As the weather grows colder and days grow shorter, it can get harder and harder to stay active and keep a healthy lifestyle. A welcoming attraction of a cozy couch, comfort food and additional sleep can throw anyone’s best laid fitness plans out of the window. Winter doesn’t have to imply hibernation though. With a bit of planning, creativity, and push, it is possible to maintain your physical health while it is cold outside.
1. Embrace Indoor Workouts
One of the easiest ways for staying active in winter is to bring your workouts into doors. You don’t have to have a full gym setup at your house to stay in shape, and you don’t even need weight equipments when doing these kinds of full-body body-weight exercises, including planks, push ups, necessarily deep squats, as long as you really think about it, you can train yourself from home with ease. For instance, you only need to use your body to do squats, lunges, and burpees.
If you find that too chillicatty structured or lacking in variety, try out:
Fitness apps: There are quite a lot who provide you with free or cheap workout plans depending on your goals.
YouTube workouts: Thousands of free videos from yoga to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) are at hand.
Virtual fitness classes: Live or recording sessions satisfy the sense of community and the motivation you lack in gym classes.
Pro tip:
Establish a corner as the home gym even if it’s just a yoga mat. Being reminded visually, can help you follow your routine.
2. Try Winter Sports
Rather than fear cold, embrace it. Winter gives an opportunity to try seasonal sports, which are both funny and extremely effective for fitness:
Skiing and snowboarding: Excellent cardio and leg workouts.
Ice skating: Excellent to improve balance, endurance and leg strength.
Snowshoeing: A work out good for the whole body that burns a lot of calories.
Cross-country skiing: A very good cardio workouts, also kind on the joints.
These activities can make your routine interesting while learning to enjoy the cold weather. Plus, getting outside during the day time gives you a chance to soak up some essential vitamin D.
3. Keeping Moving at Home and at work
Even if you’re not exercising with structure, it is crucial to be on the move throughout the day — more so during winter as do tend to spend more time in the house and milking our cows.
And here are some simple ways of bringing activity into your daily routine:
Take 5-10 minutes to walk about your house/office every hour.
Do yoga or stretching during TV commercials.
Use a standing desk or hold walking meetings if home based.
Feet over lifts wherever possible.
These little movements accumulate to assist in increasing metabolism and joint maintenance during the colder periods.
4. Dress for the Weather
Cold weather might discourage outdoor activity, but the proper outfit could leave nothing to complain about. Clothes should be layered, such that they wick moisture and insulate and also that they protect against wind and moisture:
Base layer: Moisture-wicking fabric, to prevent sweat from your body.
Middle layer: Fleeceor wool type of insulating layer.
Outer layer: Windproof and waterproof jacket.
Remember to forget hats, gloves and thermal socks. Warmth is important because your work outs become safe and more comfortable thus increasing your chances of sticking to them.
5. Make Realistic Goals and Be Responsible To Yourself and To Home
Winter can drain motivation, so it’s important to fix realistic and practical goals for your fitness. These could include:
Exercising 3–5 times per week.
Doing one of the 30-day challenges (yoga, push-ups, or walking).
Signing up for a spring race or event to train up for.
Responsibility can also be very big. Try to work out with a friend or join an online community for fitness or keep a fitness journal. Monitoring your progress keeps you motivated and work hard.
6. Focus on Nutrition
Exercise and nutrition are perfectly complementary, particularly in the winter, when we tend to overeat comfort food. Consume a balanced diet full of:
Fruits and vegetables: Filled with nutrients to increase immunity such as vitamins and antioxidants.
Lean proteins: Supports muscle repair and maintenance.
Whole grains: Help you to regulate energy and keep you full.
Healthy fats: Advocacy, support towards brain health and hormone balance.
Stay hydrated, too. We tend to forget about drinking water in winter though well-balanced hydration proves to be important for our well-being and aids to maintain body temperature and lubricate the joints.
Pro tip:
If you’re looking for something simple, but nutritious then put on some soups, stews, and roasted vegetable dishes. These can be comforting and nourishing at once.
7. Manage Mental Health
Less sunlight and more days of the year with shorter days can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or “winter blues”, which can further cause you to lack motivation to stay physically active, or to eat healthily or at all. Regular exercise is among the best ways of improving your mood, with the endorphins and better quality sleep.
You can also:
Replace sunlight with a light therapy box.
GO out in mid afternoon for sun exposure.
Practice mindfulness, meditation, or journaling.
Maintain social connections, even virtually.
Your mental health is taking care of your physical well-being and is keeping you consistent with healthy habits.
8. Take Advantage of Community Resources
Browse your local community or gym for indoor walking tracks, fitness classes or open gyms. Many facilities that offer discounted pricing during the winter, and a space to socialize and stay active.
Or consider seasonal gym memberships/promotions common in January when a lot of people make new year’s resolutions.
Final Thoughts
The U.S. winter months can be so fun and healthy without complicated or expensive infrastructure. Simple planning, right attitude and a little flexibility will have you coming out of winter not only alive but better, tougher and resolute. Make the Most of the season by testing new things, becoming consistent and investing in your Physical and Mental health.
Keep in mind, perfection is not a goal at all, it’s progress. Stay warm, remain moving and stay well.