How to stay active this winter

The cold season is no reason to give up sports and be a lazy potato. Obviously, it is difficult to go on long walks or run in the park during cold temperatures, but it is essential to keep healthy all year round. “During colder months, we tend to spend less time being active and focused on self-care,” says Osayi Osunde, owner of Philadelphia-based Fit Academy. “Plus, this time of year is full of back-to-back national holidays and social get-togethers. It is all bound to lead to a few extra pounds.”

According to CDC, prolonged lack of physical activity can contribute to insomnia, mental fatigue, high blood pressure, and other diseases.

If you want to stay inside and be in shape, you can try home training. It will save you the time you spend on the way to the gym, and you will save money on your season ticket. For example, yoga is now becoming popular. It does not require special equipment, and training instructions are available free of charge on the Internet. For example, Yoga With Adriene, Arianna Elizabeth, Breathe and Flow and Travis Eliot, etc. Moreover, there are many apps with a selection of exercises and diets for each day that you can accommodate to your current and desired level of physical development. For example, PEAR Personal Fitness Coach, Workout Trainer, 8fit, and OpenFit, etc. This will undoubtedly keep you motivated throughout the journey.

However, the winter is an opportunity to enjoy sports such as skiing, snowboarding, skating, and other seasonal activities. Even hangouts around the park with your friends can positively affect your physical state and well-being. Apart from the undeniable fun of it all, winter workouts have unique benefits for the human body. According to Harvard Health Publishing, exercising outdoors in the cold can improve endurance, burn more fat, and prevent seasonal affective disorder. 

A healthy, balanced diet is also an integral part of health support. During holidays, it is very easy to get into the habit of eating or consuming harmful food. It will lead to many health problems. Therefore, it is necessary to remember to supply your body with vegetables, high-quality protein, and complex carbohydrates to provide energy and fit for winter.

It may be slow-going before you land on a method that works for you. But you should remember that all your efforts are not for someone. It’s for you. Your love and respect must go hand in hand on your journey towards reaching your goals.