The times, they are a-changin’

IT’S not just clocks you’ll be changing this weekend, but your clothes, food choices and exercise regime too.

Despite daylight saving being a man-made construct, it’s now so ingrained that it appears many people are subconsciously changing their behaviour in anticipation of the warmer weather and longer days ahead.

Whether it’s what we buy from the supermarket, how we exercise, or even how we sleep, that one hour can have a measurable effect on our lives.

Because it’s warmer in the evening, and we’ve got more time sit on the deck before the sun goes down, we’re moving away from roasts and soups, and we’re dusting off the barbecue instead.

Jason McQuoid, the store manager at Countdown Ponsonby in Auckland, expects a change in what people buy.

‘‘If we have a really beautiful day on Sunday we can guarantee we’ll see a lift in salads and barbecue meats because people will get the barbecue out Sunday, they will enjoy their first late night,’’ he said.

Sales figures in August and September from Countdown over the past two years showed that roast meats, soups, root vegetables dropped by 30 per cent in October.

Instead, sales for summer foods increased by 15 per cent as shoppers filled their baskets with salads, sausages, burger patties, pre-packed cheese boards as well as beer and cider.

But it’s not just what we eat that changes overnight. Stephen Gould, a personal trainer at City Fitness in New Plymouth, said the long hours are often a wake-up call that summer is just around the corner and people are running out of time to get fit.

‘‘It’s a huge motivation,’’ he said.

While the change isn’t as noticeable as New Year’s Day, when the number of gym goers jumps dramatically, Gould said the gym would start filling up over the next few weeks.

As the weather changes, gone are the chunky knits and bulky coats. Instead, personal stylist Ingrid Vink says we’re ‘‘generally more trans-seasonal’’.

‘‘Clever lighter layers is how most of my clients want to dress,’’ she says. ‘‘A lightweight scarf is always a great piece during change of seasons. Lightweight knits in natural fibres and cotton blend jackets are other very useful items.’’