Having left a chilly Oz to the warm and vibrant sunshine of Malibu in California for a month of fitness I must say it is so much easier to get my head into working out when the sun is shining and the temperature is just that bit warmer. I do believe that we humans fall into several categories when it comes to how we tick. Some of us are morning people and some night owls. Some of us thrive in the heat of the summer and some love the chill factor. For me the heat is it and the earlier the better! I have always been a morning person and as the years roll on it has become more apparent how the warmer weather and the sunshine has such a positive and healthy impact on how I feel.

We were up bright and early today to feel the soft sand between our toes on Zuma beach in Malibu and I must say like anywhere in the warmer weather it is always so awesome to see people walking dogs, running and cycling. We even tacked up our TRX suspension straps to a life guard’s watch house and if I had a red swimsuit I could have made a cameo appearance on Baywatch!

On a more serious note however, it is apparent how the sunshine and the warmth of the day makes one feel bright and is conducive not only to exercise but also to eating clean. The fresh produce of California is similar to that of Australia with loads of fresh fruit, salad ingredients and veggies. Each time I come here though, I am interested to see the amount of processed foods in the supermarket and how much sugar is in everything! Whilst Malibu is an affluent society with more skinny people and plastic surgery than anywhere I have ever been, other areas in the U.S.A are not so with many people choosing not to exercise and to make very poor food choices leading to many health issues in particular one of the highest rates of Type 2 Diabetes in the world.

The world over it is up to each and every one of us to choose a lifestyle that supports us to be healthy and well regardless of the weather, the time of day or how much processed food is available. We are the ones who make the decisions for ourselves and should also take the ultimate responsibility for the amazing machine that transports us through life – our body.

So as I sit by the pool with my tasty Arugula (rocket) salad, early workout completed hours ago and topped up on some Vitamin D being a little sun kissed I feel pretty much on top of the world. This is my ‘fitness in the sunshine’ and it pretty much hits the spot for me. If there were one thing I would add in for the perfect ‘sunshine fitness’ it would be a cool glass of Californian Chardonnay!