How to kickstart your spring in your step

Warmer weather means no need for layers and no need for excuses, Letshego Zulu shares how we can kick start our day.

Young man go in for sport at home. Full size picture of t-shirtless guy sportsman stand in plank position alone in room. Beginner try to do his best and exercise. Hardworking real person. Picture: iStock

It’s a new month, a new season and warmer weather is here. In the next few weeks, our jerseys and boots will migrate to the back of the wardrobe.

Spring has sprung and it represents so many beautiful things.

It’s the beginning of a month, a new season, and an opportunity to start all over again.

Forget about the workouts that didn’t happen over winter, that’s all in the past and winter is not everyone’s favourite season anyway. I do salute all those who made #NoExcuses and trained throughout winter.

High five to you, now keep up the momentum. To those who were on sabbatical from physical activity, it’s okay. It’s time to get moving now. The weather is warming up.

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No need for layers and no need excuses. Plus sunrise is earlier and the sun sets a little later now.

Remember the guideline from the World Health Organisation is a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise, 5 times a week in order to maintain general health.

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As I have said in many articles previously, 30 minutes is only 2% of your 24-hour day, so let’s get moving.

To kick-start your day, try this simple five-minute circuit:

Jumping jacks (60 seconds)
Jump squats (60 seconds)
Push-ups (60 seconds)
Forward lunges (60 seconds)
Plank (60 seconds) A short routine like this may not make you slimmer overnight but it will definitely pump up your heart rate, burn a few calories and have you in the fat burning zone.

If you are trying to get yourself back into physical activity after a long break, you can take it a step further by walking or jogging for 20 to 25 minutes and then add these five exercises every day for one week and you will definitely feel a difference.

With warmer weather being here, it also means we can cut down on the hearty meals.

It is the general norm that in winter we eat such meals to keep ourselves warm. That’s behind us now.

Smaller portions and easy-to-digest meals will have us feeling less sluggish. It’s also a good idea to google search energy-boosting foods or drinks to help you get going.

These types of foods typically contain slow-release energy.

Here are a few:

Sweet potato
Nuts
Spinach
Oats
Green tea

Now that I’ve equipped you with ways to kick-start yourself back into healthy living, I hope you will implement these and come summer, you will be fully back on the fitness bandwagon.

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