It is almost winter and we need to ready ourselves to build the summer bodies we desire, says Trove Wellness founder and director Juanita Khumalo.
Khumalo says mental preparation is a key component to remaining consistent and achieving fitness goals during winter.
The fitness guru says people face three main challenges when they start exercising in winter: lack of consistency, wearing the wrong gym gear and not getting enough hydration.
Wearing the correct gym gear is important, especially when exercising outdoors or cycling and running, which demand more gear.
Since it is the cold season, she says it will also be important to wear several layers of comfortable clothing that will be easy to take off as you get warmer from exercising. Layers help guard against overheating, sweating and getting cold.
Though you may not sweat profusely in the cold, one still loses a lot of fluid. Drinking water or sports beverages is as important in cold weather as it is in warmer weather.
“People usually suffer from a lack of consistency when trying to start exercising in winter. I encourage developing consistency and making it a habit before the winter season as this makes it easier to be consistent during the winter period,” said Khumalo.
She warns all those who are looking forward to building their summer bodies this winter season should not drain their bodies and push harder than they are able to. She explains it is possible to have the desired summer bodies in one winter, but that will mean going through drastic and dangerous measures.
Regardless of the pressure to stand out next summer, she says a crash diet is not recommended. “On average, one should be losing between 0.4kg to 1kg of weight per week. The exact number will depend on your activity levels and diet.
“Diet and workout programmes should more or less work around this recommendation. Anything more than that is dangerous for your body.
“Having a dietary plan suitable for winter is possible. One tends to lean towards warmer food compared to cold food. An eating programme tailored to the winter programme will help you stay on course and prevent you from diverting to food that is warm but unhealthy.”
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