Tips For Staying Active This Winter

It’s dark when you wake up and dark before you finish work – yes, the depths of winter are notoriously bad for affecting our overall well being. Everything from our mood to our fitness levels can drop during the winter months, when it is all too easy to stay curled up on the sofa and wait for summer to come back around.

However, exercise and physical activity gets those endorphins going and they are absolutely paramount to feeling good in your skin. The secret is, thinking outside the box! What you might usually do the summer probably won’t work in the winter, so it’s time to think about how you can get moving in a way that you will enjoy; despite the cold!

1. Ice Skating

Well if it’s chilly, making the most of the wintery sport out there might be worth a go! Even just half an hour indoor ice-skating is an excellent way to burn calories and is great for building up leg strength and muscles. And of course, it’s brilliant fun for the whole family!

2. Try a new fitness class

June is the prime time for not only reflect on our progress for our new years’ resolutions, but also trying out something new. This June, why don’t you challenge yourself to try a new fitness class? The choice of classes these days is expansive, with everything from trampolining, to barre classes (based on ballet), yoga, pilates, body combat and so much more. You may find a new class that you absolutely love! Give it a go. And I guarantee you won’t be the only newbie in the class.

3. Work out at home

The amazing thing about the Internet is that there are heaps of fitness resources right at your fingertips, which you can access for free! Tap HIIT work out or yoga class into YouTube and thousands of videos will come up – the perfect quick way to exercise without even having to leave the house.

4. Take long wintery walks

Whilst it might be cold outside, it is also a really beautiful time of year to take to your local parks or countryside and enjoy the great outside. They say cold air is good for the soul and so is a good walk. Enjoy this with the whole family – and can always be rewarded with a good cup of tea!

5. Work out with a friend

What is a better motivation than pairing up with a friend to go for a workout? If you know you are going to get a good catch up out of it plus a workout, it is much harder to find an excuse not to go.

6. Join a gym

If you’re not already a member of a gym, this might the ideal time. This also gives you a chance to find a new community in your neighbourhood. A lot of gyms also provide a free personal training session when signing up which can be amazing if you are unsure on where to start and how the equipment works.
7. Incorporate a short walk into your commute
This differs from the long wintery walks above because this is about incorporating a 10-15 minute walk into your day, every day! Simple ways of doing this are parking your car further away from your office or getting off the bus or tube one or two stops earlier. If you did this morning and evening, you’re working in a 20-30 minute walk every day, without even that much effort!

7. Incorporate a short walk into your commute

This differs from the long wintery walks above because this is about incorporating a 10-15 minute walk into your day, every day! Simple ways of doing this are parking your car further away from your office or getting off the bus or tube one or two stops earlier. If you did this morning and evening, you’re working in a 20-30 minute walk every day, without even that much effort!

8. Take a swim

Swimming can be incredibly relaxing, as well as being a brilliant full body work out. Why don’t you find your local swimming pool and try a few lengths this June. And it’s a good those pools are heated!

9. Switch up your routine

Getting out of the winter rut is essentially all about mixing things up and trying new things. Sticking to the same routine can feel stale when it’s cold outside, so find motivation in mixing up timings, locations and type of activity you are doing.

10. Invest in good winter active wear

And last but certainly not least – if you are still venturing outside for a run or cycle, invest in some good winter wear. There are heaps of options online and in stores.

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