The thought of putting on a bikini is enough to motivate you to stay fit in the warmer weather. But what happens when the cold sets in and you head for hibernation? Don’t let your good fitness habits slip off the radar this year. Here’s 6 simple tips to keep you fit through Winter.
1) Bring the workout home
Leaving the house is hard enough in Winter, let alone leaving the house for exercise. If you’re not feeling the outdoors today it doesn’t mean you can’t get a workout in. All it takes is one cardio machine in your home to give you an easy 30-minute workout that will help maintain your current fitness levels. More of a muscle builder? Many basic exercises can be done in your living room; such as wall squats, ab exercises and tricep dips using a solid couch. The only thing holding you back is your excuses.
Find a great deals online for exercise machines and fitness equipment that’ll give you a whole body workout from the comfort of your home.
2) Focus more on your diet
Warming comfort foods are great for your mood but less fun for your waistline. Keep up your healthy diet for at least one meal per day and you should find your weight maintains itself. Or look for simple swaps to amp up the health factor of your favourites. Even mac and cheese can be a good meal if you add a dose of veggies and swap the full cream milk for lower fat alternatives.
Need a few ideas? Check out our other blogs for healthy office lunch and speedy dinner inspiration.
3) Change up your schedule
One of the hardest things in Winter is the lack of sun. It’s dark when you wake up in the morning and dark when you leave the office at night. Fitting in your usual exercise regime may take some adjustments. Luckily, the team at the LifeShape Clinic have plenty of experience coaching people to reach their health and fitness goals. Here’s their advice for workout schedules in Winter:
“Light or dark, morning or night, anytime is a great time to exercise in winter. It’s really up to you and what works best for your schedule. If neither morning nor evening work for you, aim to get out for at least a 10 minute walk in your lunch break. Remember something is better than nothing, so if it’s too dark to do your usual hour walk in the morning, wait half an hour and do a half hour walk instead. If you don’t already have one, pick yourself up a pedometer such as a FitBit to help you track your daily steps so you know where you’re at for your daily activity.”
Read the full article here or check them out on Facebook.
4) Try a team sport
Add a social element to your exercise with a Winter team sport like hockey or soccer. It’ll guarantee a few workouts in your week with training and matches to show up for. Having a set time and place, plus others relying on you to be there, is the easiest way to get rid of those ‘I’ll workout tomorrow’ feels.
5) Go on a hike
Reaching the top of a mountain or steep track in Summer means sweat, chafing and dehydration - not our favourite things. Winter is a much better time to go for a climb because you’ll want to exercise to stay warm. The scenery and frost make great social pics and it’s more exciting than your standard running track but benefits your body just as much.
6) Set yourself a goal
Maybe it’s hitting that 10,000 steps a day target, or hiking 5 scenic routes by the end of the month. Think of something small and achievable that you can use to push yourself to get exercising even when the weather is drab and the couch is calling your name.
Staying fit in Winter is easier than it sounds. It’s all about adjusting your schedule so you can stick to those good habits you built in the #summerbod months. Check out our other blog with all the latest fitness tech to make staying fit even easier.
