When the Swiss gyms closed their doors in December, control over my fitness regime began to feel as lost as any last thought over excessive Ovomaltine consumption! Truthfully, the control had been slipping for a while as I struggled with a mishmash of habits from London and misplaced intentions for Switzerland. My fitness habits in London were, like tooth brushing, a habitual part of my day. I would queue outside the gym at 5.45 am three mornings a week ready for an hour of lifting weights and I would walk everywhere (easily 12 km) on top of that. I consumed daily protein shakes and had long swapped nightclubs for visits to fashionable fitness studios for an hour of pumping beats, grabbing an avocado brownie on the way out. My fitness pursuits were buzzing and all part of my big city lifestyle. I didn’t see any reason why the same could not be replicated here in cosmopolitan Zug!
Cardio like a modern-day hunter-gatherer
As an organised person, I promptly signed up for an annual membership at a trendy gym that closest resembled my London second home. Regret struck hard just a few days later when I caught a glimpse of tanned mountain bikers tearing down Zugerberg as I took myself into an air-conditioned room. The gym rat within me lived on. My Swiss language teacher told me of his bewilderment at the concept of gyms. ‘Are people scared of hearing birds and breathing fresh air?’, he asked me one day. ’Why do they prefer to pedal on a stationary bike rather than making a purposeful journey in the sunlight?’ He continued to argue that rowing on the lake was a valid form of resistance exercise as was peddling up a hill. I was in agreement with much of what he was saying as I have never been a fan of traditional cardio in a gym.
In London, NEAT (non-exercise thermogenesis), otherwise known as ‘just moving around’, constitutes so much more of your day than an hour spent on a cross-trainer. It is a cumbersome city to navigate, so my daily life naturally had plenty of activity, which meant my cardio was sorted. Now here in Switzerland, despite my good intentions of walking everywhere and using my excellent second-hand bike purchased from the local Velobörse, winter put a spanner in the works. The cold, wet weather struck with an unexpected intensity to my mind and body. I swapped my trusty new bike for my more winter-friendly (i.e. warm!) car – on the pretence that I was practising my new skill of driving on the opposite side of the road. I also realised that waking up in what felt like nighttime felt counter-intuitive to what my body required. When November arrived, I slept in until 7.00 am, rendering my London 5 am gym alarm a distant memory.
But with helpful hints from my language teacher, I was beginning to notice the 1500 lakes and the 451 mountain peaks in Switzerland that had not formed part of my transitional plans. Switzerland really is a circadian rhythm boosting outdoor paradise.
Now that April has arrived, the air is feeling a little warmer, the daylight hours are increasing and that treacherous black ice has finally melted. One of the options I am excited to try is an e-mountain bike as it will enable me to cycle uphill and hopefully, I will use the e-function less as I gain strength. Currently unable to get my road bike up my hill, I look forward to joining the many converted e-bikers who initially puzzled me here in Zug. While I am no longer hitting the pavement on the streets of London, I am keeping my eyes peeled for non-obvious examples of ‘day to day’ cardio. Like pushing my kids around the rugged terrain in their mountaineer Thule chariot. I spot this green method of carting kids around frequently in Switzerland, typically clipped onto bicycles. Thule wheels can also be swapped out for skies, although this is probably a function for a few more years into my Swiss journey!
Resistance training methods- find your fit!
Resistance training had been the only reason I had joined a gym but experiencing the mental benefits of nature in this way made me feel protective of my time. Years spent as an NHS physiotherapist exposed me to the benefits of resistance training early on. Weight lifting promotes a toned look and brings stability to my hypermobile body. It improves bone strength, insulin sensitivity, neuroplasticity of the brain and is a long-term booster of metabolism.
A few months after arriving in Zug I heard about Aurum fitness from a friend. This studio facilitates muscle building in a fraction of the time required to do the same work out in the gym. They utilise a training system used by astronauts which provides resistance in several directions and is intensely monitored to ensure progression.
But training inside isn’t my only option. Yes, German Teacher, I am listening! Last week, I stumbled upon the Waldparcours in Oberwil close to Zug. These calisthenic style workouts found in forests all over Switzerland are a nature-fuelled option for improving both cardio and muscle tone. With oxygen powering through my body as I gazed up at the tree edged peaks of the Zugerberg, I knew I had found another great resistance training method. The euphoric feeling while exercising under spring’s gentle sun all while a lake blue butterfly danced around me was a bonus.
