Brrr… baby it’s cold outside! We know, replacing your morning run with an extra half-hour in bed is SOOO tempting, right?
Thing is, if you feel as if your body’s chemical switch has flipped to storing more fat, hibernating is not going to burn you any calories! It’s easy to let your workout habits slide during the cold months, but taking one to three months off can cause you to lose almost all of your fitness gains.
But, before you stop reading, don’t assume that your only choice for exercise is the dreaded treadmill. It’s time to get excited! If you’ve never been a winter fan, start focusing on what you do love about it and how this time of year provides new opportunities for fitness and health. From eating delicious in-season produce (think oranges and berries… oh my!) to curling up in front of the TV with a big mug of sugar-free hot cocoa after a workout. C’mon, there’s much to love about winter!
Remember, exercise is the closest thing we have to a miracle drug – its wide-ranging benefits include heart health, lower cancer risk and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression. Plus, and here’s the bonus, it keeps off the kilos, even when you’re cosying up to a carby lasagne now and then!
So, ladies and gents, before you start digging for your fat-pants , keep the fitness fires burning with these fun activities:
Groove to the beat. Crank up the music and dance to some rockin’ tunes while dinner is on the stove.
Do mall walking. When walking outdoors is not an option for you, do a few laps inside your local mall. A brisk one-hour walk can burn up to 400 calories!
Make your social life more active. Meet a friend for a 30-minute power walk instead of heading for the coffee shop.
Do a home workout. Home is where the (healthy) heart is. A workout DVD or a quick YouTube search could hook you up with indoor aerobic routines.
Take the stairs, always!
Go for a bike ride. This low impact sport is great when you’re recovering from an injury or have dodgy knees.
Go for a spin. Leave your helmet at home and give an indoor spinning class a go. Blast a lot of calories and get a lower body workout among a supportive group. Perfect!
Workout while gaming. Exercise video games are made to get you off the couch and moving. Could be a fun way to get the whole family involved.
Take an indoor exercise class. Try hot yoga, play squash, take an aerobics class, or find an indoor pool. The mental effects of swimming are similar to the ones you get from doing yoga – if you’ve had a stressful day, going for a swim will sort you out, mentally and physically.
Take the dog for a walk.
Walk on the spot while binge watching your favourite TV shows.
Go ahead, be creative and winter-proof your workout (and your waistline!) with these fun wintery activities. Small changes to your daily routine really can make all the difference.
Don’t allow the cold winter months to be an excuse to ignore fitness and wellbeing. Keep moving!
Source: www.gardenoflife.com, fitness-show.com.au, www.fitnessmagazine.com, www.sparkpeople.com, www.everydayhealth.com, www.active.com, coolerlifestyle.com, www.health24.com, weightlossgroove.com, www.workingmother.com, www.health.com, www.chcno.org, www.webmd.com, www.scolastic.com, www.curiousworld.com, www.clearlice.com, www.liverpoolecho.co.uk, www.express.co.uk, parentingsquad.com, blog.metlife.com, www.liferetreat.co.za, www.discovery.co.za, www.specsavers.co.za
