This month, our newest Sussex Exclusive contributors, Rachel and Max from Elevate Fitness, are sharing their top tips for managing a winter-to-spring fitness transition. With advice on switching up your workout locations, rebalancing your diet and daily habits, and more, they are here to help you enhance your health and wellbeing.
The motivation for exercise can often match the seasons; in the summertime, you feel full of life, raring to get out and be active. In contrast, the winter months often make you crave warmth, leading you to curl up on the sofa rather than heading to the gym. While you might think your drive to get active is highest in the first two months of the year, your body often wants to hibernate, which leads to a lack of energy.
The good news is that February often brings a new lease of life. As longer days and warmer weather appear within reach, your desire to be outdoors grows. This transition is the perfect time to refresh your lifestyle habits and rebalance your body for a new season. Here are several ways in which you can approach the spring season through fitness and nutrition.
Explore the outdoors
Outdoor movement is beneficial regardless of your specific health goals. It is an ideal way to incorporate fresh air and Vitamin D, both of which are essential to your wellness. As you edge out of January, walking is one of the best ways to get your body moving.
Walking is an underrated form of exercise that increases cardiovascular activity and improves mobility. Sussex is full of beautiful woodlands, coastal spots and even beaches (if you’re feeling brave in the cold!). Venturing to a new area will ensure you hit your daily movement goals while making exercise feel interesting and appealing.
Here at Elevate, we’re lucky as we have the beautiful Horsham Park right on our doorstep. We do enjoy heading out for a morning walk to start our day with some fresh air and movement. A simple half-hour walk at that time boosts your energy levels and impacts how you approach the rest of your day; it definitely works for us!
Changing seasons and styles
If you are bored with the same four walls at the gym, try taking your workout outdoors. Many parks now provide free fitness equipment, enabling you to swap the indoor gym for the outdoor one.
You can also try workouts that require no equipment. Using a park bench or setting a mat on the grass for basic bodyweight movements can be highly effective. Taking things back to basics is a liberating way to reset the body and experiment with different training styles. Max often challenges his clients to see which exercises they can complete outside and in the gym. You will be surprised how much of your workout you can take almost anywhere.
Refreshing your diet
Your diet often changes with the seasons, making the winter-to-spring transition a great time for a refresh. During the winter, you may often crave hearty comfort foods that are not always the healthiest. Transitioning your diet now can lead to sustainable, healthy eating.
Aim to cook with fresh, seasonal ingredients to avoid eating the same meals over and over. It’s true that what you consume can have a big effect on how you feel. Nutritious, balanced food will help you feel more energised and uplifted.
One thing we do at Elevate is add immune-boosting ingredients into our diet. This helps us keep our bodies energised and active. We often make our post-exercise smoothies with ginger, spinach or kale to add that little extra boost. This is a small win that’s quick and easy, and makes a big difference. A top tip is to keep your meals different; don’t eat the same things over and over. Variety is key to keeping your diet balanced. We make sure we don’t have the same meals on repeat every week, which also keeps them interesting.
Embracing change
Spring is often seen as the season of new beginnings, and you can mirror this in your fitness routine. It’s easy to get stuck in the same weekly cycle, but it’s important to vary your fitness regime. Even if the weather is still cold, it is a good time to think about trying something new; heading outside and exploring new pathways.
You never know what you might enjoy. Often, the fear of change prevents you from discovering something you may come to love. You could grab a bike for a cycling trip or head to the park for an outdoor yoga class. With a host of activities available in Sussex, you are bound to find something that fits your lifestyle. Never be afraid to step out of your comfort zone to discover a new way to stay active. We live just a thirty-minute drive from Worthing beach, so as the weather improves, we will switch things up by getting a change of scene and some fresh sea air.
Your winter essentials
February weather is consistently cold and wet, so you must dress appropriately for outdoor exercise. Proper kit makes a big difference to the quality of your training. Layering up is a reliable strategy for walking, cycling and running. It is also essential to have the correct footwear for your specific activity. Taking the time to get properly fitted shoes can help prevent injuries and improve your overall session.
When it comes to our own training, Rachel is in favour of layering up, particularly for outdoor workouts. Layers mean you are ready for whatever the weather may bring, and play an essential role in preventing illness during colder, damper weather (though if you’re like Max, you’ll be happy in shorts all year round!).
Being prepared for a session is as important as the workout itself, so we recommend taking the time to prepare your clothing and shoes the night before to avoid any problems.
About Elevate Fitness
Elevate Fitness is a personal training and wellbeing company founded by Max Phillips and Rachel Parnell. Based in West Sussex, they specialise in one-to-one training sessions and online programmes. Max and Rachel help their clients build fitness, improve their health, and feel more confident in their daily lives. Elevate Fitness sessions are usually held in Warnham and Horsham, both as gym-based and at-home training. They also have an online service with training programmes and workouts that people can fit around busy schedules. Discover more about this approachable, friendly and hugely motivating couple at https://www.elevatefitness.uk/
If you’ve enjoyed this post about winter to spring fitness transition, you may also like:
