MTMM’S 4 Top Tips for Beginning Your Physiological Spring Cleaning

Beginning Your Psychological Spring Cleaning

Are you in need of a spring clean?

"Spring Cleaning" the art of cleaning our homes after ling prevalent winters can be traced back throughout the ages. From ancient religious purposes (preparation for Passover, the cleaning of the Alter before Catholic Easter) to foreign geographical locations (The Persian New Year falls on the first day of Spring) all sources concur that this traditional yearly ritual was conducted with the purpose of cleansing.

Spring Cleaning is vital. There’s nothing like a good cleanse to reset the system and invigorate us for the year ahead. And there is no more important place in which we reside that could always use a good clean out than our bodies. Winter often evokes feelings of hibernation. Perhaps our activity levels drop as we are deterred by the cold and the wet, and with the slide in motivation, no doubt for many of us our nutrition follows suit. Comfort eating coupled with extended periods of inactivity creates the perfect environment for a good clean out.

So as the sun begins to shine and the weather begins to turn, our attention begins to shift from hibernation to rejuvenation! Contrary to the (tragically) popular opinion in our community (which advocates that a ‘cleanse’ includes all kinds of detox potions, teas and a bunch of other bullshit snake oil concoctions) the road back to health can be started with relative ease.

HERE'S HOW.

1) Clean out that pantry!

If you’re anything like me having processed snacky food in the cupboards always ends badly. If you are serious about cleaning out the system – prove it! Grab a garbage bag and fill it with all the processed food that may have helped provide a little extra warmth over the winter –then donate it to you local food drive. Not only will your body thank you for your effort but so will your local community – good for the body, good for the soul! Check the expiry date on those supps in the back of the cupboard. If it’s been a while since you had a shake or downed some fish oil, best to make sure they’re still right for consumption. Once you’ve ascertained that your supps are ok, it’s worthwhile to have a think about whether or not they’re still relevant for your rejuvenation goals. For example, if pizza made a regular occurrence in the diet over winter, now might not be the best time to load up on a mass gainer! Don’t just consume what’s on hand out of convenience. Be mindful of what you are consuming and make sure it aligns with your current objectives

2) Fill up that Fridge!

Now that the cupboards and pantry are clear, it’s time to focus our attention on the fridge. A focus on wholesome food is MTMM Gospel, so take advantage of all those delicious fruits and vegetables that are beginning to come back into season. Big hearty summer salads with cold meat are always a winner when the temperature rises so feel free to get creative! Don’t be scared to experiment by including fruits such as mango, pomegranates and pears to your traditional chicken salads for a little extra flavor burst.

3) Hydrate.

The importance of proper hydration is often overlooked when discussing nutrition, almost as if it’s so simple we often neglect to mention it. Water is nature’s detox and plays a vital role in helping to regulate the optimal performance all of our bodily functions. Particularly now that we are aiming to cleanse, ample water supply will ensure a flushing of toxins from the system as well as adequate circulation around the body of essential vitamins and minerals. Try to aim for around 2L per day and increase intake inline with the increase in activity to aid performance.

4) Easy does it.

If you’re training volume has decreased steadily over the winter months, be mindful that it will take some time to build back up that fitness base. Don’t expect the same performance out of your body on day 1 as you were getting in the months prior. Work back up diligently over the course of one – two weeks. Your muscle memory will ensure that it doesn’t take too long to recover your strength, but pushing too hard too soon will increase your risk of injury. We want you working up to surpass where you were before the cold struck, and being crippled from DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) for three or four days after your first workout back will heavily impact your motivation to return!

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