Winter is not too far off and, once the family dinners, holiday parties, and gift planning start piling on, you are likely to get overwhelmed and sidetracked from your weight loss goals. Moreover, after the holidays, you might even begin to feel anxious or depressed and lack the motivation to exercise. Given the cold weather, it does not usually take much to convince a person to stay in, stay warm, and completely neglect their normal, healthier routines. However, it is important that you do not let the shorter days and colder weather rob you of your motivation to get fit and stay fit. This year, do not let the winter blues derail you.
Below is a list of tips that can help you stay healthy once the weather starts to get chilly:
- Plan your exercise routines in advance: To keep you from putting off maintaining an exercise routine, create a weekly plan to follow. When Sunday night rolls around, sit down and write your exercise schedule for the next several days. Make sure you choose the exact activities you plan to do every day and how long they will be. Having a detailed plan for what you will do each day helps make it easier for you to remain committed. If possible, try to also align your workout schedule with a friend, so you can encourage one another to keep pushing on and stay motivated.
- Work out at home: For some of us, working out outdoors is simply not an option during the cold winter months. If this applies to you, you are not alone. A good workout can be done in the comfort of your own home, especially now that the internet provides a wealth of resources. Try looking up fun workout videos and exercises. You can easily find a variety of workouts, such as yoga, aerobics, strength training, and other effective body-weight exercises.
- Try a Wii Fit: This is not like the video games you grew up on. The Nintendo Wii Fit provides a fun and convenient way for people to stay fit even when winter hits. Through a virtual workout, you can engage in a number of different exercises, including aerobics and strength training. You can also customize it to ensure it addresses your own personal goals.
- Calm your carb cravings: Of course, there is more to getting fit than staying active. The cold winter months can also do a number on a person’s diet, often amplifying our cravings for carbs and other comfort foods. One of the most effective ways to combat carb cravings is to eat a protein-packed breakfast to keep your energy up throughout the day. However, if you are still craving sweets or carbs by the afternoon, be sure to keep low-fat healthy options available to snack on.
- Eat more fiber: Soluble fiber, which is found in apples, oats, and nuts, to name a few, can help decrease inflammation and give the immune system a boost. It can also help reduce cholesterol in the body and help promote one’s weight loss goals and protect against diabetes.
- Cook with spices: Spices do more than simply make food taste delicious, they also improve immune function. For example, Turmeric helps combat a number of conditions, including inflammation, heart disease, and it serves as a powerful antioxidant.
- Incorporate omega-3 fatty acids: Not all fats are bad. In fact, some are quite good for you, such as omega-3 fatty acids, which are naturally found in fish, plant seeds, and nuts. To combat the winter blues, incorporate this healthy fat into your diet, which is said to help lower levels of depression.
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Get started on your goals and contact us today at (504) 475-9817 to learn more about how we can help you.