Stay fit this season!
The winter workout season has begun! People tend to exercise less and eat more. When temperatures drop, it can be hard to stay motivated. Busy working people— who normally exercise in the early morning or evening— may struggle to get up early or stay out late in the cold.
There are many ways you can combat looming hibernation! Because your body has different needs depending upon the season, your summer exercise routine may not be as effective in winter.
So how can you create a successful winter workout? Here are some handy tips:
1. Exercise during your working day
It’s time to get creative. Look for ways to integrate exercise into your daily routine at work. For example, during your coffee break, rug up in a beanie and scarf, and go for a brisk 20 minute walk around the block. You’ll return to your desk feeling refreshed and energised (without a caffeine hit!). If your workplace offers lunchtime exercise classes, sign up for a gym circuit or boxfit session.
2. Try a sauna treatment
Sauna works amazingly alongside workouts! Saltuary’s infrared sauna is a favourite for athletes and weight-loss aficionados. As sweat production increases, your heart works harder to pump blood, boosting your circulation, mimicking the benefits of continuous exercise. When skipping regular exercise due to illness or allowing injuries to heal, saunas are fantastic in helping to maintain cardiovascular conditioning.
3. Plan a winter workout getaway
Why not plan your mid-year break with a fitness focus? Skiing and snowboarding are enormously popular winter sports, attracting thousands of people every year. Imagine an intensive five-day workout, set against the backdrop of majestic snow-capped mountains. It doesn’t get much better than that!
4. Stay healthy
Staying healthy in the winter months can be a challenge, as everyone coughs, sneezes and splutters around you! Warding off colds and flu is the first hurdle to staying fit and healthy in winter, as feeling unwell is a common reason for breaking fitness routines. Boost your immune system with vitamin C and antioxidants. Try lemon and honey in hot water; eat plenty of leafy greens such as kale, spinach, kiwi and broccoli; and add vitamin supplements or natural extracts, such as olive leaf extract, to your diet.
5. Keep it simple
If it all seems too much, don’t despair— keep it simple! If you’re unable to get involved in indoor fitness classes, exercise at work or plan a work-out getaway, try working out at home. Look up a 20-minute stretch online, get comfy on a yoga mat, and try copying the stretches every morning, before you leave the house. Get hold of a skipping rope and follow this with a five-minute jump-rope session. Fire up your mind and muscles for the rest of the day!