Fitness: How to beat the winter slump

Africa Melane speaks to fitness expert Marlie Hattingh to unpack why winter slows us down—and how to beat the slump with smart movement, better food choices, and a shift in mindset

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Two seven two. Let's walk the talk streaming the countrywide
one on the Prime media. Claus Nap, a friend of mine,
loves to say that summer bodies are made and created
in winter, So how do we beat that winter slump?
World Planet Fitness has an option for you, and that's
the High Rox and the master trainer Marle Hatting is

(00:22):
joining me on the line now. Malea very good morning
and welcome to the show.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good morning, Thank you for having me.

Speaker 1 (00:28):
Liza fanavests and spoke about the High Rocks, oh a
couple of months ago now, but perhaps for those listeners
who don't remember what it is, remind us what is it?

Speaker 2 (00:38):
II Rocks. So basically it is eight exercises and it
will always stay those eight exercises that you do with
either a partner or alone, and then you run one
kilometer in between each of those exercises, so everyone's at
the own pace. Everyone goes out in ways and then

(00:59):
this continues for like hours where people do those exercises
and run until everyone's finished.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
Why do people do this, Molly?

Speaker 2 (01:09):
Why is the question?

Speaker 1 (01:14):
Let's focus though on winter. For me, I imagine one of
the greatest challenges of getting active in winter is the
cold weather that is outside. Right, if you are going
to wake up at four o'clock in the morning to
get ready to go on a cycle, to go for
a run, to go to the gym, the media thought
is it is ice cold. But I suppose in how Dan,

(01:39):
how do you advise people to find the motivation to
continue despite the cold weather outside.

Speaker 2 (01:48):
I would say the best way is to find a
goal to work towards during winter is you find a
fitness professional out there and you let them ride to
plan for you, structure to your goals, and you currently
are in your fitness journey, and then you commit to
sticking to that plan for the rest of winter. I
also have this rule with my clients where if you

(02:11):
really feel like you don't want to go chain, you
have to do three things. You have to go to
the gym, do your warm up and two exercises. If
after the warm up and two exercises you still don't
want to change, you're allowed to go home. No guilp However,
you will find once you start moving you want to
keep going. It's just that initial start that's the hardest,

(02:33):
especially in winter.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
Speaking about that, I suppose are them well as instructors,
do you modify your instruction a little bit during winter
to sort of not make it easier necessarily because that's
not the objective, right, but to have them people staying

(02:55):
motivated after those two exercises that you recommend.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
That we do well, we'll obviously throw in a little
bit more of a motivation they're during the classes to
keep everyone going, but the warm up will just sometimes
be a bit longer. Honestly, training in wintervices summer does
not have to look different. Training is training. The most
important thing is just to get moving.

Speaker 1 (03:21):
The other challenge outside of cold weather is of course nutrition.
Right winter demands that we have wonderful stews and incredible
amounts of starch and all sorts of other things which
unfortunately are not going to be good for one.

Speaker 2 (03:37):
Right well, I wouldn't say not good for one, because
there's nothing that's inherently bad for you. It's just everything
in moderation.

Speaker 1 (03:48):
That is true. Will you under water Applians in Africa,
winter challenge as a runner is that it's getting dark
early for evening runners, not just the cold, and I
imagine given and we've been talking about crime and safety
in South Africa for the last forty minutes or so.
Given those challenges getting on, you know, getting back to

(04:11):
home after a day at work and then putting on
your running shoes when the sunshine disappears quite early, particularly
in Ku Teng, that becomes a consideration as well.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
Yes, it makes it a little bit difficult. However, there's
ways to work around it. While Planet Fitness has the
indoor running checks at some of the facilities, so it
might help to find one of those clubs and just
go run inside. I mean, that is the safest option
you will have. And then there's running clubs that you
can also join, so at least you will not be

(04:45):
running alone in the dark.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
That is true actually, because when I leave the studio
here in Cape Tout, it's still dark and what I'm
seeing are almost these I don't know what a collector
for runners is. Let's call them a troop of runners
wearing sort of headlights and they're running as a group
of maybe ten, maybe twenty people down main road in Greenpoint,

(05:08):
and people obviously choose them to be part of these
bigger groups of running teams, so that you know there's
some protection and safety in numbers.

Speaker 2 (05:18):
I suppose, yes, So it's not just that, it's like
having a training partner when you go to the gym.
It just adds that extra layer of accountability when you
have a lot of people that you're running with, because
if you're not showing up and it's a frame or something,
they're gonna have to hold you accountable to it.

Speaker 1 (05:36):
Absolutely, Marlee, thank you very much. I'm sure you're getting
ready for your first session today.

Speaker 2 (05:41):
He's a master's class. Thought now at fast all the well.

Speaker 1 (05:46):
I was gonna say all the best to you, but
I think all the best to your people who are
going to have a wonderful Monday. Thank you for joining us.
Marley Hatting is a Master trainer for Planet Fitness Excess
Higher Rocks, which sounds like an amazing experience for people
who choose to participate in it.