SEASONAL EFFECTS OF FITNESS ACTIVITIES

With the warmer weather you might notice a change in how you feel and think. This isn’t just in your mind; research shows that people’s moods and emotions can definitely be affected by the weather. Often after the winter months, the new season and higher temperatures can bring a brighter mood. With this new positive outlook you might feel a shift in energy that is making you motivated to exercise again after the doldrums of the winter months.

It has been scientifically recognized that levels of leisure-time physical activity and physical fitness differ according to the seasons, with  more activity generally happening in the summer months. The seasonal variations undoubtedly mean there are changes in the types and amount of physical activity we do. When it is snowing and cold, even though we can work out at home or in the gym, psychologically it is more of a battle to actually to do so.

The months of spring and summer bring new opportunities to leave the house and get outside to move. We also know our holiday plans are no longer on the horizon, but fast-approaching, and so we have added motivation to look good on the beach!

With warmer weather there also becomes more of an urge to increase your level of health and physical fitness to go along with a change in the psychological response to actually doing exercise. Spring time brings renewed motivation to get back in shape, and the warmer weather can help to get you out of the exercise rut you may be in..Top tip to spring into shape include taking it steady, looking after your body, and kickstarting your exercise routines again.

With the reignited motivation levels of the warmer and sunnier days, it is time to spring back into your exercise routine. Here are the top tips for getting started with moving again after the winter break.

Even though the first thing you might want to do now that the warmer days are here is to start doing more physical activity, it is important to be aware that starting up intense exercise again after a period of not doing much during the winter, can bring a risk of injury.

Therefore, when deciding how you are going to change your exercise routine to make the most of your good mood, factor this in when deciding how long and what type of exercise you will do. If you have been really stagnant over the winter months, then you might have quite a bit of work to do to get your body ready for the beach and summer.

The worst thing you can do is to throw yourself into doing too much cardio and overdoing it with high rep workouts. You need to boost your metabolism again but this needs to be done gently by jumping on your treadmill to do interval training and lifting heavy weights and doing lower reps.

Especially if you have been less active the past few months, then it is important to slowly begin increasing your activity level. Be realistic about what you can and can’t do again and be mindful of not pushing it too hard and risking injury.

One of the things that can be just as motivational as sunshine for putting a spring back into your step is having a new music playlist to work out to. Put some summer tunes into your playlist and pump it up while you get moving to help with staying focused and energized.

This will work well when using the  MYRUN treadmill as it will then choose music from your new playlist that best suits the rhythm of your run.

The reason we do a spring clean of the house at this time of the year is to get rid of the old energy to bring in new energy as the warmer months approach. The same can happen for your body, so try to make your exercise routine focus on detoxing your mind and body.

Shake off the winter blues by doing exercises that work on the lymphatic system by getting your circulation moving. Doing a brisk walk on your treadmill or brisk ride on your exercise bike are good for this. Awakening your muscles through yoga or pilates is also good for the body and mind by stretching the hibernation time away.

Help your circulation get moving again as you aim to spring into shape by doing yoga or pilates.

Being active and having a heathy lifestyle might seem easier to do in the summer and spring but really should be something that happens all-year round. The key is to have variety in what you do and to make it appropriate to the season you are in.

Fitting in with the seasons will not only help to keep you motivated but it can also stop you from reaching a plateau. There can be detrimental long-term effects to your health by not maintaining a good level of fitness throughout the year. Maximize this new change in season now by getting back on track and get your body ready for the summer months ahead.

This article has been provided courtesy of Technogym.