exercise is beneficial regardless<\/a> of the time of year but choosing a style and regime that works for you and that you enjoy is key. Whether you like circuits, CrossFit, weightlifting, Zumba, you name it! Finding something you genuinely enjoy makes movement exciting and tailored to you. So, it\u2019s not necessarily about choosing a form of exercise that will prepare you for winter, but a form of exercise that will help you develop a sustainable training regime. Then, with whatever training style you choose, you will reap health benefits such as strengthening muscles, joints, improving your cardiovascular health, etc. I know I sound redundant but finding what works for you is crucial. Fitness isn\u2019t a cookie cutter, one size fits all policy that is dependent on the season. It\u2019s dependant on the individual and that\u2019s what needs to be focused on. <\/span><\/p>\nMS:<\/b><\/span> Although winter is beautiful to some, to others the shorter days and stress of the holidays can trigger anxiety and depression \u2014what\u2019s often referred to as the \u201cwinter blues\u201d. We know that physical exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on our mental health. Is this something that people seeking your services are concerned about? <\/b><\/span><\/p>\nMG:<\/b><\/span> I definitely think many people feel the pressures of the holiday season. Between wanting to \u201clook good\u201d for the holidays and feeling guilty about indulging a bit more than usual, people seek fitness as an outlet and a resolution to their problems. However, like I said before, we need to develop a deeper connection to our movement for it to become a habit. Nonetheless, the mental benefits associated with exercise are incredible and scientifically proven. Whether you view it as \u201clook good, feel good\u201d or you recognize the objective facts related to endorphin release, fitness does in fact improve our mental health.<\/span><\/p>\nI think a lot of people want to feel a sense of self-love and although it might seem that the self-love is rooted in \u201clooking good\u201d, once you develop dedication for exercise, you will see that it\u2019s more than just aesthetics. There\u2019s almost a sense of addiction in the feeling of accomplishment and pride that keeps people going and really alters their mental health for the better. The mental progressions I\u2019ve seen in others and have seen in myself after developing positive habits related to exercise are enough to prove the value and importance of activity.<\/span><\/p>\nMS:<\/b><\/span> What are a few simple exercises that can be done on a regular basis\u00a0<\/span>to help us physically and mentally prepare for the winter?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nMG:<\/b><\/span> I would recommend starting with compound movements such as squats, deadlifts, chest press, military press, etc. These are multi-joint exercises that target more than one muscle group at a time and will help build the foundation to whatever training style you choose. These movements also help with functionality (helping you perform everyday tasks), prevent muscle imbalances by working your whole body, and are perfect no matter what level of fitness you\u2019re at. Like I said, these movements are the foundation to your training so variations of each will be seen consistently throughout your fitness journey and should be worked on weekly for progression.<\/span><\/p>\nMS:<\/b><\/span> What would be a suitable diet for people who are excreting regularly?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\nMG:<\/b><\/span> I think the best diet is one that is balanced, makes you feel good and you enjoy. I believe food should be enjoyed and if you aren\u2019t consuming foods you enjoy, your diet won\u2019t be sustainable. I also think balance is key. If you\u2019re forcing yourself to eat all \u201chealthy\u201d foods that you don\u2019t enjoy, you will probably dread eating and it will be very hard to adhere to. I personally like to follow the 80\/20 Rule which is consuming 80% whole, nutritious foods and 20% of treats or foods you enjoy. This is a great ratio to promote balance and sustainability while keeping you interested in your diet which can prevent binging or restrictive dieting. Lastly, food is meant to help us function and feel good! If you\u2019re choosing food that doesn\u2019t sit well with you or doesn\u2019t give you enough energy, it isn\u2019t doing its full job. Everyone has different needs, preferences and goals. Finding a diet that accomplishes all these things is ideal.<\/span><\/p>\nCatarina Bal\u00e7a\/MS<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"At its core, working out requires a lot of mental strength. The first step is in our head, then all the steps that follow deliver the payoff which brings the …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":86938,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4530,17411],"tags":[21308,18100,21307],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/MayaGanhao-scaled.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86937"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=86937"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86937\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":86939,"href":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/86937\/revisions\/86939"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=86937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mileniostadium.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}