Getting older doesn't have to mean losing energy and strength. Many ailments we take for granted as “part of getting older” are caused by something else: your muscles are atrophying. In this blog, Fenn Leijen, manager at Happy Bodies Haarlem, explains how you can stay strong, mobile, and independent with two short workouts every ten days. Now and in the future.
From the age of thirty, your muscle mass slowly decreases. After fifty, this accelerates, dropping by as much as one to two percent per year if you do nothing. This loss is called sarcopenia, and you often only notice it when something you always did easily suddenly becomes difficult. You can read more about this in the blog about loss of muscle mass.
Losing muscle strength affects precisely the things your independence depends on: climbing stairs, carrying groceries, getting up from a low chair, maintaining your balance when you stumble. Your energy depends on it too: the fewer muscles you have, the more effort ordinary activities require. Staying strong is therefore not just for the gym; it is the foundation for a comfortable old age.
The good news: muscles respond to training at any age, even at seventy. Research shows that people over sixty become measurably stronger if they train regularly. Moreover, strength training keeps your bones strong, your metabolism active, and your balance sharp. You can read exactly how that build-up works in the blog about beautiful muscles.
At Happy Bodies, you train in the Milon circuit under the guidance of your coach. The machines are set to your level, the movements are controlled, and you don't have to lug around free weights. Your coach determines the right entry level with you so that you start safely and prevent injuries. The 35 minutes include no rest time, allowing you to train effectively in a short amount of time without overexerting yourself.
You don't have to rely on your gut feeling. The Milon Circle software tracks your strength and progress during every session. This way, you see in black and white that you are getting stronger, which often proves to be a welcome motivation to continue.
You don't need hours a week. With 35 minutes twice every ten days, you maintain your strength and build up steadily. Think of it as investing in the version of yourself who, in ten or twenty years, will still be able to walk up the stairs and lift the grandchildren on their own. You start today.
Lasting results rarely come from strict dieting. They come from smart eating habits that fit into the ordinary workweek of an ordinary person with an ordinary schedule and ordinary obligations. In this blog, Lisanne Bijnen, club manager at Happy Bodies Schijndel, shares which five habits are shared by almost all members who do maintain their results. No secret recipe, but habits you can implement starting tomorrow.
The athletes who stick with it pay attention to their protein intake. This makes sense, because protein keeps you feeling full longer and protects your muscles. More muscle mass also means more burning of calories, even at rest. Think of eggs or Greek yogurt for breakfast, chicken or fish with your main meal, and a handful of nuts as a snack. You can read exactly how this works in the blog about beautiful muscles.
If you are hungry and don't have the right things at home, you grab whatever is in the cupboard. And that is rarely a salad; usually something from a bag or a packet. Members with lasting results prevent this by thinking ahead. They already know in the morning what they will eat in the evening. That is exactly where BenFit helps, the nutrition and lifestyle program we work with at Happy Bodies: every week you receive a customized meal plan with a ready-made shopping list. You no longer have to figure out what to eat; that is already taken care of for you.
Soft drinks, juices, and those sugary lattes hit harder than most athletes think. Those who stick with it mainly drink water, tea, and coffee without any frills. A simple switch with a big effect, as you can read in the blog about drink water.
Skipping breakfast to save calories sounds smart, but it backfires. You sit down at the table starving in the evening, and the chance of overeating is high. The members who stick with it eat regularly and spread their meals throughout the day. This keeps their hunger manageable and their energy stable.
This is perhaps the most important one. One piece of cake on a birthday ruins nothing. What counts is what you do most days. The athletes who stick with it don't chase perfection; they aim for consistently good. As a result, they keep it up for years, instead of three strict weeks followed by a relapse. That is exactly what prevents the well-known yo-yo effect, which you can read more about in the blog about sustainable weight loss.
On the other hand, I also see patterns in people who continue to struggle. They skip meals during the day and raid the fridge in the evening. They drink their calories without realizing it. They think in terms of ’all or nothing.“ Or they start a strict diet that no one sticks to. Sound familiar? Then you know exactly where the gains are.
You don't have to figure all this out yourself. With the weekly plan, interchangeable recipes, and grocery list for the whole family, healthy eating becomes much simpler. The app keeps you updated and gives you a nudge when things get tough. This way, you build habits that stick.
