This is a collaborative post with New Dimensions Fitness
We tend to naturally slip into hibernation mode in winter. As soon as the heating goes on, we begin to retreat into the cosy depths of home.
We are more likely to decline social invitations, weekend walks in the park and outdoor adventures with the kids drop off in the colder months, and the amount of people choosing to exercise outside falls sharply.
But locking ourselves away at home can lead to feelings of isolation and loneliness in the winter months, even if you’re surrounded by family.
If you usually exercise outside in the summer, the colder weather may turn you off from your regular routine and this can lead to bad habits — filling that designated exercise time with TV binges on the sofa instead.
The temperature has plummeted in the last few weeks which means motivation to go outside is low. Thankfully, Sharon Morrow, a female personal trainer in Northampton has some excellent tips to make sure all us ladies stay healthy and happy this winter.
Keep Your Body Healthy This Winter
There’s no reason why you can’t continue to have an active, healthy lifestyle during the winter months.
Exercising outdoors in colder weather can have a multitude of benefits for your health, including helping to strengthen your heart.
But if exercising in the cold just isn’t your thing, there are plenty of indoor alternatives to popular summer outdoor activities that will help to keep you moving this winter.
If you usually partake in a park run or two in the summer but don’t fancy facing the winter windchill, you could join a local gym to get your run fix in the warm. If a gym membership is too expensive check out your local leisure centre. Lots of them have gyms that are accessible on a pay-as-you-go basis.
If you usually do an outdoor summer class like military fitness or circuits, there are plenty of indoor alternatives you could try this winter. Classes like HITT, Body Pump or Step are all great aerobic workouts.
If you really don’t like the idea of heading out into the cold, dark evening at all, why not just exercise at home? There are tonnes of video tutorials and workouts on YouTube that don’t require any special equipment to get you working up a sweat at home!
Keep Your Mind Happy This Winter
It’s important not to forget about your mental health this winter too.
Lots of time spent cooped up indoors can have a detrimental effect on your mental health, so it’s important to build self-care into your winter routine and be mindful of your feelings.
Try to spend a little bit of time each day acknowledging how you’re feeling and if you find that your mood is low a lot of the time, talk to someone about it.
Practising meditation or exercises such as yoga or pilates are a great way to take a little time out each day to relax and tune into your emotions.
Most of us get so caught up in our daily routines that we forget to be grateful for what we have and acknowledge all the truly wonderful things in our lives. Meditation can help you do this.
Keep Your Gut Healthy With Better Nutrition This Winter
Christmas has the habit of leading us astray and many of us excuse ourselves from thinking about what we’re consuming for the entire month of December!
But keeping your gut healthy during the winter period is essential if you want to feel good.
All those extra carbs and stodgy puddings won’t help you feel your best self. Overconsumption of carbohydrates has been linked to weight gain, the onset of type II diabetes and an increased risk of heart disease.
So instead of jumping on those carb-loaded treats this Christmas, why not try some low-carb alternatives? Keep your intake of good whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables high this holiday season too.
Sharon’s 7 Days of Pure Stretch
If you’re looking for something to boost both your physical and mental health this winter, then why not try Sharon’s 7 Days of Pure Stretch series.
These 7 short videos, each roughly 6 minutes long, will take you on a journey of relaxation over 7 days. Sharon shows you how to mobilise and stretch specific areas to help you relax your body and your mind.
Here’s Day 1 to give you a taster.
Sharon is kindly offering my readers one month’s FREE ACCESS to her online ‘Supercharge Me’ programme.
This monthly subscription is an online community where knowledge and resources are shared daily to help motivate, educate and inspire you on your journey to a better state of health, mind and shape — from the comfort of your own home!
To sign up for your free trial head over to the New Dimensions Fitness – Supercharge Me page now.
