alpine fitness

General Fitness

The local population seem to be constantly on their feet doing whatever needs to be done. Its pretty amazing to see how well kept the gardens and their houses are. If painting needs to be done it gets done if the flowers and gardens need attending to they get attended to with the minimum hassle. Add to this the lack of cars and transport to the houses high up on the mountains and getting your shopping becomes a workout. On top of all this most people in the region will go for long walks daily through the alps which include loads of uphill paths and fresh air which work for an optimum low intensity workout without them even noticing.

The younger locals will spend the day mountain biking and hiking or swimming in the lakes which allows them to get in fun and relaxing workouts on their days off or in spare time. Their seems to be a great sense of community with groups going for walks or cycling and having a great time together.

The few afternoons I spent on long mountain walks or mountain biking were the most relaxing I have had in a long time, being in the beautiful natural landscape can’t do anything but land you in the present moment shrinking away any worries and doubts that a hectic city lifestyle brings up.

What I found most amazing is the fact that many of the locals stay in great shape and have a great outlook on life without even trying, everything comes naturally to them and its just what they do to keep busy and have a good time.

So in a nut shell what are the most important things the swiss locals taught me about keeping fit?

• Take advantage of what nature gave you (Run, Bike and Swim outdoors if you can)
• Relax and enjoy life with long walks with friends and family
• Enjoy sports like Tennis
• Spend as much time as you can in the wild
• Take pride in your DIY enjoy your gardening and other odd jobs
• Walk when you can and ditch the cars
• You don’t need fancy equipment to live a good and healthy life

Pretty simple isn’t it but they are some profound lessons that can only be observed then practiced and are sometimes forgotten by those living in big cities and lose touch with the simple life.

Diet

Their is some outstanding local produce out in the alps, loads of good cheap and simple food which was easy to get hold of in most the local restaurants and cafe’s.

For breakfast a mainstay of the locals diet it something called Bircher Muesli which is a mix of Yogurt, Nuts, Grated Apple, and a Handful of Oats but the preparation is key. The first step is to leave in a bowl overnight the following:

• 1 Handful of Raw Oats
• Juice of a lemon
• 1 Small Cup of Water

This allows the anti-nutrients in the oats to be dealt with making them a nourishing source of nutrition. Next morning add the Grated Apple, Yogurt (Quark is ideal), Nuts/Seeds and a few tablespoons of honey. Give it a good mix and away you go. Top this with some fresh mountain fruits like Apricots and Plums plus some berries and you are good to go. When you use fresh mountain yoghurt and treat the oats before eating you are in for an extremely nourishing and tasty meal which will set you up for a day out hiking, biking or walking….

Lunch is pretty simple in the Alps with the locals taking a liking to cured meats and cheese which although pretty salty they do a good job of providing some easy to store nutrition that is high in protein and good fats. Usually I would get a platter of Bresaola along with some raw cheese for lunch. Bresaola is a local cured meat which is extremely lean and is traditionally served with cheese and some pickled vegetables. Along with a mountain herbal tea of Thyme, Basil and Honey it provided a really good lunch that allowed me to get a taste of the local food.

As for dinner this is where the good stuff came with our hotel serving up an amazing selection of local meat which included deer, horse, beef as well as an assortment of sea food from the local lakes. The coolest thing about eating meat in Switzerland is that they have extremely tight controls on imports meaning that the meat is almost guaranteed to be local and therefore grass-fed. Couple this with an amazing assortment of salad in the lush salad bars and a few glasses of local wine and dinner quickly becomes a healthy feast. So what’s their secret when it comes to eating?

• Plenty of REAL food
• High protein and nutritious meals are a mainstay
• Everything is Local from meat to fruits and vegetables
• Food is simple, tasty and well prepared
• Relax and unwind in the evening having meals with friends and family

Its pretty amazing how different their diets are compared to other bigger countries round the world. With all the local produce and an old fashioned view on eating and nutrition the locals manage to stay healthy while promoting local agriculture.