As long as you are reading this post from somewhere in the British Isles then the chances are you have been experiencing surprisingly pleasant weather over the last few days. Well the good news is that, if the weather reports are to be believed, the sunshine is here to stay. And in true British fans that is likely to mean weekend trips to the seaside, the first emergence of the barbecue and countless numbers of people opting for the shirtless look as they hit the town centres.
For me though, this spells opportunity. A lot of people who prefer to use our pavements as their gym are frequently put off by British weather. The cold weather makes it unbearable for some, for others the rain and snow makes it unsafe. So the rarity of a nice Saturday means that runners make their way to our parks in their droves and they get active.
Of course the weather has a major impact on our mood too. It is just simply the case that when the weather improves we all can’t wait to get out and do stuff. Waking up on a cold, rainy Saturday just makes you want to draw the curtains and curl up under your duvet. On the flip side, being woken up by rays of sunshine over the weekend makes you want to hop out of bed, get the kids ready and do something altogether as a family!
So what are the things we can do? Well it all depends on how hot it actually does get this weekend. Some people are saying that it could be hotter in Britain this weekend than it is in Ibiza, so that should tell you a little something about just how hot it might get. So if the talk of 27 degrees is correct it means that there is plenty we can do. The odd hot day here and there doesn’t allow for swimming in our seas and outdoor swimming pools but this sort of weather probably will. The chances are the traffic will be horrendous tomorrow morning but if you can get yourself to the coast then a dip in the ocean is a real possibility.
Then you have the chance to play sport. This seems to go hand-in-hand with the good weather and rightly so. Any chance to get more active is brilliant, so use the good weather as an excuse to go for a kick about or even get the cricket set out for the first time in 2016.
And just as I talk about the two components of physical fitness being exercise and nutrition, the two components of the sunshine in Britain could be outdoor activities and barbecues. The outdoor activities give us a great excuse to exercise and the barbecues give us a great excuse to get creative with our nutrition. Rule number one is to get somebody in charge of the barbecue who actually knows what they are doing! And then it is all about choosing the right kinds of things to eat. This is the perfect chance to get some high quality, protein-rich meats, as well as a wide array of refreshing vegetables. The hot weather just screams out for a really refreshing and nutritious afternoon meal.
None of this means that when it gets back to being as cold as we expect that your enthusiasm should drop of course, but don’t let what is supposed to be a remarkable weather weekend go to waste. So whatever you choose to do this weekend, we hope the weather is kind for you and that you find someway of getting that little bit more active!