Sunny steps to fitness
by Tommy Trout
My brother wasn’t interested in changing his routine (a man on the spectrum being fussy about his routine, shocker!). However, after a series of negotiations and agreements that would make the UN look lazy – we reached an agreement. Every morning Jackson would go for a walk.
Near our home there’s a beautiful bay walk, and we would do it there. 10 minutes into the walk he put his headphones in and was in his own world (leaving me to talk to myself), but he was enjoying it.
He kept this routine up and within a year had lost close to 8kgs! Even better, this is a habit he has kept to this day – 11 years later.
Walking itself is a brilliant form of exercise for people who don’t really want to exercise, like Jackson. But the exercise isn’t the main benefit. The impact of getting some morning sunshine cannot be underestimated. Some of the known benefits of morning sun are; improved immune system, better mood, better sleep, lower blood pressure and promotion of the production of vitamin D. Think of the morning sun like winding up a clock, the internal circadian clock of your body.
It’s important to outline these benefits because for people who use wheelchairs or other mobility devices, the real benefit of a morning walk is the sunshine and its impact on your health. Nor does it have to be walking, any activity outside would yield similar benefits and set the day off right.
JUST GO OUTSIDE
As an inclusive health and fitness professional I get a lot of questions from parents about supplements or ‘hacks’ to help their families get healthier. Many of them mention their kids being addicted to the screen, playing games and being lethargic. So, they’re often surprised by my immediate advice to go for a walk or do an outdoor activity in the morning.
I often feel like they’re disappointed by the simplicity and how boring that advice is, hoping instead to hear about an ancient root or plant that grants superpowers, or
a radical shift in routine. But the reality is, many aspects of living a healthy life is adhering to simple protocols consistently and for a while. Which is why choosing exercises and habits that are sustainable and can adapt with you and your family is so important. A walk (or any outdoor activity) in the morning is one such habit.
Another example; I have a young client who had no interest in exercise and her sleep patterns were all over the shop. This led to challenging behaviour and lethargy during the day, playing PlayStation for hours non-stop. This spilled over into her schooling and everything was getting very difficult for mum to manage. After discussing some ideas, we decided on her and mum walking to school every morning. Some bribes were required to get the ball rolling to be sure, but over time the routine stuck! The results? Her sleep improved as did her mood, which made other changes easier to implement.
So, with Spring springing and summer just around the corner, take advantage of the amazing benefits sunshine has to offer and get the family outside every morning.
In a sun-safe manner obviously.
Tommy Trout, Inclusive-AF, inclusive-af.com
