It may be cold outside, but Winter needn't be the unhealthiest time of year for you and your family.
Here are 8 ways to make sure that you can keep healthy and fit, no matter what the weather's like.
Exercise outside
Exercising in the cold can be extremely invigorating and can boost your mood both during and after your session. Many people suffer from seasonal affective disorder in the winter due to feeling confined, so exercising outside can help with this. Your body will work harder in the colder temperatures and your body burns more calories and fat to produce energy for your workout. PLUS exercising outside in the cold will give you exposure to Vitamin D that you would not have normally got from exercising inside. This is great for your body and overall well-being.
Get active indoors
There are so many indoor activities to embrace over the winter, such as Pilates, dance, HIIT, boxing etc. Look into the activities that your local gym or swimming pool run. Finding an activity that you enjoy makes it so much easier to stick to. The key is making your winter activity enjoyable and social.
Warming dinners
With shorter and colder days, it can be hard to stick to healthy meals. Use lots of fresh or left over vegetables to make hearty casseroles and stews which can then be used as lunches and dinners and also be frozen for future meals. Try adding kidney beans, lentils or chickpeas for fibre. Have you ever tried stewed fruit? This is great for healthier desserts and also can be used for breakfasts the following day.
Utilise winter seasonal vegetables
Add an extra serving of vegetables to your main meals. Look at different ways to serve your vegetables such as roasted veg or stir fired veg. Broccoli, Butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots and cauliflower are great winter vegetables, especially for soups.
Enjoy a cuppa
Although tea may not be the only factor….in studies of people who drink tea regularly, their blood vessels were healthier and their risk of heart disease lowers. For starters, black and green tea are rich in plant chemicals which have antioxidant effects. It’s easy to fall into the trap of unhealthy sugary hot drinks such as coco or mocha’s, so tea could be a perfect substitute.
Portion size
How many times have you made too much rice or pasta…and ended up eating it to save waste? Measure out a healthy amount for each meal using scales. Bulk out meals with more vegetables instead.
Get walking
Stepping outside in the fresh air is physical and emotionally good for you. At weekends, explore your local area or travel to nearby coastlines / woodlands / parks or nature reserves that you haven’t yet explored. During the week, try and take 5 minutes to go outside to speak up fresh air. Tis can invigorate you and help you stay focused and help boost self-esteem.
Step away from the sofa
As hard as it may be…get active around the house. And have fun with it. Avoid spending countless hours in front of the TV or scrolling through your phone. There are so many activities you can do in front of the TV such as skipping, jogging, and circuits. Get active by taking up gardening, cleaning, washing the dog. Using an activity tracker is a great way to set a target and measure how you are doing.
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