• Claire Bellingham

September is the new January

I like to think of September as the new January when it comes to setting resolutions.

January is generally a futile time to contemplate change.  Most of the month is a continuation of the festive season with trips, house guests and school holiday activities. It can be hard to get into healthy habits when you’re not in a predictable routine. September is great time to make a new start. The beginning of spring is an auspicious time to turn over a new leaf and create a balanced fitness plan to take you through to the summer.

A good exercise plan includes cardio, strength and flexibility. Cardiovascular exercise is any exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs. There are loads of benefits. Not only does it burn calories, it also combats a variety of health conditions and diseases, improves mood and boosts energy and endurance.   However, there are drawbacks when relying exclusively on cardio for exercise. Repetitive movement patterns can easily cause overuse injuries. To get the benefits of cardio without risking injuries it’s important to build up your intensity gradually. It’s also important to include weight training in your plan.

Weight training supports your cardio training in several ways. It builds strong ligaments and tendons, which support your joints and reduce the risk of injury. Better muscle endurance makes cardio exercise and sporting performance easier. You can push yourself harder and perform better. Weight training has other great benefits too.  It builds lean muscle mass which increases your metabolic rate. This means your body burns calories even when you aren’t doing anything. Just sitting on the couch with your lean muscle mass you are burning more calories than a person with less lean muscle mass. The more lean muscle mass you have, the easier it is to manage your weight without requiring a super-strict diet.     

The third key component of a good exercise plan is flexibility.  Flexibility is the range of motion around a joint.  It is usually the poor cousin of the fitness regime. It is the area that does not directly relate to weight loss, therefore many people do not prioritise it. However a limber body forms the foundation for your cardiovascular fitness and strength. When your muscles are more pliable you reduce the risk of injury in both your exercise and your everyday life.     

When cardiovascular fitness, strength and flexibility come together you create multidimensional fitness that you can use in a variety of ways. You can maximise the benefits by making improvements to your foundation habits – nutrition, hydration, sleep and stress management.  I encourage my clients to set goals in all of these areas to make sure that efforts in exercise are rewarded with changes in body and mind.

Spring is a wonderful season of growth and renewal, everything is easier when the sun comes out.  You can choose to turn over your own new leaf and make September a fresh start for your health and vitality.  

 


By: , Claire Bellingham of Les Mills Takapuna.

Issue 91 September 2018