5 Steps to Awesome Winter Fitness!
One of the things I’ve noticed with many during these winter months is that they tend to “vegetate” and not workout or engage in any other fitness activity. It’s no wonder I’ve seen an increase in obesity among many. The great majority of physical activities tend to go down except for one: sex. This is also the time of year when the majority of pregnancies take place. Hence, a huge amount of births during the July, August and September months.
I’m here to challenge you to get and keep fit during the winter months, whether you’re your stuck indoors or willing to go outdoors (which I suggest). If you can get into regular exercise as well as movement this time of year, then the other months are pretty much a breeze. Heck, add a healthy diet, mindset and sleep to the mix and you’ll end up with a beach-ready body by summertime. Here is my input regarding 5 steps you can take to help get and keep you fit all winter long and beyond.
- Keep your body warm with the proper clothing in order to warm-up properly. The cold air will rapidly cool your body down, unless you’re doing an indoor workout. After your body is properly warmed up, then you can start to eliminate layers when you get warmer or even hot.
- Take a longer period for your warm-up. That way your muscles will be able to engage into any workout you put it through. Cold muscles can easily be injured.
- Engage into high intensity interval training (HIIT), circuits and similar activities indoors (or out). While outdoors, you can do the winter fun activities that we did as kids. Playful activities, such as snowball fights and building a snowman work the body. In the mornings, shoveling snow is also a great workout. No snow in your area? Then think of any other playful activity that gets you moving and heart rate up. You can also do the same HIIT stuff outdoors that you do indoors. Additional outdoors activities you can do include: snow shoveling, cross-country skiing, chopping wood, hiking, walking, running, and more…
- Stretch after your workout. This is important to help keep your muscles limber in the winter. Heck, it’s important all year ’round. And having more limber muscles helps to keep the blood flowing better as well.
- Eat healthy meals all day long. Have a recovery drink that consists of protein, electrolytes and the right calories after your workout. It’s important that you eat a breakfast. Your body tends to burn more calories in the winter months, unless you’re cooped up indoors all day long. Again, like any other time of the year, make adjustments to your diet according to the amount of physical activity you engage in.
While I wrote about exercising specifically, it’s also important to keep moving throughout the day and not sit. Yes, you can sit for a bit, but get your butt up and move it! That is the surest way to keep fat at bay. I wish you an amazing holiday season as well as a fit-filled winter!
Cheers, Bob Choat America’s #1 Mind-Body Transformation Expert and author of Mind Your Own Fitness bobchoat.com optimallifeseminars.com hypnomindpower.com