Disclaimer: I wrote this for one of my Bonsai Media Group clients, but knew it would be great advice for the Guy'dbook. Enjoy.
Many people simply resign to getting out of shape during the winter. There are no shortages of excuses: “All of the treats during the holidays are irresistible”, “I have to have snacks and watch all of the football games”, “It’s too cold out for a workout”. The list goes on. Our need to stay healthy doesn’t take a break. The effects often felt during the winter months can be reversed if a healthy lifestyle is followed all year. For example, regular exercise can help reduce the effects of season depression and stretching will help prevent injuries caused by limited range of motion. Now that it is clear that a yearlong fitness goal should be in the cards, below are some tips on how to stay active:
Buddy up: having a workout friend makes time on a walk or at the gym more exciting and creates accountability.Lunch break walk: The time for lunch is a great time to get outside while it’s light out during the shorter winter months.
Find good ToDo’s: Chopping wood for the fireplace (Ali for example - left), organizing the garage, or raking leaves are all excellent exercises.
Take the stairs: Instead of taking the elevator at work, opt for the stairs – you’ll burn more calories and feel more invigorated.
Get your game on: There are plenty of indoor sports leagues in the Seattle area – check out indoor soccer or basketball leagues.
Get your game on, part 2: motion controlled video games are also great ways to stay active and burn calories, plus they’re a great family and friend activity (Nintendo Wii, Xbox Kinect, Playstation Move).Smart snacks: instead of reaching for the chips & dip or cookies, grab a veggie snack or pick up the baked alternative chips, like veggie crisps.
Jump in: indoor swimming pools are a great, year-round source of fitness activates, such as swimming laps, water aerobics, or walking laps in the shallow end.
Drop down and give me 10!: find opportunities to do a quick set of pushups – bust out ten during a commercial break or couple the activity with a personal goal. For example, if you’re trying to stop using questionable language, do ten pushups every time you slip.
Create a record: Writing down your progress is a good way to be accountable to yourself and see how far you’ve come in the gloomy months.
Clearly not all of us are ice climbers, but we can all find something to stay active in the dark, cold months. Be fit my friends – your summer beach-time will thank you.
