Exercise mindset tips

January is renowned for fresh starts and setting ourselves goals for the year ahead and it’s not uncommon to feel a little sluggish after the excesses of the festive season!

One of our group exercise instructors, Kelly Morley, shares her top tips to help get back in the right mindset for exercise:

‘The thought of getting going again after a break, is the hardest part, particularly if you’ve had a long break. Start by scheduling your workouts around your lifestyle. Pick times and days you know you can squeeze in exercise and book your classes for the week ahead. Much like meal prep and meal planning, it lessens the chance of skipping workouts or reaching for the fast-food options!

Put on your workout clothes as soon as you wake up or right when you get home from work if that’s when you’re planning to workout. It’s not as easy to talk yourself out of it when you’re dressed and ready to go!

Drink a glass of water first thing, take some deep breaths, or do some stretches to set your mind and body to exercise o clock!

What we eat and drink can really affect how well we exercise, and timing is key to fuel our bodies for exercise effectively. Hydration is key. Because we lose a lot of water through sweating, incorporate around two litres of water into your daily routine before, during and after exercise. Hot water with lemon or herbal teas have additional benefits such as being a source of vitamin C and aiding digestion.

Try eating 2-3 hours before you exercise and try to include carbohydrates to increase your blood glucose. For example, if you’re exercising at lunchtime, have a porridge made with milk and some fruit, or egg on wholegrain toast for breakfast. Or you could have chicken and rice for lunch if you’re exercising in the late afternoon or early evening.

You’ll need to include a good source of protein and carbohydrates to replenish your glycogen stores after exercise. Think pasta, chilli with rice or chicken and potatoes which are good options.

Remember that everybody is individual, so just go at your own pace!’

If you have any good recipes or new year goals to share, please get in touch on our Facebook member’s page or email us at info@scll.co.uk, we’d love to hear them!