It is so much easier to stay motivated and Fitness-Focused on your health and fitness goals in the summer months and even into the fall. Long, hot days couple easily with fresh salads and tall ice-cold glasses of water and juices and as the sun rises in the morning, you can hardly wait to get out of bed and get to the gym or hit the road. This we sustain throughout those wonderful sweaty, hot months and then…then it all starts to change. As days become shorter and colder the temptation to stay beneath the covers with a cup of something hot and chocolate-inspired becomes very easy to do and while it’s always a good idea to give your reward system a boost if you’ve been hitting those workout goals, be warned that one day turns into 2 and 2 into 10, very quickly. But you can learn to love winter workouts and keep your goals in order and there are some great reasons to do that, after all, summer beach bodies, are built…in winter!
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HIT THAT SNOW-COVERED ROAD (BUT BE CAREFUL DOING IT)
Whatever trepidation you may be feeling towards the cold outside while lying all snug in bed, is going to evaporate the second you step out into that crisp, fresh winter’s morning air. The moment that icy wind takes your breath away, you’re going to feel invigorated and awake but don’t hit the road without warming up. It is especially important in colder weather and warm-ups outside will give your body a chance to acclimate and get used to the cold. Now you do need to take care when starting and completing your run and make sure that you have the right gear for it and invest in some good trainers that fit the purpose. Dress to be “dry” and not just warm, make sure your extremities are protected, and wear bright colors too.
HEADING TO THE GYM?
If you’re the gym-going type, then winter workouts are meant for you. The only real points of consideration for you are whether you’re going to get your protein shake in before your workout or after. Yeah, not true – you also have a few things to keep in mind to keep you safe and injury-free. Remember that you’ll be going from your warm house to a cold car which then just about heats up in time to get to the gym, back into the cold, and then into the warm gym. You’ll then workout and get nice and heated up, before heading back out into the cold, back into a cold car that will just about get heated up by the time you get home or to work…you see what we’re doing there, right? So the trick here is to layer your workout clothes so that you can regulate your body temperature and never get too hot or too cold. Few things will bring on that winter head cold that we know and love so much, faster than constant and rapid changes in body temperature, so take care.
Before winter sets in properly, it’s a good idea to check in with your GP and Chiropractor just to make sure everything is as it should be and for a check-up on any lingering issues you may have, which could be exacerbated by the colder temperatures. If you’re planning on making dietary changes, check out our advice on fasting before you try that out but overall, good luck out there. Have fun and stay the course and when all is said and done, you’ll have earned the right to be all smug with your friends and colleagues and sing it out loud and proud that…” the cold never bothered me away!”