Choose one habit from this list and stick with it for two weeks. Once you’ve mastered it, add the next one. This way, these five points transform from a New Year's resolution into something that happens naturally. And that is how lasting results are created.
You don't need a gym to stay fit on vacation. With a few short bursts of exercise, you can maintain your fitness and energy levels so you don't start from scratch again in September. In this blog, Nigel Groeneveld, club manager at Happy Bodies Overveen, shows just how easy that is.
Your body certainly won't forget everything in two weeks, but it does get used to sitting still quickly. A little movement keeps the engine warm. The beauty of it is that the bar is set lower than you think: ten to fifteen minutes already counts. You don't have to choose between a full training schedule or doing nothing at all. Anything in between works.
To maintain your baseline, twenty to thirty minutes of exercise a day is more than enough. Feel free to break that up. A morning walk, a swim, a short stroll around the block in the evening: added together, you’ll reach that in no time. If you really want to feel something in a short time, take a look at the blog about effective 20-minute workouts.
You can do this anywhere, without weights or equipment. Do two rounds and you're done.
Squats: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and lower yourself as if you were going to sit on a chair. Ten to fifteen times.
Escape passesStep forward and bend your knee, alternate. Ten per leg.
Print: on the floor, or against the edge of the bed or a table if that is more comfortable. As much as you can comfortably manage.
Plank: rest on your forearms and toes and keep your body straight. Twenty to thirty seconds.
Little bridge: Lie on your back, feet flat, and push your hips up. Fifteen times.
Calves: rise up on your toes and sink back down slowly. Twenty times.
You don't even have to do exercises for it. Walk to the bakery instead of driving. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Go swimming in the sea or the pool. Take the bike for short rides. Walking is perhaps the easiest of them all, and surprisingly effective.
At the campsite, you start the day with a walk and dive into the lake or pool during the day. In a hotel, you consistently take the stairs and do your morning exercises in your room. At the beach, you walk through the sand, which is harder and therefore more rewarding, and swim a bit in the sea. There is something to be found everywhere.
By staying active along the way, you maintain your foundation. Your first training session after the holidays will then feel like continuing, not starting over. That saves you exactly the hurdle where so many people stumble. Have a great holiday, and keep moving!.
You want to enjoy the summer, but you also don't want your results—the kilos you've lost and the energy you've built up—to disappear after just three weeks. Good news: the two go perfectly together. In this blog, Nigel Groeneveld, club manager at Happy Bodies Overveen, explains which simple habits keep you on track without turning your vacation into a strict diet camp.
Let's clear up this misunderstanding: one ice cream or a nice barbecue won't cost you your progress. Weeks of “oh well, I’ll just start over again in September” will. The difference lies not in perfection, but in balance. You don't have to do everything right; you just shouldn't let go of everything.
That is also how BenFit, the nutrition and lifestyle program we work with at Happy Bodies, views vacations. Not a break from a healthy life, but a lighter version of it. Just enough to maintain what you have built up, with plenty of room to enjoy yourself.
Most people don't let go of just one habit on vacation, but everything at once. They take a third round at the breakfast buffet, drink away calories in glasses all day long, and switch into "all or nothing" mode. Anyone who leaves without any plan is back to square one upon returning home. That is a shame, because with a few simple fixed points, you effortlessly hold on to what you have built up.
Move a little every day. A walk after dinner, a refreshing dip, a bike ride to the market. It doesn't have to cost anything.
Eat enough protein. It keeps you feeling full longer and protects your muscles, even when you are training less. You can read more about this in the blog about beautiful muscles.
Drink enough water. In the heat, you need more fluids than you think, and thirst often feels suspiciously like hunger. You can read exactly what water does in the blog about drink water.
Hold on to one thing. For example, your trusted breakfast. One stable moment during the day provides stability, no matter how irregular the rest of the day is.
Schedule your first training session after the holidays right now. That way, you won't have to think about anything when you get home.
With BenFit, you receive a personalized nutrition plan every week, including a shopping list that easily fits your family's meals. The recipes are simple and you can swap them with one another, so a summery salad instead of a hot meal is arranged in no time. Moreover, the program moves with you: after every measurement at the club, BenFit automatically adjusts to your current calorie needs and immediately aligns your nutrition plan accordingly. You can keep track of your progress via the app, even from your beach chair. This way, you stay mindful without it feeling like work.
