Let’s face it, when you’re trying to be healthy and good, summer is the best time of year to do this. The warm evenings beg for a jog through the woodlands or along the promenade with salt spray teasing your hair. You wake up naturally early to the sounds of birds chirping and the sun streaming through your window and are ready to face the day. You can head to the gym, enjoy a light breakfast of fruit and water and feel healthy and happy. In contrast, the winter makes it almost impossible to stay on top of these same fitness goals. You wake up in the dark and cold and the last thing you want is to go outside or drag yourself to an exercise class. You don’t want to eat fruit and drink water, rather you want to sip on hot chocolates and eat comfort food such as potatoes, pie and pizza. In this article we take a look at a few tips on how you can stay healthy and hit your goals once the winter months roll in. Keep on reading to find out more and get inspired.
Take a friend or family member along with you
If you only have yourself to rely on or let down when it comes to exercising, chances are you can bail without it being an issue. If you have someone else that is coming with you however, you will be much less likely to cancel as you don’t want to disappoint them. Get yourself an exercise buddy to help you stay on top of your workouts and have them encourage you on those days when you just want to stay in bed. Exercise is also much more fun when you have someone else there with you. Whether you are going to play squash or another sport together, head to a class, or go for a run, being a team can make it more fun, encourage you to keep going and also be a great social activity too!
Don’t neglect any appointments
While going out isn’t so appealing in the winter, it’s important you stay up to date with any appointments you might need. It could be you have a doctor’s appointment to discuss your smoking and they suggest you switch to a vape to be more healthy. Perhaps you have a dentist checkup that is vital for your teeth, or you might have a therapy session that you need to keep up to date with. It’s vital you don’t miss these to keep on top of your health.
Get your exercise done first thing
There’s nothing worse than having a busy day at work or doing jobs at home, then realising you still need to go to the gym. It’s dark outside, you’re absolutely shattered, you need to make dinner and it’s just the last thing you want to do. To avoid this from becoming an issue, it’s a good idea to just get your exercise done and out the way first thing. While you might not want to wake up and head straight to the gym, you’ll be so glad once it’s done and you can come home from work or finish your day up and know you can just relax.
Have a routine
Things are always easier in life if you have a routine and your health is no exception. Have a routine where you do a workout or go to the gym at the same or a similar time each week/ day and then you know when you can make other plans. Wake up, eat breakfast, write in a gratitude journal and spend some time just waking up slowly without rushing about. It can help you to wake up a bit earlier than you need so you have the extra time for a leisurely morning as opposed to a rush. This might be difficult at first but once you’re used to waking up earlier it will get easier! Try to eat your meals at the same time each day so you don’t get hungry and snack and have a regular bedtime so your sleep cycles aren’t out of sync. These things can all really help you to stay healthy and be the best possible version of yourself. It’s okay to deviate from the routine once in a while but the better you stick to it, the more success you’ll have.
Find healthy comfort foods
While winter calls for healthy foods, it also is a time when you want to comfort eat. You don’t want to be nibbling on salads and light bites when the weather is cold and miserable, instead you want something that will warm you up from the inside. Luckily, there are a host of healthy comfort food recipes out there that you can indulge in. Soups are a healthy option and there are a myriad of healthier options you can make for yourself at home. There are also pasta bakes, stews and more that aren’t packed with calories but will be a good comfort in the colder months.
Stay hydrated
It’s easier to stay hydrated in the summer when the weather’s hot and you feel thirsty all the time. In winter this can be much more difficult and easy to forget, yet it’s just as important for you to stay hydrated. Invest in a water bottle which holds a litre of water and aim to get through it every day. You could also have drinks such as hot lemon water which can keep you hydrated more than coffee or tea but also be better for you than highly caffeinated options.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is another really important aspect when it comes to staying healthy. You need around 8-10 hours a night so be sure you’re getting this every day. Try not to stay up working too late or doom scrolling on your phone and instead have a good bedtime routine. Wind down at least an hour before you want to sleep, have a nice bath or shower, read a book and just get your body ready to relax. Being on your phone too much before you sleep can cause your brain to be overactive and mean it’s much harder to get any shut-eye.
Keep warm
When the weather is cold outside and bills are higher than they’ve ever been, it can be hard to stay warm, but this is important for your health. If you are too cold, you’re more likely to get ill, can experience problems with your circulation, have fractured sleep and also feel negative in your mental health. While you might not want to put your heating on all the time, it’s a good idea to check out your windows and doors that there aren’t any gaps to allow draughts in, that you wrap up when you are outside and that you keep doors closed in your house to keep the heat in the room.
Take your vitamins
Another thing that’s important to do for your health and wellbeing in the winter is to get your vitamins in. Without so much sunshine, you can suffer from a lack of Vitamin D which is essential for a good immune system as well as contributing towards healthy bones. There are many vitamin supplements you can take, or you can look at adding a smoothie or healthy juice to your daily routine so you get the vitamins and minerals you need in this way.
Don’t neglect your mental health
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health and it can be harder to stay happy when the days are long and cold. You will be less likely to be out and about as often seeing people and this can lead to loneliness, and you might not be able to do all the things you usually do when the weather is nice. People can also suffer from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which is a type of depression that comes and goes in a seasonal pattern. Ensure you keep up conversation with friends and family and get help if you find your mental health isn’t in a healthy place. It’s much better to get it sorted early rather than wait until it gets really bad.
These are just a few things you can do to stay healthy into the winter. Just because the weather has changed doesn’t mean you should change the way you treat yourself and neglect your wellbeing. From taking care of your mental health – something that’s particularly important in the months where you’re less likely to be out and about – to eating well and getting some exercise in, there are so many things you can do to stay healthy. All too soon the summer months will be upon us again and we can make the most of the nice weather, Vitamin D and all the other perks that come with it. What are some top tips you have for staying healthy into the winter? Let us know in the comments below, we’d love to hear from you.