Wealden Times | WT208 | June 2019 | Kitchen & Bathroom supplement inside
Wealden Times - The lifestyle magazine for the Weald
Wealden Times - The lifestyle magazine for the Weald
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Health & Wellbeing<br />
Fitting in Fitness<br />
In the first of a new series of columns for <strong>Wealden</strong> <strong>Times</strong>,<br />
personal trainer Sarah Maxwell breaks down the sometimes<br />
daunting prospect of exercise into easily manageable<br />
activities that can be slotted into a busy lifestyle<br />
Spring is turning into summer.<br />
As the days become longer and<br />
warmer, it’s time to enjoy the<br />
great outdoors, peel off the layers<br />
and slip into that little summer dress.<br />
Whilst we are slowly learning that<br />
the images of models and celebrities<br />
we’re fed by the media are unrealistic<br />
(and airbrushed!) some of us might be<br />
wanting to look a little more svelte.<br />
If that sounds like you, then here are<br />
my tips on getting the best results.<br />
Exercise outdoors<br />
The summer months are a great time<br />
to start exercising, taking advantage<br />
of the good weather and moving your<br />
workouts outside. Nature and regular<br />
exercise have a hugely beneficial<br />
impact on our mental health. Many<br />
people are deficient in vitamin D,<br />
especially in our climate, and working<br />
out in the sun helps with this and<br />
has great therapeutic benefits.<br />
Bring the kids<br />
If you have children, encourage them<br />
to join in with you. It’s also great for<br />
them to see that exercise is an essential<br />
part of a well-rounded lifestyle. If<br />
Mummy is doing it and enjoying<br />
it, then it will stick with them.<br />
Best summer activities<br />
Walking, hiking, cycling, swimming,<br />
outdoor exercise classes. Working<br />
out with friends in your garden.<br />
Many people take on a personal<br />
trainer and split the cost as it’s<br />
also a lot of fun and motivating<br />
to be with like-minded people.<br />
Already exercising?<br />
If you already exercise regularly,<br />
now is a great time to shake up your<br />
workout and try some new things.<br />
When your workout becomes routine<br />
and you’re no longer challenging your<br />
muscles, you will stop making gains<br />
and improvements. Variety is key.<br />
Help in changing<br />
your mindset<br />
If you’re not a fan of exercise, then do<br />
something you enjoy; life is too short<br />
to dread a workout and then feel even<br />
worse by not doing it. By thinking of<br />
exercise as ‘me time’ and not something<br />
that you need to do to punish yourself,<br />
you will actually enjoy it. Take each<br />
day at a time and use exercise as a<br />
reward, not a punishment. Remind<br />
yourself that every time you exercise<br />
you are giving yourself a gift of physical<br />
and mental health and moving one<br />
step closer to where you want to be.<br />
Measure your results<br />
Put the scales away! If you’re determined<br />
to lose a few pounds before the holidays,<br />
change the way you measure your<br />
results. I call weighing scales ‘the step<br />
of shame’ as they can make or break<br />
your day just by stepping on them.<br />
Instead, use a measuring tape and<br />
regularly measure your waist, your hips,<br />
your thighs, or – even better – find a<br />
pair of too tight trousers (or dress) and<br />
try them on weekly to measure your<br />
progress. It’s a much more positive way<br />
of getting into shape, particularly as<br />
muscle weighs more than fat, so you can<br />
lose inches without losing pounds.<br />
Sarah Maxwell is a multiple<br />
award-winning Fitness and<br />
Lifestyle coach and mum of<br />
two who juggles a lot of balls.<br />
Find out more about Sarah<br />
and her work at sarahmaxwell.<br />
com Sarah shares her Fitness<br />
and Lifestyle tips on Instagram<br />
@sarahmaxwelllifestyle<br />
Sarah’s<br />
safety tips:<br />
Outdoor exercise<br />
Try to exercise in the cooler<br />
part of the day (morning or<br />
early evening). If this isn’t<br />
possible, find some shade.<br />
✣<br />
Drink sips of water every few<br />
minutes to keep hydrated.<br />
✣<br />
Wear breathable clothing.<br />
✣<br />
Be visible to drivers if<br />
out on the road.<br />
Turn down your headphones<br />
so you can hear what’s<br />
going on around you.<br />
✣<br />
If you’re going out on<br />
your own, let someone<br />
know where you are.<br />
✣<br />
Vary your route and schedule.<br />
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