Breakfast with Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and a handful of nuts. In the afternoon, a salad with chicken or tuna. As a snack, a piece of fruit or some unsalted nuts. In the evening, grilled vegetables with fish from the barbecue. Plenty of room left for a drink on a terrace, and yet a day that makes your body happy.
Aim for “good enough” on most days. No one manages perfection every day anyway, and you don’t have to. That way, you’ll return from your vacation without falling behind, and without feeling like you were holding back the whole time. Enjoy it; you’ve earned it.
Good news for the sporty Oosterhout: Happy Bodies is opening its 30th lifestyle club at Bouwlingplein 24. Until recently, this familiar location was home to Enforce, a place where many Oosterhout residents already enjoyed training. That quality and personal attention remain, but from now on, they will be complemented by the complete Happy Bodies concept. And to celebrate, the first 100 sign-ups can train for free for a month.
In our newly renovated club in Oosterhout, you train twice a week for 35 minutes under the guidance of an experienced lifestyle coach on the brand-new Milon Circle. Ideal for people who know that exercise is important but don't want to spend too much time on it, yet still want to achieve safe and responsible results. Without the risk of injury.
And the best part? Results are guaranteed. Through the smart combination of technology and guidance, you work step by step towards a fitter, stronger, and slimmer body, at your own pace and level.
Claim your free month here ➝
NB: there are only 100 passes available, while supplies last.
At Happy Bodies you don't train aimlessly on equipment or in group lessons without structure. We make strength and cardio training easy, fun and effective, even if you have little experience or haven't done anything for a while.
This innovative way of exercising now helps Thousands of people in the Netherlands to become fitter, stronger, and slimmer, without the hassle and with lasting results.
Then do the first online membership test and discover which program best suits your goals. Or plan a free trial training now in the online agenda and experience it yourself, without any obligation.
📍 You can find us at Bouwlingplein 24, in the center of Oosterhout.
We look forward to welcoming you to Happy Bodies Oosterhout: the smart alternative to the 'normal' gym.
You can register for the free month here, be quick, because places are going fast!
People are very active in Nieuwegein. And yet, we hear the same story from many people in the region: “I want to get fitter, but the gym isn’t for me.” Too busy, too anonymous, too much to figure out on your own. It is precisely for these people that we will soon be opening our doors at Muntplein 31, right in the center of Nieuwegein. And we are celebrating this with an opening deal: 100 x 1 month free fitness. 100 times 1 month free fitness.
With clubs Zeist, Houten, and IJsselstein, the Utrecht region was already well represented, and with Nieuwegein, yet another 29th in the Netherlands, we complete the lineup around the city. And that is no coincidence: our formula turns out to be exactly what many people have been waiting for all this time.
So what is the difference? At Happy Bodies, you never walk into a gym where you have to figure things out on your own. An experienced lifestyle coach is always ready to assist you, you train according to a personalized program tailored to your goals, and the Milon Circle automatically sets up every machine for you. All you have to do is show up; the rest is ready.
The result: Training for 35 minutes twice a week is enough. Smart and efficient, with up to 15x more results than traditional fitness. Perfect to combine with work, family, and everything else that demands your attention.
NB: there are only 100 passes available, while supplies last.
Muntplein is located in the heart of the city: you can effortlessly combine grocery shopping, a quick trip into town, and a workout. And because a session only lasts 35 minutes, “no time” is no longer an excuse. Furthermore, the club is open 365 days a year with generous opening hours, so you can simply drop by on Sundays or during holidays. Good to know for those who are regularly in the area: you can also find a Happy Bodies in Houten, IJsselstein, Zeist, and Maarssen, so you are always training close by.
Inside you will soon find:
Because that last part is really part of the experience with us: at Happy Bodies, you know each other. Catching up after your workout is just as important as the workout itself.
For anyone who wants to get fitter, slimmer, or stronger without spending hours in the gym. Whether you haven't exercised in years, are recovering from an injury, or are simply looking for some extra motivation: our coaches will build it up gradually with you. Results guaranteed—we dare to promise that.
Celebrate the opening with us: 100 x 1 month of free fitness
Naturally, we celebrate such a festive opening with a gift. The first 100 people to sign up will train for 1 month for free at Happy Bodies Nieuwegein. Be quick, because once it's gone, it's gone.
