OK, so at the time of writing it is still summer in the UK. The season is important for fashion and wellbeing, with the benefits of sunshine featuring high on people’s lists of priorities. Although post Christmas will always be the most popular time for gym bunnies, the long, happy summer days are ideal for jogs in the park and morning exercise sessions before work. The seasons generally affect how you go about your rituals and routines – whether you realise it or not.
Which is why it’s important as models to think about how you’ll approach fitness in the next few weeks when the weather is likely to change dramatically. No one especially likes dismal weather, but that’s no excuse for your fitness patterns to alter. Models should maintain health, wellbeing and fitness levels all year round; having both an active mind and body is a winning formula and sure to help you with any modelling assignments that come your way.
Use the rest of the summer to “top-up” the good work achieved in the past few months. Don’t be happy by attaining targets, only to let it slip and be forced to start all over again in the winter (this, sadly, is the main reason why gym membership soars in January – understandable, for sure, but if fitness are safely sustained throughout the year, the need for last minute “panic” membership can be avoided!).
For the rest of the summer, concentrate on upholding energy levels by fitting in 20-minute runs and packing in mini fitness sessions involving sit-ups, weights and circuit training. but it’s not all about exercise. Fitness encompasses effective sleep patterns, keeping hydrated (don’t skimp on the water) and eating healthily. Try eating more fruit, nuts and vegetables, as well as oily fish and lean meats. Substitute white rice with brown, and switch to wholemeal bread. Subtle changes pay large dividends!
Will your routine change as we approach autumn? That depends on your determination. Shorter autumnal days have advantages and drawbacks, and models need to exploit them to reap the rewards. Consider the following autumnal pros and cons:
Advantages
1. Fitness wear and equipment is often cheaper in the autumn (companies tend not to ramp up the prices before spring
2. Darker mornings can help uninterrupted sleep.
3. Some of you will have fewer social events in the darker months, thus ensuring more free time to get “winter fit”.
Disadvantages
1. Deteriorating weather can lower willpower to get fit outside.
2. Restaurants often alter menus in the colder months, and more items are higher in “bad” carbohydrates and saturated fat (sadly, the UK is not blessed with Mediterranean-style, all-year-round low calorie fare).
It’s difficult to a) maintain fitness in colder months, and to b) start a new fitness routine when the days are shorter, wetter and colder. Hey – we’re all human! If you need to amend anything, it should be your self-discipline and resolve to keep at it, and not give up. After all, winter is temporary, and it’ll be the warmer months once again soon!
We’re always looking for fitness models to help our clients in their modelling assignments. They could be well-known gyms, sports brands or nutrition brands. Get in touch if you think you’ll “fit” in, and we look forward to helping you in your modelling career!
