Here’s How You Can Stay Fit And Healthy In Winter

As the mornings are colder and darker it gets harder to get out of bed early to get to the gym. Staying fit in winter is certainly a challenge for me and if you don’t set yourself up for success it really won’t happen.

 

When living in a tropical or subtropical climate to transition from Winter to Summer isn’t as harsh as when you live somewhere that has all four seasons, meaning you go from warm to cold, to colder to freezing! 

 

In Winter it is not just the temperature that may demotivate you, but also the shorter days and long dark nights mean it is still dark before you go to work and it is already dark when you finish work making it harder to enjoy an outdoor run or getting to your favourite sporting grounds.

 

For the last nine years I lived in a sub tropical climate, where it was very easy to get my exercise in. The weather was comfortable and getting outdoors wasn’t a struggle.  Now I am enjoying all four seasons further south, and with that I have come across a few bumps in the road that arise when the real winter hits (read down feather jackets, woolie scarf, hat and gloves). So here are some strategies to keep you fit and healthy this winter:

 

Rain hail or shine, stay focused on your goal!!!! Visualize your goal and keep reminding yourself why you are doing what you’re doing. Remembering your WHY will help you get to your next workout or training session.

 

In summer I really enjoy my healthy smoothies yet in colder days I’ve replaced them with warm nourishing soups filled with veggies and kangaroo meatballs. When drinking a cold drink in winter, you usually feel cold and it will take a while to warm up the opposite is the case when having a nice cup of warm soup which will warm you up from the inside out. Check out my very simple Carrot Soup Recipe which was one of the very first posts on my blog. 

 

During winter days I take a vitamin C supplement, I don’t just take this in tablet form, but I increase my daily intake of fruit such as golden kiwifruit, oranges, mandarins and bananas to ensure I get good dose of essential vitamins and minerals!

 

Drinking enough water during the day may be a struggle for some of you in summer and may even be a big struggle in winter. When I’m at work I ensure I have a full bottle of water in front of me so that I can’t avoid but to have a sip while staring at my screen. On top of that I’ll enjoy lots of cups of hot tea 🙂

 

If you struggle to get enough exercise in during the day why not take a quick lap around the block during your lunch break for morning tea break? Staying fit and healthy is not all about extreme workouts in the gym, simply going for a walk will make you feel better more energised and refreshed and will open up your brain to new opportunities.

 

Another thing you can try in winter is to change up your workout routine. If you usually train outdoors you can try training indoors and if your sport or workout doesn’t allow an indoor option it maybe time to find something new, something alternative to try in winter. Did you know that AFL players are recommended to play basketball in the off season? This is a total different game can be but practiced indoors. On top of that basketball trains the players in becoming more agile and work in close. Who would have thought! 

 

Whether you are actually struggling to get moving during winter, or whether you simply need some motivation to stay fit and healthy, implementing some, or all of the above tips will certainly get you on the right path. If you struggle to motivate yourself check out my article on How to motivate yourself when you really don’t feel like going to the gym. If you have sore joints check out the products in my shop which may come in handy for you.