Don’t Ditch The Gym
Ahhh summer… we are all eager for sunshine (hello vitamin d!), warmer weather, and the great outdoors! While you need to get outside and you need to enjoy summer, you also need to stay consistent to your exercise routine. Here are 5 reasons we don’t want you to ditch the gym this summer:
- You have plans to get outside and ride bike or go for walks, or maybe your a runner and you can finally run outside… but did you know that you can start to loose cardiovascular fitness in a just a few days and you will start to loose muscle strength in about 3 weeks.A long bike ride or walk on a beautiful summer evening is great for your general health, but it won’t replace a solid sweat session at the gym. Maintain your cardiovascular fitness with 2 moderate to high intensity cardio workouts a week. Try a cycle class – great for intensity with little impact.
Calling all runners! Sure, you won’t loose your cardiovascular fitness when you moving your running outdoors, but you could loose your muscular strength (you’ll see loss after about 3 weeks and it takes about 6 weeks to build!) if you don’t include a few gym or at-home strength sessions. Try a BodyPump class or check out the portable ProxBox.
Aim for 1-2 strength sessions a week to maintain your muscular strength. And everyone can use more Yoga in their lives – work in stretching, mobility, and flexibility as you can but work for one dedicated session a week.
- The weather can be unpredictable. You may have every intention of getting outside for a workout and then it rains, it’s windy, or it’s too hot. Come July and August, sometimes you need an air-conditioned option. (When you do get outside, don’t forget sunscreen and your water!)Not a member? Not a problem! June, July and August is $5 Frenzy time at P50 – all day passes are just $5! We also have group fitness and Pulse punch cards available all year-round.
- Summer can be a great time to ramp-up your routine (#gains) too. The extra daylight and the more laid-back feel of summer can make an extra workout not feel so hard. More fresh produce and dinners on the grill can actually make it easier to eat healthy. And those evening bike rides or walks mean less time on the couch binge watching Netflix with ice cream đ (you need those days too!)Consider adding personal training or trying a Pulse class or Olympic Lifting. Or maybe doing Reset30 , our at-home wellness education course. Summer can be a great time to change it up – what does that look like to you?
- Consistency – showing up day after day and week after week – is how you get results. It’s not too complicated – just show up. We can think we will workout outside more – but will we actually? We can say we will join back up in September – but September turns into October and then all of sudden you tell yourself “after the New Year”.Don’t even allow yourself to go there – you’ll have to work too hard to get back into it. Need some help with accountability? We hear that all the time – just reach out and ask. From the Rookie5K & customized running programs to a nutrition support group or regular check-ins with our registered nurse – we have too many options to list here đ
- We’d miss you! You are what makes Proximal50 awesome. The people and the community you’ve all built is what gets us out of bed and to “work” everyday. If you weren’t here, we wouldn’t want to be here either. Remember, you inspire those around you so don’t forget to show up for them too. Give a nod to that person squatting or planking in the corner, high-five your neighbor in class, or hold the door with a smile for the next person coming in – let’s keep each other accountable.
Tana Trotter, PT, DPT
Proximal50 Life Center
