In the immortal words of Neil Diamond, we are all ‘subject to the blues now and then.’ You might not be weeping like a willow, but it’s a fair bet you’ve been sleeping on your pillow a bit longer these cold winter mornings.
Early mornings are dark, evening arrives quickly and the cold can make staying under a doona seem more appealing than heading outside.
By August, Australian winter – particularly in the southern states – starts to feel like it’s gone on forever. And the ‘August Blues’ can show up now and then as a dip in energy, mood and motivation.
It’s perfectly normal to feel less active during winter. Colder temperatures can make movement seem harder, and shorter days disrupt our routines, including outdoor exercise.
The good news is that staying active through August doesn’t require an ambitious training plan and consistent effort can make a big difference.
If it’s too cold or dark to exercise outdoors, try an indoor workout. A getback Stronger for Life membership gives you unlimited, supervised training sessions inside our bright (and warm) new South Melbourne clinic.
Being (relatively) comfortable while you exercise can help to focus on how the exercise makes you feel, rather than thinking it’s something to be endured. Inviting a friend or family member along can also boost your motivation and make training more fun.
Winter is also a good time to reset expectations. You don’t need to match your summer routine exactly. Focus on ways to keep moving – and warm! – including ‘incidental’ exercise. Take the stairs instead of the lift or elevator, walk or ride to the tram or train and move to your favourite tunes while cleaning.
Spring is definitely in the air – I can smell the sweet tea tree scent when I walk to the beach in the morning. Keeping up even a modest exercise routine will make it easier to hit the ground running as spring (and footy finals!) kick in.
Use the tail end of August as an opportunity to build habits that carry you into spring. The August Blues may be real, but they don’t have to stop you moving.
I’ll leave it to Neil for a closing motivational message: ‘Before you know it, you’ll start feeling good – you simply got no choice.’
