5 ways to keep exercising this Winter

Tag: gym

30
Oct
2018

5 ways to keep exercising this Winter

Categories: Fitness

As the weather turns colder it can be far too tempting to put off the usual fitness regime, in favour of cozying up on the sofa with a blanket. While I’ll be doing plenty of the latter, I’m keen to keep up my workouts during winter to stay fit, healthy and to achieve my own weight loss goals. If you’re with me and want to do a bit of both, read on for 5 ways to keep exercising this winter!

5 ways to stay fit in winter

1. Team up with a friend
This is a good one to do all year round. Teaming up with a friend to exercise, more often than not, makes you stick to your workout of choice – even when it’s cold.

2. Upgrade your winter workout wardrobe
This isn’t just an excuse to go shopping (although it’s a good excuse in my book). Making sure you have appropriate workout clothes also helps you to stick to you fitness regime. It could be a new set of gym clothes, that you’ll want to show off, get use out of or feel comfortable in; or winter specific items if your favourite exercise means being outside. For example, I love jogging so my new winter kit includes running gloves, a hat, and a warm but lightweight high vis jacket.

3. Put the date in the diary
Whether you make a note of it on your phone’s calendar or on paper, setting a date to workout also means you’re more likely to stick to it.

4. Sign up to a gym or indoor classes
You don’t have to spend money getting fit, but having the financial commitment and a place to exercise inside are both good motivators for keeping active as it gets colder. Plus, local leisure centres usually offer a ‘pay as you go’ membership and there are a growing number of ‘cheap’ gym clubs around.

5. Home workouts
Lastly, set a date to do some exercise in the comfort of your living room. There are tons of online/YouTube workout videos, with many being free. I’m a fan of The Body Coach videos and any beginners yoga session I can find. I also like the YouTube channel Cosmic Kids, it’s yoga with fun stories, so that I can do some stretching with my daughter or at least keep her entertained while I do it! Other exercises you can do without heading out include classic resistance moves such as press up, sit ups/crunches and squats.

12
Jul
2018

Weights for weight loss

Categories: Weight Loss

For a long time I’ve bypassed the weights corner of any gym, and resistance* training happened once in a blue moon. Curiosity however got the better of me and after researching what it’s all about, and giving it another go with a Personal Trainer, I now feel foolish for having neglected this type of training. Here are 7 weighty facts about dumbbells, barbells and everything else you can find in that part of the gym!

1. Weights will help you lose excess fat
Many people who have excess weight to lose tend to focus on cardio pursuits, which are important, but building muscle will also help you to lose actual body fat and will ensure that the weight you’re losing is excess fat and not vital muscle.

2. Weights do not make you bulky
Some people think as soon as you lift a weight you’ll suddenly turn into the incredible hulk – not quite. Lifting weights can lead to a lean and toned figure, especially if you get advice from a professional on what weight size to lift and how many reps per movement you should do.

3. Weights can give you a slimmer looking body shape
Similarly to the above, building more muscle can really help you tone up, creating a slimmer looking physique.

4. Resistance training is important in the prevention of osteoporosis
Lifting weights/resistance training can help increase bone density, which is very important as we get older (as this can decrease). Increased bone density means that if we fall, we’re less likely to seriously injure or break a bone.

5. Weight training makes for more varied and interesting workouts
If the thought of going to the gym and running on a treadmill bores the life out of you, I would definitely recommend incorporating some weight/resistance training in to your routine. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the time flies by and with that…

6. Resistance/weight training can offer you new challenges to keep workouts interesting
It’s a great feeling when you notice that you’re able to complete a set of reps easier that the first time you tried or perform a full push up without being on your knees – it happened to me once! Plus, the Department of Health recommends resistance training twice a week for adults aged between 19 and 64.

7. Building more muscle through weight and resistance training can actually help you burn more calories over the course of the day.
How? This type of training increases the body’s fat free mass which in turn increases your body’s basal metabolic rate (BMR), which means your body will be able to burn more calories over time.

Read more:
Exercise recommendations from the NHS
www.nof.org
Strength training guide from MyFitnessPal

* Resistance training also strengthens your muscles but may not necessarily require any weights or equipment. Using your own body weight to perform various exercises, for example push ups or pull ups, can also build and strengthen your muscles.

14
Mar
2018

A PureGym review

Categories: Fitness, Reviews

I’ve been in search of a new place to workout and I have finally ended up at my local PureGym. Here’s how I’ve been getting on at this mega cheap gym chain.

What is PureGym?
PureGym is a chain of gyms that offers super low cost memberships. There are clubs all over the country and many are open 24 hours.

I had heard good things about the gym chain and could never believe how cheap the membership is in comparison to others – subconsciously I perhaps thought the price meant that the gym would be super basic, but I was wrong.

My local PureGym
Equipment wise I would never spot the difference between this gym and another where you may end up paying triple the price; and did you know that PureGym membership includes a ton of fitness classes too? From spinning to kettlebell to dance classes – the range is amazing and I’ve really enjoyed trying as many new ones as possible.

PureGym gym review
I’ve been really impressed with PureGym and absolutely love all the classes – especially spinning. With the cost being low I also don’t feel guilty if for some reason I can’t make it to the gym, but that said I think it’s actually had the opposite effect; I’m going way more than I had intended because I can’t get over how cheap it is and how much you get included.

However, I am absolutely pants in knowing what to do in the weights section, so next job is to get au fait with the dumbbells and get my squat on! Perhaps I need to book some one-on-one sessions with one of the many Personal Trainers at the club, who all seem lovely too!

Cons of PureGym
I wouldn’t usually notice this and I’m really not a picky person but my particular club has an awful carpark – there are no clear spaces and it looks as though the ground itself needs resurfacing urgently. I’m also a bit suspicious of the air con in the Spinning studio – does it actually work? They say it’s on but I think that’s debatable! There’s no pool either, which doesn’t bother me, but just a heads up if swimming if your thing.

Would you recommend PureGym?
I would definitely recommend PureGym to anyone looking for a friendly and well equipped place to work out. Nice one PureGym, keep doing what you’re doing.