ACTIVE LIVING
Keep workout routines safe from the weather
FIT HAPPENS With Tom Law
Queensland summers can be harsh and unpredictable and mess with exercise plans. TRISTAN HALL offers some tips on how to keep moving despite the heat and rain.
WHEN I was younger, we always made New Year resolutions only to break them, sometimes within weeks of the new year. I decided that I would set goals and work towards them rather than be disappointed by making a resolution then breaking it. Semantics you say. Perhaps, but it works for me rather than becoming glum and not fulfilling my resolution. The other thing I decided to do was not be upset if I went off the rails. I would just start again. Some people will say that if you are easy to forgive yourself and just start again, what is the point? The point is that seldom do we all adhere to our wish list. If you are watching your weight, then from time to time you may stray and overindulge. Not all of us have the discipline to be strict all the time, so resetting is a good thing. I remember trying to give up smoking many years ago. I would make a big commitment, throw away my cigarettes, make a statement of intent to my wife, and stop smoking for a day or two maybe a week, and then I
W
e know regular exercise gives you a stronger body and a calmer mind and missing out on exercise can get you down. Consider walking earlier in the day or in the evening. Walk indoors at a shopping centre. Many shopping centres are open around 8am and are still relatively empty. There are two advantages – you avoid the sun and you can enjoy the air-conditioned comfort. The same benefits apply to working out at a gym. You escape the sun and you can exercise vigorously in an air-conditioned environment. No sweat. Home is a great place to exercise too. With some light hand weights and resistance bands, you can easily set up a personal routine. Exercise at a set time each day and in a set location. Pace yourself. A 10-minute daily session is better than going all out and then not exercising again.
At home you have the benefit of privacy, your own music and plenty of cold water on tap. Do you have any aerobics DVDs on your shelves? Come on, admit it. Take a look at these classics and get moving. The beach with its sea breezes may be your preferred exercise spot. You can walk, do some yoga stretches or swim. It’s motivating to have other active people around you. Go down early in the morning or towards the end of the day to avoid the harsher sunlight. Call a friend. It’s easier to keep
a commitment you have made to someone else than one you have made to yourself. Arrange to exercise with a friend. This could be an early morning neighbourhood walk or a swim. You will both benefit. Of course, you can add in a coffee break too. On the hot summer days it is important to stay hydrated. Even though you are exercising in the cooler hours or indoors you will still need to replenish your fluids. If you become lightheaded or your urine is darker than usual, it’s a sure sign you are dehydrated. If you are tired of simple H20, munch on some cold watermelon cubes, a few slices of pawpaw or some cucumber sticks. I hope these suggestions help you plan ahead and stay active this summer despite what nature throws our way. Tristan Hall is an exercise physiologist with Full Circle Wellness. Call 0431 192 284 or visit fullcirclewellness.com.au
went back to smoking. After many attempts, I stopped completely and have not had a cigarette since, so it worked for me in the end. Being healthier, exercising more – whatever you want to do, you can work towards it and it can work for you too. Regardless of your goals or wishes you need to work towards them but don’t get too down on not achieving what you want to the first time. Treat what you have done so far as a rehearsal. Simply start again. At some stage it will all click into line and what you are trying to do will fall into place. William Edward Hickson apparently is the first person to have written “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”. There have been many variations on that statement but the sentiment is the same. I love the quote attributed to Winston Churchill “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”. Tom Law is the author of Tom’s Law Fit Happens. Visit tomslaw.com.au
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14 YOUR TIME MAGAZINE / February 2021
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