Would you prefer to get a feel for the atmosphere first? Come by for a free trial training and discover for yourself why our members are so enthusiastic. You can find us at Muntplein 31, 3437 AP Nieuwegein. See you soon!
You used to get up at 6:30 and have energy all day. Now, fatigue sometimes sets in before lunch. You are not the only one who recognizes this. Many people attribute their declining energy to age or a busy life. However, the reality is different. In this blog, Fenn Leijen, manager at Happy Bodies Haarlem, explains why regular exercise can structurally change your energy levels and why three months is the tipping point.
Fatigue is not an inevitable consequence of aging. Often, it is a signal that your body is not being challenged enough. Those who move little gradually lose muscle mass, fitness, and endurance. That process is called sarcopenia (the natural loss of muscle mass) and it starts as early as around your thirtieth birthday. The less muscle mass you have, the more energy daily activities require. Walking up the stairs, carrying groceries, an afternoon in the park with your children: it all becomes harder.
It seems as if your body is running out, but in reality, it is being used too little.
When you start training, you tend to feel more tired rather than fitter during the first few weeks. Your body needs to get used to the new stimuli. Muscles, heart, and lungs need to adapt. That takes energy in the beginning. New habits are also mentally exhausting: you have to consciously make time for them and shake up your routine.
It is precisely at this point that many people stop, because they think it isn't working. The opposite is true. Your body is recalibrating. Those who get through this notice after four to six weeks that the fatigue gives way to something that wasn't there before: resilience.
Not all fatigue is the same. After a workout, you feel satisfied tired: your body has worked, you are relaxed, and you sleep more deeply that night. That is good fatigue, a sign that your body is working on recovery and rebuilding.
Bad fatigue is something entirely different. It feels chronic and hopeless. You wake up tired, drag yourself through the day, and have no energy for anything. This is often the result of too little exercise, poor sleep, or prolonged stress.
Recognizing the difference is valuable, because good fatigue is a sign of progress. Bad fatigue is a signal to change something.
Research shows that measurable changes occur after about twelve weeks of regular training. Your muscle mass increases, your metabolism works more efficiently, your blood circulation improves, and your hormone balance stabilizes. Your body produces more mitochondria (the powerhouses in your cells), allowing you to literally generate more energy.
Regular exercise also stimulates the production of serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins, substances that lead to a better mood, more focus, and less stress. People who exercise consistently for three months notice that they think more clearly, sleep better, and wake up feeling rested in the morning.
The difference between exercising occasionally and sticking with it for three months is the difference between a temporary boost and a structural change.
That staircase to the second floor at the office no longer feels like a mountain. You no longer experience a slump at three in the afternoon; you remain alert. You can still play with your children after work instead of collapsing immediately on the couch. You have energy left for fun things: meeting up with friends, picking up a hobby, taking an evening walk. That fatigue you always felt? It's gone. You wake up and think: okay, I can handle this.
Those are not promises that sound too good to be true. It is what happens when your body is given the time to adapt to a new balance.
Most people quit a new sports routine within six weeks. Not because they don't want to, but because there is no structure surrounding it. No fixed times, no guidance, no one to ask how it's going.
That is exactly why personal guidance It works. If your coach knows you, tracks your progress, and adjusts your program when necessary, you will stick with it. You don't have to figure out what to do yourself; someone else takes care of that. The only thing you have to do is set aside 35 minutes twice every ten days.
Eat within two hours after your workout. Your body needs fuel for recovery. A meal with sufficient protein helps your muscles recover and become stronger.
Sleep seven to eight hours a night. A night's rest is when your body does the real repair work.
Continue training consistently. Consistency is what it's all about. One good week followed by two weeks of nothing yields little. With two 35-minute sessions every ten days in the Milon Circle At Happy Bodies, you turn that into a manageable rhythm.
Drink sufficient water. Dehydration causes fatigue faster than most people think.
Rest is part of energy, not the opposite. Allow yourself recovery days without guilt.
Of course, you still have a tired day now and then. That is normal. It is not about having non-stop energy, but about a new foundation. A foundation where you wake up in the morning feeling fitter than a few months ago. Where you no longer come home completely exhausted. Where you feel like doing things again.
