For the last couple of days, Husband and I have been getting out on our bikes for a few hours. In fact, in the last 2 days, we’ve ridden 23 miles, which is a piffling amount for my Husband, who’s a lifelong cyclist, but it’s a huge achievement for me, someone who’s been on a bike probably twice in the past ten years. Sure, I feel a bit like I’ve been repeatedly kicked in the perineum, but I’ve discovered that I actually really love cycling. Yesterday, we rode to Belfairs Woods and around the dirt track and I was knackered beaming by the end of it.
On our rides, I’ve noticed a lot more people out and about, exercising and enjoying themselves. Yesterday, we saw joggers, walkers, cyclists, even a whole bunch of kids taking advantage of the number of free tennis courts that we have around our area. Everyone seemed happy to be out in the sun and their energy levels were infectious. I couldn’t help but wonder if the reason that everyone was engaging in healthier activities was the fact that the sun was shining?
You have to admit, here in the UK, our weather can be appalling – this latest spate of good weather has only just sprung itself upon us after one of the worst winters on record and there’s no denying that cold, wet weather makes us all want to hibernate. When the weather is rubbish, we all like to stay indoors and indulge in comfort food and it’s infinitely harder to find the motivation to exercise.
When your house is warm and cosy, the thought of pulling on your running shoes and pounding the pavements in the cold drizzle is wholly unappealing. The other issue is the fact that we run out of daylight hours before we get a chance to exercise. Anyone who works 9-5 will spend the majority of daylight at work and running in the dark is not my idea of fun (or safety). So, the other option is a gym subscription, but even our local council run gym is now over £40 a month for a basic membership, which is out of a lot of people’s budgets.
Having said all of that, I looked into the statistics and was surprised by what I found. According to the latest data, 61.3% or UK adults are classified as overweight or obese, which is shockingly high, but by the same token 60% of Australian adults are also in the overweight or obese category, which goes to show that there are definitely other factors at work.
Obviously, I can’t blame the fact that I’m fat entirely on the weather, but all I know is this: I have been so much happier exercising in the sunshine this past week and I don’t seem to be the only one. Would we all live more active lifestyles if we had year-round sun?
What about you? Are you more active in the sunshine? Are you a gym bunny all year round or do you hibernate like me? Leave me a comment below.
While I 100% see your point I’ve found that I piled on a HUGE amount of weight when I was in Spain for 3 months. Glorious weather but I just spent it sunbathing!
The trouble with Spain is that there’s so much nice food and wine and far too many gorgeous pools to laze around!
It’s the opposite for me. At least it is when it’s this hot it is. I’d rather run in the rain than in great heat.
I’ve come to the conclusion that I’d just rather not run in any weather, it’s definitely not an exercise that I take any pleasure from at all and I avoid doing it because of that. However, I really enjoy riding my bike, even when I’m hot, sweaty and shattered so I’m more inclined to do it. There’s nothing quite like dragging yourself and your bike up a hill, only to reach the crest under your own steam and getting to enjoy the wind in your face on the downhill ride.
I have actually avoided going out in this weather as much as possible atm, I am very overweight and the heat makes me tired and sweaty. However, I have definately eaten better as cannot be bothered to cook hot meals as much and eating alot of salad’s and sandwiches and not eaten as often at all. I prefer Autumn where it is still warmish but cool enough to not break out in a sweat just walking down the road. I also don’t like taking my little boy out in this heat as I worry it will make him feel poorly as it does to me, Its a nightmare to get ready to go out if im going in the sun as have to smother me and my lo in suncream make sure I have tons of cold drinks with us and put hats on otherwise I get headaches very quick. So as much as I like the sun shining as it makes me happy I feel its just a little to hot to do anything at present in it.
I’m the same, I’m very overweight but I think I’ve got to a point where I’ve realised that I’m never going to change that if I don’t come to terms with the fact that I have to get hot and sweaty and it IS going to take me out of my comfort zone. I think my need to be comfortable all the time is a large contributor to my size.
This is really interesting because I am the exact opposite! I’m clinically obese, let’s not beat about the bush, I can’t really hide the fact but I am much more active in the cooler weather, rather than in the midst of a heat wave like this. Personally for me, it stems from the anxiety of being a sweaty betty out in public – the slightest hint of warmth and I look like I’ve been sat in the sauna, all red faced, soaked hair and beads of sweat dripping down my face. So because of that deep rooted anxiety, I love to exercise when the weather is colder.
One thing I have noticed however, is that this summer has been the one where I have been outside the most. This is mainly due to my meds taking the anxious edge of things but I certainly seem to have more energy. More vitamin D perhaps?
I’m in the same boat. I just hate sweating and I prefer just hanging around the house and garden with Amy when it’s that hot. I just don’t want to be the sweaty obese mum that everyone’s disgusted by (in my head) x
I have to say, I agree with you to a certain extent but I think it depends on the activity. I can’t think of anything worse than jogging in this weather, the heat would make it so much harder and more uncomfortable, but cycling is different for me. I feel fine doing that in public and it’s much lower impact than jogging so I don’t get bouncing boobs/belly/bum when I do it!