The last of the summer months and imminent arrival of autumn (sad, but true) doesn’t just mean a change in your wardrobe.
Don’t give up on your fitness goals just yet
Switch up your fitness routine now you’re back at the coal face and challenge yourself with something new. Make it less of a shock by taking some of your sessions indoors over time and keep up the evening walks while the days are still long and light. Take in the beauty of the changing season whilst boosting your mood and creativity along the way, and add in a new challenge like boxing to satisfy your yang side and yoga to coddle your yin.
My pick for a great boxing gym is Newmarket’s Studio Box, whilst my yoga go-to’s will always be Brown Street’s snuggly Urban Ashram and the stylish wellness hub, Studio Red Yoga, in City Works Depot, which has regular restorative yoga events in what must be the city’s chicest practice space.
Choose skincare that soothes
Chances are over the summer your skin has taken a bit of a hammering from the sun, wind, sea and more, so gently bring it back to life with products designed to heal and soothe. One of my newest discoveries is the facial oil and body moisturiser from Rayna Skincare, created right here in New Zealand using high performance, natural and clean ingredients.
It’s also the perfect time to embrace ‘skip-care’, a considered and consolidated skincare routine that has become popular of late as a reaction to the idea of an overly complicated multi-step routine.
Opt for powerful, multitasking products that go to work on more than one thing, and take some time to assess how your skin feels on the day. Skip-care also has the added benefit of making beauty more sustainable simply by reducing the packaging required.
Eat immunity-boosting foods
This time of year salads are still the go-to, but beautiful vegetables and fruits make their appearance in supermarkets and farmers markets across the nation. As the weather gets colder and flu season starts, it’s important for your immune system to be in tip-top shape. Eating healthy foods with vitamin C (like limes, oranges and lemons) are key to fighting off infections, whilst garlic, ginger, spinach and almonds are also big winners when it comes to boosting your health and immunity. Try to shop local – we love the Grey Lynn Farmers Market – if you can, and eat seasonally so what’s going into your body is at its optimum best.
Try meditation
If you’re committed to goal setting and letting go of stress in 2020, it doesn’t come much better than a regular meditation practice. Be it training in Transcendental Meditation (a favourite of creative types like David Lynch and Lady Gaga), using an app or just practising mindfulness wherever you are, there are thousands of studies that have shown meditation can positively impact mental and
physical health.
Whether it’s by reducing stress, improving sleep, increasing focus, or improving relationships, research shows that meditation – when practised regularly – works. Studio Red owner Vicky Cullinane explains it best when she says, “Meditation is about taking time to clear your head and relax your body. Meditation, yoga, drinking tea – all these practices are quiet moments. They are coping tools so that we have clarity around everything we want to achieve and the energy to do it.”
Vicky tells me she meditates because it gives her “a wonderful boost of energy. Yes, I feel calmer, clear headed and gain perspective around my thinking. However, it’s the energy boost I receive from meditation that makes me a committed daily meditator. I’ve always thought the hardest relationship you have is the one with yourself. Meditation is a great way to truly spend time with yourself and build a wonderful, healthy, successful relationship with you.”
Keep up your H2O
It may seem counterintuitive, but we’re actually more likely to be dehydrated in the cooler months than in the warmer months, according to recent research. The reason is two-fold: Not only does our thirst response diminish during this time of year, but our urine output increases (sorry, it had to be said). All of this can result in dry skin and lack of energy, and those glasses of buttery chardonnay downed at still-happening barbecues aren’t helping either. My solution for summer is filling a reusable bottle with water and a helping of Dose & Co’s new Beauty Blends.
The super-powered formula has 10g of Type 1 marine collagen per serving, as well as 1000mcg of biotin (vitamin B7) per serving to enhance energy and mood. Formulated using ingredients clinically proven to not only support your skin, nail, hair and gut health, but to help you glow from the inside out. I’m loving the citrus flavour Beauty Blend mixed into water, juice and smoothies. There are also a number of apps (like Daily Water) that will help you monitor your water intake if you need a bit of a helping hand.
Soak in a bath
When it gets cooler outside, there’s nothing more relaxing than ending your day with a hot bath. It’s not the most attractive option in high summer when it’s steamy outside, but soon you can start reintroducing this all-time favourite, relaxing nightly ritual. Add in Epsom Salts — which contain magnesium sulphate — and reap the benefits post-exercise, and enjoy the best sleep of your life. Oh, and as Epsom Salts are ridiculously inexpensive given their relaxing powers, splurge on a beautiful, luxe candle and really make a night of it! (HELENE RAVLICH)
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