Your body can do this. Give it time.
Would you like to know more about how to stay fit and active by training twice for 35 minutes every ten days, under the guidance of your own personal lifestyle coach? Even if you have physical complaints? Then take the membership test and sign up for a free personal introductory meeting and tour of the club. We bet you'll be sold right away!
Sign up for the newsletter below and receive free handy tips & tricks to achieve your health goals. You will also automatically receive an email as soon as we put a new blog post online!
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You get enough sleep, eat reasonably healthy, and yet something is missing. A kind of emptiness, or the feeling that your battery never fully recharges. You are more easily irritated than before, have less enthusiasm for things, and feel listless for no apparent reason. Sound familiar? Chances are your serotonin levels could use some attention. In this blog, Lisanne Bijnen, club manager of Happy Bodies Schijndel and co-owner of Happy Bodies Uden, explains what serotonin does, how to give it a natural boost, and why you can notice a difference within six weeks.
Serotonin is a substance in your body that ensures a good mood. It is therefore also called the happiness hormone. It plays a major role in your mood, your sleep pattern, your appetite, and even your ability to concentrate. When your serotonin levels are balanced, you feel calm, content, and energetic. If those levels are too low, you may feel listless, irritable, or gloomy.
The good news: you can influence your serotonin levels in a very natural way.
1. Exercise, the fastest way to increase your serotonin.
During physical exertion, your muscle tissue uses certain amino acids as fuel. As a result, tryptophan, the building block of serotonin, has more room to reach your brain. The result: your brain produces more serotonin. This explains why you often feel refreshed and clear-headed after a workout, even if you didn't feel like it beforehand. It is not my imagination; it is biochemistry.
2. Sunlight and time in nature.
Just fifteen minutes outside a day makes a difference. Daylight stimulates the production of serotonin through your eyes and skin. A walk during lunch or a cup of coffee in the garden is enough. During the winter months, when there is less daylight, many people notice that their mood drops. That is no coincidence.
3. Nutrition that helps.
Your body makes serotonin from tryptophan, a substance you get through your diet. Think of bananas, nuts, eggs, turkey, and whole-grain products. You don't need to follow a special diet; a varied diet with sufficient protein at lunch and dinner is already a good foundation. Those who want to know more about the relationship between diet and weight loss can read more about it in this blog.
4. Social connection.
Human contact increases your happiness hormones. A good conversation, laughing together, or simply having coffee with someone you like: it all releases serotonin. Those who exercise alone miss out on this effect. It is precisely in an environment where you see other people and are recognized that the social aspect reinforces the physical.
5. Sleep and rest.
Sufficient serotonin during the day ensures better sleep at night through the production of melatonin. This creates a positive spiral: you exercise, you produce serotonin, you sleep better, and you have more energy to exercise. Too little sleep breaks that spiral.
Your body needs time to build new habits. Six weeks is approximately the period your brain needs to feel the effects of regular exercise structurally. review study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2023), based on more than 1,000 previous studies, confirms that physical activity measurably reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety. The effect occurs after just a few weeks of regular exercise.
With two training sessions every ten days, you build up enough in six weeks to notice a difference. Your sleep becomes deeper, your mood more stable, and your energy level rises.
After exercising, you feel lighter, even though your to-do list is still exactly the same. That traffic jam on the way home irritates you less. You have more patience with your children or colleagues. That annoying email you were dreading suddenly feels less heavy. You laugh at a joke more easily. That mountain of work is still piling up, but it overwhelms you less.
These are not big, spectacular changes. It is more subtle than that. You notice it because things that previously drained your energy affect you less. That is the serotonin effect.
Serotonin also influences your appetite. When your serotonin levels are balanced, you crave less sugar and snacks. You feel full sooner and make better choices. For those working on weight loss, this is a pleasant side effect.
At Happy Bodies, we combine strength training and cardio training in the Milon circuit. In 35 minutes, your body receives exactly the stimuli it needs to produce serotonin, endorphins, and BDNF (a substance that supports your brain). You train in a quiet environment, free from crowds or intimidation, and your coach provides personal guidance. After your workout, you join the coffee table, where you meet other members. This combination of exercise and social interaction enhances the effect.
Many of our members say that they notice a mental difference in addition to a physical one. They feel clearer, happier, and less stressed. If you are wondering if that would work for you too: read on how our approach also makes you physically stronger.
