Monday, October 22, 2007

Set the clocks back, not your mood!

Set the clocks back, not your mood!
It’s time to set the clocks back as summer is
officially over on the 28th of October. Most of us dread
this time of year as it means less light and colder
weather. We quickly feel the urge to curl up at home,
drink far too many cups of tea, eat more sugary foods and
do very little activity. All of these changes combined
often lead to a change in our mood, we don’t feel
quite as cheerful, we tend to socialise less and generally
feel unmotivated.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Take control and feel
good this winter!

In the months leading to summer we all hit the panic button
as we realise we can no longer hide behind bulky winter
clothing, we want to look good; leading in to winter you
might not worry so much about looking good but what about
feeling good? Is your mental health not as important as
your physical health?

Of course it is, it’s even more important. This
winter work on feeling good!

How you wonder? It’s not as difficult as you think.
Simply take the following actions:

Action 1: Get Moving Studies show that anywhere from 30
minutes to an hour of exercise every day can have a
positive impact on our mood. Exercise releases endorphins
in our body and help us to feel happy.

Action 2: Set Goals Setting goals will keep you motivated
and achieving them will empower you. If you enjoy running,
sign up for a race in the early spring and spend the winter
training. Once you’ve set your goal write it down
before the clocks turn back and put it somewhere where
you’ll see it every day; when the clocks spring
forward you can feel proud to have achieved it.

Action 3: Socialise Use your exercise time to catch up with
friends. It will make your sessions more enjoyable and
exercising with someone helps us to put in a bit more
effort. Even better join a new club and meet new people.

Action 4: Watch what you eat Minimise sugar and refined
carbohydrates by eating foods high in protein and fibre to
make you feel full and less likely to crave those sugary
treats. Weight gain often leads to poor self- image;
therefore maintaining your weight through winter is key to
staying positive.

Don’t let this winter be a repeat of the last. Take
action and feel good! Feeling good in the winter will help
you to look good in the summer.


----------------------------------------------------
Rosa Coelho is a Performance Coach and Personal Trainer at
Dax Moy Personal Training Studios In London. Rosa
specialises in applying a holistic approach to health and
fitness through The POWER Principles. For more information
about Rosa visit http://www.rocofit.com

No comments: