Fitmum: The Last of the Summer Workout

August 31, 2016 by Danielle - Fitmum

The holidays are nearly over. It’s back to school next week and that means the start of colder, darker mornings and nights which is a good and bad thing for me.

The good news is I’m fully back to all my classes Pramtastic, Clubbercise and launching a brand new class Totally Shredded which is a new HIIT combat workout to Drum and Bass music and doesn’t involve equipment and I can’t wait.

The bad news is I hate cold weather. I hate that it’s dark when I get up and dark when I go to sleep. This is the best Summer we’ve had in years and I have certainly taken advantage of it. Lovely days out with the family down the beach, lunch along the Broadway and great evenings down Old Leigh feeling like I’m on holiday and I haven’t even had mine yet. So I am going to make the most of these last summer days and hope we have a great September too.

But with all these days out, I’m not gonna lie it has been hard with eating out and fitting in a workout so I thought you could use a reminder on how make the most of the last summer days and beat those awful, unwanted summer pounds. With the warm nights, it is so easy to swap a workout for a patio session with friends. As fun as that sounds at the time (trust me – I am with you in choosing a lazy patio night over hot and sweaty workouts) your winter wardrobe will thank you if you follow these few simple suggestions.

Get your workout done early. If you are used to after work sessions but find they are being spent watching sunsets over The Estuary, set your alarm an hour early and get sweaty before your day starts. With the sun still rising relatively early, it is easy to get outside for a quick walk or run and follow that up with 20minutes of circuit style strength training. Download your favourite workout app on your phone and after you finish your cardio go for a quick 15-minute blast. You are going to beat the heat and you won’t feel as guilty when you pour your second cocktail later.

Make your workouts social and outdoors. If you prefer a lazy Sunday morning brunch, try opting for a morning hike followed by a picnic. Get a group of friends together and each of you bring something to munch on half way through your hike. Make it a day at the park, or beach, where you spend time playing tennis or any other sport you used to play as a kid, rather than lying on a towel soaking up the rays. Grab some friends and head out to Chalkwell Park and have a mini tournament or hire a yoga teacher to run you through an outdoor, sunrise yoga class. Check out your local outdoor pool and swim a few laps in between your weekly gossip catch ups. You can still have fun with your friends without it centred on summer snacks and drinks.

Try something new. You almost can’t go anywhere near the sea without seeing paddle boards or kayaks on the water. Take a lesson or two and then make a goal of getting out once a week on the water. You won’t need to do another sit up with how intense these activities work your core. Nothing makes you feel young like playing in the water. Search out a new hike, cycle in an area you’ve never explored or go for a run on a different route.

Find a set of stairs. Stairs are everywhere and they are such a great way to get in a quick and intense workout. The Leigh Station stairs are great for this although I’m not sure my clients would agree. Set a goal of how many sets you are going to complete and then each time you do it, try and beat your last attempt.

Do some gardening. And if you don’t have one, go and help someone else do theirs. Mowing, raking and planting all burn mega calories and build muscle mass. Bring your workout gear on holiday. When I go away I love to lie around and do nothing. I sunbathe, sleep and enjoy a cocktail or two. But there is nothing more inspiring than a morning run along the beach (we are so lucky you can do this in our great town as well) and follow it up with a few squats, lunges and push ups.

Life is too short to not enjoy summer weather and all the patios and barbecues that go along with it but balance is key. It is ok to skip your workout once in a while, but if it becomes a habit, take some time to figure out what you need to change.

Use the hastag #lastofthesummerworkout and show us what you’ve been getting up to Feel free to send me your questions to info@rewardfitness.co.uk

Dannielle Emery #fitmumleigh www.rewardfitness.co.uk