Staying Active and Healthy in Winter

In the colder months of the year, it is very easy to rug up, grab some comfort food, stay indoors and watch tv shows. Now, I am not knocking that whatsoever, it certainly is a lovely time of year to crack out the big jumpers and blankets, but winter is also when we tend to ditch the training sessions and eating plans in favour of staying comfortable and warm. The drop in temperature can lead to a drop in motivation and discipline, and health and fitness goals that were set in the warmer months of the year are often left by the wayside. If we are looking to maintain or continue to improve our health and fitness levels during the colder months, there are a few different tactics we can employ. Starting with…

Getting outside and/or getting moving

I fully understand that getting outside in some countries of the world during winter is simply not an option. But in countries that have milder climates, getting outside into the cold air can be invigorating and can make it easier to do low level, endurance-based exercise. Whether it is inside or outside, the key thing here is to get moving. Movement creates motivation and helps us to think clearly. The more we move, the more drive and energy we have, which can contribute to us staying on track towards achieving our goals.

Getting Social

The support we gain from having other people around can be integral for keeping us healthy and sane. Exercising with friends and family, participating in group fitness classes or employing a trainer/nutrition expert are all great ways to boost motivation and increase accountability. This can be done at any time of the year, but exercising and interacting with other people in winter can help to keep us on track. Also, being social can help to reduce the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a condition that affects a small percentage of the population. This condition can be responsible for drastically reducing energy and motivation levels, and lead to overeating in the winter months. The bottom line here is that we are much more motivated and disciplined and can achieve a lot when we have the support of others.

Finding something you enjoy

If we do something for the sheer enjoyment of doing it, we are more likely to stick with it for the long term. If you love lifting weights and preparing delicious and healthy meals because it makes you feel good, rather than doing it solely to achieve a goal, you will most likely keep at it during the colder months. That being said, this can also be a great time of year to explore other ways to exercise and train, and the changing seasons will impact the availability of what fruit and vegetables are available, which can inspire you to try different recipes and ways to prepare food. All of this can be very enjoyable and help introduce some variety into your regular routine.

Doing something that challenges you

As being challenged can really spike focus and drive, doing something that challenges you can be a great way to better health and fitness. Activities like lifting weights and trying different exercises/machines in the gym can provide a consistent challenge over a long period of time. If working out in a gym is getting a little stale, a calisthenics program can be a great way to get your body moving in different ways and challenge your strength and balance in a range of different planes. If you find yourself cooking the same meals repeatedly, try taking a cooking class that teaches you how to make different dishes or prepare and cook foods in different ways. An important note here is that whatever challenge you do needs to be hard enough to prevent you from getting bored, but not so hard that you become repeatedly frustrated and potentially abandon doing it altogether. Again, this is something that can be done at any time of year, but doing activities that challenge you enough in the colder months can prevent your health and fitness journey from being derailed.

Takeaway message

Winter can be a time of year where we lose sight of the goals and changes we wanted to achieve in the warmer months in favour of staying warm and comfortable. By getting moving and participating in enjoyable yet challenging activities with friends and/or family, we can rekindle our motivation and disciple and set our focus on working towards/maintaining a healthy body and lifestyle.