This blog is about improving your overall well-being through exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle. It is not a substitute for professional help with depression or other mental health issues. Are you feeling down for an extended period or unable to resolve the situation on your own? Then contact your GP. There is nothing wrong with that; in fact, it is sensible.
Would you like to know more about how to stay fit and active by training twice for 35 minutes every ten days, under the guidance of your own personal lifestyle coach? Even if you have physical complaints? Then take the membership test and sign up for a free personal introductory meeting and tour of the club. We bet you'll be sold right away!
Sign up for the newsletter below and receive free handy tips & tricks to achieve your health goals. You will also automatically receive an email as soon as we put a new blog post online!
Slim & fit in 2 x 35 minutes every 10 days
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You train faithfully, you eat healthily, and yet you don't see the results you expect. Frustrating. What many people overlook is that the answer might not lie in the gym, but in your bedroom. Sleep is, after all, the time when your body recovers, gets stronger, and adapts to your training. In this blog, Dyon Poll, club manager of Happy Bodies Amsterdam-Zuid, explains why a good night's sleep is essential for your training results, and what you can do tonight to sleep better.
During the day, you break down your muscles while working out. That sounds contradictory, but it is exactly the intention. Growth and repair primarily take place at night. During deep sleep, your body produces growth hormone, a substance that drives the repair of muscle tissue. At the same time, the stress hormone cortisol decreases, allowing your body to build up rather than break down.
Scientists confirm that sleep deprivation disrupts this hormonal balance. With insufficient sleep, cortisol rises and growth hormone and testosterone decrease, slowing muscle growth. You may be training, but your body doesn't get the chance to get stronger.
Everyone has a bad night's sleep now and then. That is not a disaster. However, consistently sleeping too little or too restlessly does have consequences. Research shows that chronic sleep deprivation leads to reduced muscle strength, a higher risk of injury, and slower reaction times. You feel tired more quickly and have less motivation to exercise.
In addition, sleep influences your eating behavior. Those who sleep too little crave sugary and fatty foods more often. This is because two hormones become unbalanced: leptin (which gives you a feeling of satiety) drops, while ghrelin (which controls your hunger) rises. Your body then seeks quick energy, while it actually needs rest. In this way, sleep deprivation can also indirectly get in the way of your weight goals.
Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Perfect sleep does not exist, and seven hours is fine. Eight is better, but six is not a disaster, as long as it is not a structural problem. Yet a large proportion of the Dutch population does not achieve this. The reasons are familiar: looking at screens too late, worrying about the day, or the idea that sleep is time you could have spent better elsewhere.
The opposite is true. The better you sleep, the fitter and more productive you are the next day. A night's rest is not wasted time; it is an investment in your health.
1. Train at the right time. Regular physical activity demonstrably improves the quality of your sleep. Preferably, do not schedule your workout in the two to three hours before you go to sleep. Your body needs that time to calm down after the exertion.
2. Create a fixed evening routine. Do the same things every evening before you go to sleep: a cup of herbal tea, read a book, lay out your clothes for the next day. Through repetition, your body learns to recognize that it is bedtime, causing you to fall asleep faster.
3. Stop using screens at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light from your phone and laptop inhibits the production of melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. Pick up a book or listen to a podcast instead.
4. Make your bedroom dark and cool. Your body sleeps deepest at a temperature of around 16 to 18 degrees. That sounds cold, but it really helps. Blackout curtains keep out the early morning light.
5. Stretch before sleeping. Five minutes of gentle stretching exercises help your body and mind relax. At most Happy Bodies locations, we work with FIVE stretching, a professional program that improves your flexibility and your sleep. Simple stretches at home work too.
There is a nice reciprocal effect here. Sleeping well improves your training results, and training regularly improves your night's rest. Those who consistently do strength training generally sleep more deeply and fall asleep faster. Deep sleep increases and your body produces more melatonin. After a good workout, your body knows exactly what it needs: rest and recovery.
It is not about training harder, but about regularity. That consistency gives your body rest, even though that sounds contradictory.
At Happy Bodies, we ensure your training is short and effective. Two 35-minute sessions every ten days on the Milon circuit are sufficient to give your body the right stimuli. Our coaches track your progress and adjust your program as needed. This way, you work specifically towards results, while your body does the real work at night.
