The winter months are a time when sticking to your fitness routine becomes a little tougher than usual. The cold weather often makes going out for a jog uncomfortable, so some extra time snuggling under the covers seems like the best option.
Unfortunately, your health and fitness needs do not take a vacation during the holidays. You and your household still have to get regular exercise to stay young and strong and avoid illness in the future. In fact, there are even extra benefits from doing outdoor winter exercises, such as improving balance due to the uneven surface caused by snowfall.
Whether you prefer to stay indoors or venture outdoors to get your daily workouts in, we have a number of great ideas to help you and your family get your exercises in and stay sharp and active.
Keep Mental Exercises in Your Routine
Physical fitness is not the only thing you need to be more intentional about during the winter months. You also have to take extra care of your mental health, as the winter months are when the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder usually kick in.
Counter the winter blues by being intentional about mental stimulation and self-care.
Stay Sharp With Cognitive Activities
Since daylight is shorter and temperatures are lower, it is easy to feel withdrawn during the winter. Try various activities to keep your mind occupied with helpful, healthy thoughts to fight the inclination to go on hibernation mode.
If you want to stay mentally active while taking care of your children, get a kids’ construction set and make it a joint project to try out various contraptions with the parts you have. This is helpful for kids to develop their cognitive and creative skills while they are still young and good for your mental stimulation and patience.
Another simple method is to seek out conversations with people. Make sure you have safe spaces to have meaningful discussions with friends and family you trust to talk about things that matter to you.
Take time to listen to their thoughts and concerns, too. These exchanges help us process our circumstances and emotions and similarly allow us to help others do the same.
Clear Your Mind After a Long Day
Staying mentally healthy is not just about filling your mind with information. It also involves setting time to log off and give your brain rest. Otherwise, you will carry unnecessary stress that could affect your emotional well-being.
A method that has become popular today is meditation. There are various ways to do it, but a simple way is to sit down comfortably in a quiet room, close your eyes, and take slow, deep breaths. You can help yourself by adding calming music or using aromatherapy to help you relax.
Also, take time out of your day to do something you enjoy. Whether cooking a meal or sitting down to watch a movie, wind down after a long day and give yourself much-needed rest after a day of work and chores.
Stay Physically Fit
Mental fitness should also come hand in hand with physical fitness. Here are great ways to do it at home with your loved ones.
Play With Your Kids
Kids love to run around and play. Being cooped up indoors is not something they will enjoy, so help them by coming up with activities that keep both of you physically active.
There are plenty of kid-friendly indoor workout routines on streaming websites that you can try out together. If you have space at home, set up a makeshift obstacle course that everyone at home can participate in. You can also play simple games such as hide and seek and musical chairs.
Safely Exercise Outdoors
Do not let the low temperatures keep you from going out to exercise! However, it is vital to dress warmly for your safety.
First, wear a hat or earmuffs to keep your head and ears warm. Make sure your coat is not only insulating but also resistant to wind and water. As for your shoes, wear running shoes that are appropriate for the uneven terrain of your outdoor jogging route.
Another rule is to always jog with a buddy (or buddies) so that you can support each other through the session and call for help in case of an emergency.
Final Thoughts
Do not let the winter months be “no-exercise” months! Stay healthy in body and mind by setting goals and sticking to a routine that allows you to pursue activities that encourage you to remain active.
