Reset your fitness goals after Easter with these tips

Easter is a time of year when many of us take a few days off and spend important time with family and friends, but with a relaxed schedule, it's also a time when we tend to overindulge in food and drink. For many people, the Easter break is the final blow to an already limping New Year's resolution, and when the seasonal fun ends and it's time to get back to work, our motivation can be left low.

“The struggle is real,” says Dr. Jennifer Heisz, author of “ Move the Body, Heal the Mind: Overcome anxiety, depression, dementia and improve concentration, creativity and sleep ‘. The renowned neuroscience and exercise expert learned a lot about improving her own fitness game as she embarked on a journey that took her from sedentary scholar to tenacious triathlete. "The brain is partly to blame. Our lack of motivation to exercise is a relic of our evolutionary past, when we had to expend a lot of energy hunting and gathering our food. Back then, energy conservation was necessary for survival, and so the brain evolved to view any voluntary exercise as an extravagant expense, and that makes us lazy."

Worry less about willpower

Of course, the commercialization of candy at Easter means we use up a lot more energy than we actually need, but that doesn't stop our bodies from storing those excess calories for later use. “We also often overlook this Practice requires a lot of willpower " says Dr. Heisz. "Save the time and energy it takes to exercise by using a calendar to plan your workouts in advance. Include as many details as possible: What activity will you do? When will you do it? Where from? And with whom? This will save you the willpower you need to overcome the brain's biological inertia so you can get off the couch and move."

Smash those sedentary Easter breaks

Whether you're enjoying the Easter holidays from the comfort of your couch or returning to work and spending money Sitting in the office for hours, there is one thing that threatens to hinder our progress and that is the time we spend without moving. “Sitting is the new smoking,” says Heisz. "When we sit for long periods of time, our body goes into hibernation mode; lowering our metabolism and increasing our blood pressure, blood sugar and weight. High blood pressure damages the heart and its vessels. This reduces blood flow to the brain, which not only makes it harder for us to think clearly and concentrate, but also increases our risk of dementia.

"The solution? Take a two-minute movement break every 30 minutes. Move in a way that feels right for you. You can do jumping jacks, push-ups, or burpees at home if needed. And if you need to start with something gentler, try a self-paced walk or stretching."

Dr. Heisz, who he is too Head of the NeuroFit laboratory at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, says we shouldn't let the fear of challenging workouts stop us from getting started. “2 to 5 minutes of exercise is enough to counteract the harmful effects of sitting Replenish the brain with vital nutrients it needs to think, stay focused and thrive.”

Get out of your comfort zone and reap the rewards

One excuse we often give ourselves to avoid exercise is that we are too tired or stressed to exercise. The truth is that when we exercise more, we become fitter and more energetic. We also reap mental rewards from our physical investments. “Hard workouts that push us out of our comfort zone not only help us become physically stronger, but also make us more resilient to life’s challenges, and that’s exactly what happened to me when I was training for the Ironman,” says Heisz. “The training made me a more resilient person and I became less reactive to everyday stressors.”

Here's how it works: Intense exercise induces a dynamic stress response known as allostasis. Allostasis helps the body adapt and grow and is exactly what we need to become fitter, stronger and healthier. “The amazing thing is that we only have one stress response for all stressors, including physical stressors from exercise and also psychological stressors from our everyday lives,” says Dr. Hotz. “Just as you can increase your muscle strength by gradually lifting heavier weights, you can expand your stress tolerance for training and life by gradually adding intensity and duration to your workouts.”

Depression cannot compete with a fitter you

“ Our research shows "How quickly mental health can deteriorate under chronic psychological stress, but it also shows how effective exercise is at protecting us from stress-related depression," says Heisz. "As little as six weeks of chronic stress led to depression in people who had never had a previous diagnosis. But exercise buffered against these stress effects. Although HIIT and moderate-intensity exercise were equally effective, those who cycled at moderate intensity for 30 minutes three times a week ended up less stressed and less inflamed."

Research shows that aerobic exercise can relieve depression and that the duration is most important. Increasing your exercise by just 10 minutes will result in a stronger antidepressant effect. Resistance exercises like yoga, tai chi, and strength training can also help relieve depression, but intensity is what matters most. Increasing the intensity of your resistance training by just 10 percent will produce a stronger antidepressant effect. Stress is not an excuse for not exercising.

Focus on both short- and long-term goals to keep your training on track

A big reason many people are less motivated to exercise after Easter is because they haven't seen the results of their New Year's resolution, but that's just a matter of changing your perspective on what constitutes progress. “Most people start a new exercise program and want results NOW!” says Dr. Hotz. "Usually the desired results are physical, like weight loss or muscle gain, but these physical changes can take months to occur and that can be very discouraging. The solution? We need to reframe things. First, instead of focusing on the physical benefits, which can take months, give it a try Focus on the mental benefits This can be felt immediately after every training session. "You'll feel better, more focused, and less anxious after every workout. How's that for instant gratification!?"

Try to focus less on the destination and more on the overall experience. “When we focus on the experience we have during training, the entire process becomes more intrinsically motivating,” says Dr. Hotz. "Your exercise experience doesn't have to be overly positive to have a positive effect. Try paying attention to your heart rate and muscle contractions. When you focus on the exercise experience, it becomes fluid...a pleasant, effortless experience that makes you want to see it through to the end."