together, you and I are going to shake off the cold weather and bounce back into feeling energetic. We are here in the middle of spring none the less, together we are going to honour our bodies, continue to pop up some positive thought bubbles and act towards moving our bodies to generate a surplus of energy!!
The blossom trees didn’t burst all at once! Take your time, get your foundation strong and then stretch out to full bloom, hit your stride with sustained strength and flexibility. I will be regularly offering you a few thoughts about emerging and unfolding into spring for sustained energy, a willingness and enjoyment of physical activity leading to improved physical vitality. And if you need a burst of energy grab a handful of JC’s nuts 😊.
It is time to slowly ‘unfold’ our bodies everybody! Feel the warmth of the sun! Winter makes our bodies curl up to stay warm, rest and repair and recover, much like a bear hibernates, except humans don’t go to sleep for the whole time. This process is just what our nervous system does to protect us, keep our vital organs and magnificently clever bodies working, BUT now…it is time for action and uncurling our limbs to move.
Resist jumping out with a burst my friends. For a lasting return to fitness, I suggest SLOW AND STEADY. I offer you a few simple tips that will lead to a true willingness for physical activity! You will be truly ‘engaged’ rather than experiencing fleeting ‘participation’….a bit like getting past the first date to see what is really there! Let me break it down for you….
There are a few factors to consider coming into an active Spring.
- The body naturally slows down a little at wintertime to conserve energy needed to keep us warm for survival, the human body is clever that way! You may also find that you are adjusting your circadian rhythm to daylight savings time, sleep may have been interrupted and can take a few weeks to adjust to the dark mornings and light later into the night, oh, and the birds outside also need time to get their timing right….
- Weather change – things are starting to warm up, the colder months can be very drying on our bodies, movement generally decreases and without movement our bodies can feel a bit sluggish, like they need a bit of oil, water, water, water my friends.
- Hydration is key, our bodies are approximately 70% water, did you notice how dry our skin gets in winter, the skin is the quickest way to check in to see if you are hydrated.
- Body needs – what is your body saying? Check in with your body and feel does it need cardio, stretching, resistance training, a walk, run…. your body will tell you.
- Fun factor – what activity will make you smile, bring your body joy, this may change daily, variety is the spice of life.
- Social needs – Do you feel like you need to connect and train or walk with a mate, have a conversation, check in on a friend, or just train alone for your time out?? Whatever you decide it is the right solution for that day, great choice!
So, do you need some solutions here to get going?? Scan on through these starter hints below:
It is time to slowly ‘unfold’ our bodies everybody! Feel the warmth of the sun! Winter makes our bodies curl up to stay warm, rest and repair and recover, much like a bear hibernates, except humans don’t go to sleep for the whole time. This process is just what our nervous system does to protect us, keep our vital organs and magnificently clever bodies working, BUT now…it is time for action and uncurling our limbs to move.
Resist jumping out with a burst my friends. For a lasting return to fitness, I suggest SLOW AND STEADY. I offer you a few simple tips that will lead to a true willingness for physical activity! You will be truly ‘engaged’ rather than experiencing fleeting ‘participation’….a bit like getting past the first date to see what is really there! Let me break it down for you….
So, do you need some solutions here to get going?? Scan on through these starter hints below:
- WHAT DO YOU LIKE?
Try a few activities on for size, pick something you enjoy and diarise 2x 20-25min session……if you enjoy it, you are more likely to do it. If the commitment is smaller at first it is less likely to overwhelm, you will probably find you far exceed this time limit without the pressure on yourself. Remember we have plenty of time to unfold!
- I KNOW HOW THIS PLAYS OUT!
Reflecting on what your body ‘used’ to be able to do can be helpful if it is motivating if not…..drop expectations of what it will feel like or ‘should’ feel like…..Let go of perfection and just jump in.
- TODAY IS NOT THE DAY BECAUSE….
You may have reasons why it is not a good time to start, if you don’t congratulations, If you do, acknowledge them, write them down and watch yourself in a mirror as you screw up the piece of paper and throw it away or, burn it (safely), once the excuses are gone they are gone, you may need to do this more than once and that is ok.
- GRAB A MATE AND MAKE A DATE, COMMIT TO THEM..
If there is a risk of letting someone else down it is unlikely that you will skip the workout, this also increases a sense of belonging.
- THIRSTY?
Hydration and fuel for your body are key, adequate water is essential to your brain and for your muscles to do what you want them to do. Make small changes and celebrate them, this should be fun!
- I LIKE OPTIONS!
Include variety and for each activity decision have a backup plan, ‘if I don’t do this I will do that!’ this way of thinking takes the pressure off, remember if you want athlete status….we have time, ok!
- ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?
Frequently check in with yourself, do you like the activity you are doing? How is your body feeling? Does it make you smile? If your body has a sense of your achievement and happiness doing an activity you are more likely to repeat it.
Let me know how you are going and what activities are working for you!
That’s all…
Tan
Your Fit Advisor xx