Slim & fit in 2 x 35 minutes every 10 days
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After a day full of meetings, deadlines, and children demanding attention, your mind is still racing in the evening. You curl up on the couch, but peace doesn't come. You are irritable, sleep poorly, and feel rushed. Sound familiar? You are certainly not alone. In this blog, Nigel Groeneveld, club manager at Happy Bodies Overveen, explains how exercise can literally reset your mind, even if you don't have time for the gym.
When you are under prolonged pressure, your body produces the stress hormone cortisol. In small amounts, this is useful: it keeps you sharp and alert. However, with prolonged stress, your cortisol levels remain high. This causes fatigue, poor sleep, irritability, and a persistent restless feeling. Your body is constantly in “on mode,” while it actually needs rest.
Many people recognize the signs: you sleep restlessly, you have less patience, you forget things, and you feel exhausted without having done anything strenuous. These are all signs that your stress system is becoming overloaded.
During physical activity, your body produces endorphins, also known as happiness hormones. These reduce tension and improve your mood. At the same time, the production of serotonin and dopamine increases, two neurotransmitters that directly influence how you feel. Serotonin helps you to be calmer and more content; dopamine provides a sense of satisfaction.
A large review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2023) analyzed more than 1,000 previous studies with a total of over 128,000 participants. The conclusion was clear: regular physical activity reduces symptoms of sadness and anxiety. Strength training proved to have the strongest effect on sadness.
The beauty of this is that you don't have to work out for hours. After just 20 to 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, something measurable changes in your brain.
Moving to reset your mind doesn't have to be in a gym at all. Anything that gets your body moving counts.
Walking in nature works especially well because fresh air and greenery lower your stress hormones faster. Cycling to work gives you a moment of calm before the day begins. Gardening combines exercise with something productive, causing your thoughts to naturally shift. Dancing in your living room, even just for three minutes to your favorite song, raises your heart rate just enough to tip your mood.
The principle behind this is sometimes called “moving meditation”: by focusing on your movement, you give your mind a break from worrying. You don’t have to be a yoga expert for this. Simply moving and keeping your attention on your body is enough.
Do you feel tense or restless? Try this simple exercise.
Go outside for ten minutes. Without music, without podcasts, without social media. Put your phone on silent and put it in your pocket. Walk at a steady pace and focus your attention on your breathing. Breathe in through your nose, breathe out through your mouth. Look around you. Notice how the air smells, what you hear, how the ground feels under your feet.
Ten minutes is enough to lower your cortisol levels and clear your head. If you do this a few times a week, you will notice that you sleep better, are less irritable, and have more patience with the people around you.
Even one walk helps, but the effect becomes stronger the more often you exercise. Research shows that people who exercised regularly for six months suffered significantly less from feelings of sadness than those who did not. Your body becomes more efficient at dealing with stress, and your brain builds up a buffer, as it were, against worrying and tension.
The combination of targeted training one to two times a week, supplemented with short daily moments of activity, is already enough to feel a noticeable difference. Even a brisk walk can yield significant results.
Something many people don't stop to think about: strength training has a particularly strong effect on your mental well-being. This is because, during strength training, your muscles produce substances that support your brain function, including BDNF. This is a protein that stimulates the growth of new brain cells, a kind of food for your brain. If you want to know more about what strength training does for you, you can read more about it in our previous blog.
At Happy Bodies, we combine strength training and cardio in the Milon circuit, in just 35 minutes per session. That is short enough to fit into your schedule and long enough to give both your body and your mind a significant boost. Our coaches help you perform the exercises correctly so that you get the most out of them. Do you not feel comfortable in your own skin? Then exercise can be a surprisingly powerful tool.
Exercise is a powerful tool against daily stress and tension. However, it is good to take an honest look at yourself. Have you been feeling down for weeks or months, are you no longer able to manage daily tasks, or do you no longer recognize yourself? Do not be ashamed of this, but seek professional help. A GP or psychologist can assist you further. Exercise is a valuable addition, but sometimes you need more. There is nothing wrong with that.
Slim & fit in 2 x 35 minutes every 10 days
Plan a free trial training or do the online membership test and discover in 1 minute which program suits you. Would you rather come and have a look first? Plan your free consultation guided tour.
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