Swiss nutrition Gems
My fitness regime isn’t the only thing to have become more in tune with nature. Swiss food produce is much more seasonally focused than in the UK where it is possible to get almost anything all year round. Eating a seasonal and relatively unprocessed diet is a feature of people living in Blue zones and can be a natural way to bring down overall calorie intake without feeling the stressful need to track calories. Think Steinpilz (mushroom) from the forest floor in Autumn and imagine the excited chatter surrounding the Zug cherry season. My local Biohof is a treasure trove of nutritious produce, especially when it comes to looking after our gut microbiome. They stock sourdough bread, local natural yogurt and lots of fermented foods like sauerkraut and Swiss kombucha. I experiment with unusual vegetables like purple kale sprouts and purple carrots (which are in fact the original carrot colour – the orange version is a 17th-century mutation!). Purple foods are high in polyphenols which are super healthy and fortunately, dark chocolate and red wine also fall into this category! Switzerland has an amazing selection of dry herb concoctions and this month I found bärlauch salt in good old Migros! Biohof Zug also sells interesting exotic spices like Zaatar and produces a delicate and delicious Alpine ghee made on the farm itself.
Photo description- See below pictures of how my food shop has changed from consuming many U.K products to consuming real and micronutrient dense food!
Hope amongst the new blossom………
In hindsight, I wished I had been more patient and not tied myself into a gym membership just because that had been what worked for me in London. My gym there was costly as were the protein shakes, beetroot brownies and collaborated sweatshirts adorning the corners. My blissful hikes in the Oberwil hills have taught me that it is unnecessary for fitness to become a commercialised behaviour.
Of course, you can go down that route in Switzerland and it has its place in bad weather or if you don’t know many people yet and seek community. However, for me, the consumption focused big city was a relief to leave behind, and it has been transformative to re-discover my childhood love of nature. Wandering amongst my local wanderwegs make ‘latest trends’ and ‘unwanted pressures’ feel unimportant. Personal problems feel smaller too as giant mountains and dizzying trees dwarf you.
New fitness and diet habits take time to fully establish but I have grown grateful for my slower and earthier pace of life. I have also a newfound freedom to cycle, swim and walk without fearing excessive traffic, lack of space or fewer hours in the day. Spring is a warming transition for the body to make and as the world situation improves my heart will be grateful for human company again too, but heart is another story for another time soon…
Podcasts to inspire a wellness transition into Spring
- The living experiment with Dallas Hartwig and Pilar Gerasimo: Episode 34: Spring
- Feel better, live more with Dr Chatterjee: Episode 131 Tim Spector: Why everything you’ve been told about food is wrong
- The Grace Tales podcast: Sarah Wilson: Our disconnection from what matters most in life
Geeta’s Fitness and Nutrition “Black Book” in Zug
- www.aurumfit.com – Locations throughout Switzerland. A ‘must know’ for those interested in building muscle in cutting edge style.
- www.henlupt.com – Bootcamps held at various locations around Zug. The perfect ratio of fresh air, humour and professional expertise!
- www.velocityswitzerland.com -For those of you who just love that ‘city workout’ with ‘pumping beats’ feeling! Bikes, reformers and well-designed workouts-velocity have you covered.
- www.zugzurichpeloton.ch – Since Switzerland is made for cycling. ZZP meet up and road bike outdoors in various level appropriate groups. Possibly what you have been waiting for!
- www.kolkatayoga.org – For me, yoga requires a connection with the teacher. If you are looking for a great place to start, I would suggest Kolkata for its modern fusion here in Zug.
- www.food-concepts.ch – Martina Kaufmann is a nutritionist who is especially good for those with body composition goals. She offers in-depth analysis also through blood testing.
- www.biohofzug.ch – My most frequented stop for local produce and a wide variety of organic items. The Biohof also encompasses a family-friendly café with an ayurvedic angle.
- www.farmy.ch – An online delivery shop for more difficult to source whole food options. I also find handy descriptions of Swiss produce such as (Demeter) biodynamic pasture-fed eggs here ie I use this site as a sort of encyclopedia for produce also found in coop etc!
- www.alnatura.ch – Migros’ organic supermarket. Convenient locations with generous opening hours. I love a good rummage around here for cacao nibs and other healthy goodies!
- www.cookclub.ch – Passionate foodie Roya cooks a healthy and exciting menu bi-weekly for delivery in Zug. I order it for the plant-based diversity and interesting Persian flavours. There is also a meat dish option.
- Look out for second-hand bike markets (velobörse) in your nearest city. During my last visit, there were fantastic and well-priced offerings from a variety of well-known brands.
