During the festive season we may have over indulged and gained a few unwanted kilos. January is a time when new gym memberships are at their peak, however research shows within a few months the motivation slows down and attendance. New Years resolutions have fallen by the wayside our gym membership isn’t appealing. Most of us know what we need to do when it comes to exercise. I’m not going to pretend I find it easy every time. I don’t jump out of bed thinking yippee can’t wait to start a tabata or go for a run. What I like is how my body feels after. I enjoy the outdoors. There’s nothing better than mountain fresh air, in my opinion! Plus I’ve exercised for such a long time it’s habit, my body has grown accustom. Getting fit and staying fit doesn’t have to be daunting.
Tips
- First focus on how exercise makes you feel rather than how you look, results will come in time. Give yourself time
- Exercise first thing – I find getting it done after my first cup coffee works best
- Small steps – 15 minutes of tabata, yoga, weight bearing exercise or a short run. Build slowly. The last thing you want is to feel exhausted. Give yourself a positive experience
- 3 times a week is enough to start. Don’t put yourself under too much pressure
- Be patient – changes take a while. Slow and steady
- Vary your exercise and sport – try different activities. If you like music why not start dance classes. If you enjoy walking find a walking club. If you have a dog, maybe dog training. Exercise can be fun, a social activity. Find people who share the same interests, makes it motivating
- Rope in a workout buddy or friend, helps to keep you accountable
- Enjoy for obvious reasons, this will give you staying power
Perimenopause is an important time to maintain or start exercise. It’s a time of transition where us ladies must retain our muscle mass and in turn strength. I’ll let you into my secret. I don’t always like exercising however I feel better after more often than not.
benefits
- Improves mood
- Increases energy levels
- Supports mental health
- Reduces stress
- Helps weight loss, retains muscle mass
- Improves sleep
What I do
I exercise 5 or 6 times a week, it sounds a lot I know. It’s a mixture of activities. Winter, skiing, tabata, weights, yoga, cross country skiing. Summer hiking, running, tabata never goes a miss. I even took my bike out. Mixing it up keeps boredom at bay.
My go to for home workouts is growingannanas, all levels, lots of variety.
What are you doing?
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