by The Baytree | Sep 20, 2023 | Lifestyle, News
January might be the typical month for New Years resolutions and work out commitments, but as the summer holidays come to a close, September is a perfect time to get back into healthy habits. With the kids back to school, the return of weekly routines and work commitments, make sure to incorporate time for exercise into your busy schedules! Grab that new gym membership this September and start working on healthy habits.
Here are some ideas to help you stay motivated:
- Have a plan.
When life starts to get busy, make sure to schedule time for the gym so it doesn’t get forgotten or overlooked! It can be easy to miss a workout if you are not creating the time for yourself, so make sure to have an hour or two booked in the calendar each week. Not only is it helpful to spend time away from the chaos of a busy week at home, but a good workout can help you focus better and reduce stress.
- Reward yourself.
Recognize the small wins in your fitness journey, such as a new PR in the gym, your longest run or fastest swim so far – It is encouraging and motivating to see the development in your fitness journey.
- Little and often.
The NHS recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, which equates to half an hour of activity 5 days a week. Pop to the gym for a quick workout after work or go for a run to wake up before the day starts, but do not feel guilty if you can’t spend long in the gym! A short workout is always better than no workout. Take it easy when you first return to the gym, otherwise you will burn out.
- Involve the family.
Now that your weekdays are filled with work and school, it is important to still find time at the weekends to bond as a family. Why not go to the gym together, or take a fitness class as a family? Not only are you spending time together, but you are promoting healthy habits and traditions that will continue to benefit them in the future.
Make sure to find the best membership for you at Better Gym with a range of options on monthly passes, day passes and pay-as-you-go. Discover great value student memberships, junior memberships, and Off-Peak saver memberships.
by The Baytree | May 11, 2022 | Lifestyle
This Mental health awareness week, we’re highlighting the importance of looking after your mental health here at The Baytree. We all know that life can feel a bit much sometimes and keeping positive can seem like the hardest thing, but it’s so important to remember to put yourself first. So we’ve put together a list of our top 5 ways to help you along with any mental health struggles, and for those days when you’re not quite feeling like your best self.
Art Therapy
Using art to express your creative side can have a lot of benefits to your mental health. Even if you don’t think of yourself to be that artistic- it can be very therapeutic and really help you to wind down and relax. Psychologist, Carl Jung suggested colouring in mandalas as a way to relax and help with mental health. He noticed that it has a calming effect whilst also helping to process your emotions. So grab yourself some colouring pens and put some time aside one evening to have a go, and see what a difference it can make.
Exercise
Exercise is one of the best things you can do to combat stress and it has been linked to combating symptoms of depression and anxiety. Putting your body through physical stress can help with the relief of mental stress immensely and those who exercise regularly are less likely to induce stress as it lowers the bodies stress hormones in the long run, such as cortisol. When exercising, your body releases endorphins, which is what will help to uplift your mood. Stress and anxiety can have a big negative impact on the quality of your sleep so exercise will also play a huge part in the improvement of your sleep quality. (And who here doesn’t love their sleep?)
Taking on regular ways to exercise can also tend to have a positive impact on your confidence, mentally and physically. Even something as simple as getting in a brisk walk during your lunch hour will end up being hugely beneficial. And with summer just round the corner, now’s a better time to start than any!
Step outdoors
Spending time in nature has been found to help with problems in mental health such as anxiety and depression. Research into ecotherapy (a type of formal treatment which involves doing activities outside in nature) has shown it can help with mild to moderate depression. This might be due to combining regular physical activity and social contact with being outside in nature and getting a source of vitamin D. Being outside in natural light can also be helpful if you suffer with symptoms brought on with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which is a type of depression that affects people during certain times of the year.
Talk to someone
One of the most important things to remember when caring for your mental health is to recognise when you’re not feeling yourself and to know when to ask for help. There is no shame in admitting your feelings and the sooner you admit it to yourself, the sooner you can confide in someone for support if you’re feeling low or stressed (we all get like it). It’s important to know in yourself that you have a support system for when you go through the rough patches that everyone does or if you feel like you’re facing bigger problems mentally and need to go to a GP for expert advice and get the professional help that you need.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy isn’t just about nice smells that help you sleep better or boost your mood, aromatherapy uses essential oils as an aid for a range of physical, emotional, and mental health purposes. They’re made from various plant parts, such as roots, seeds, leaves and blossoms. For example, ylang ylang, chamomile and clary slange might help you battle anxiety and insomnia. Whilst rosemary and geranium might be useful when your mood needs a bit of an uplift. Inhalation is probably the most well-known method when it comes to using aromatherapy for mental and emotional health but using essential oils in a bubble bath for a pamper evening or using them during a massage session that you’ve roped your partner into will work too.
Product descriptions from image:
Wilko Cotton Grip Pattern Garden Glove (£1.50)
WHSmith Nature Mandalas (£8.19)
Holland & Barrett: Miaroma Essential Oil (£10, currently buy one get one free)
Sports Direct NIKEAir Zoom SuperRep 2 Women’s Trainers (Currently on offer for £60)
by michael | Jan 30, 2020 | Lifestyle, Style
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by michael | Jul 30, 2019 | Lifestyle, Style
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by michael | Jan 23, 2019 | Lifestyle, Style
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by michael | Oct 30, 2018 | Lifestyle, Style, Uncategorised
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