It is easy for us to stray from a healthy lifestyle during the winter months. The evenings become shorter and the weather is unpleasant to say the least! It can be difficult to find the motivation to go out and exercise during the cold, dark evenings. This often results in comfort eating and a lack of exercise. Our lifestyle and diets can also suffer during times of increased stress, anxiety or depression which can sometimes be brought upon by the change in seasons. This is known as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

Despite the challenges that winter poses, there is no reason why our diets or health have to suffer. We can still maintain a healthy lifestyle during these dark and dreary months! Many people during this period will be attracted to fad diets and lifestyles in an attempt to lose weight. We believe that there is a very simple way to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle – regular exercise and a healthy balanced diet. This may seem terribly obvious and simplistic but there really is no better way to staying healthy.

Exercise

Many of us have bought a gym membership or exercise equipment in the hopes of losing those pounds. All too often we go to the gym for the first few weeks and become tired of it or we throw those weights or abs machine in the attic because we get bored of them! The real key to exercise is routine and building good habits. Forming good habits can be difficult. Forming and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits during the winter involves planning.

The most off putting aspect of winter is the cold temperature! This is where planning becomes important. Take time to ensure that you are warmed up and protected against the cold before starting your exercise routine. A pre-exercise warm up is essential to preventing injuries. Your muscles can become tight in the cold weather. Rigorous exercise without a proper warm-up can lead to damage of the muscles and other soft tissue.

Wearing plenty of layers is very important while exercising in the cold weather. A rain proof jacket or top should be worn as the top layer. You should also keep a close eye on the amount you sweat during your exercise. If your bottom layer becomes soaked with sweat, your body can rapidly become chilled (exercise hypothermia) which can lead to a cold or flu. This can also occur from removing layers immediately after exercise.

Keeping your body hydrated is extremely important during exercise. You should take the time to drink water before, during and after exercise.

Diet

The phrase – “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” may be somewhat of a cliché. However there is a great deal of truth in this statement with many studies showing that people who skip breakfast are more likely to struggle with weight problems. Eating a high fibre, low fat breakfast ensures that energy is released slowly throughout the day. Such a breakfast provides the energy you need to start the day and decreases the need for sugary snacks. An ideal breakfast for those cold winter mornings is a bowl of porridge. Porridge contains all the starch and fibre you need to start the day. If you want to add a little flavour, try some sultanas or raisins. Try to avoid adding sugar or using full fat milk.