Winter Eating and Exercise Tips
Now that the weather is cooler, maybe you’re finding life has moved inside under the doona and onto the couch?
Be a step ahead and keep moving!
Leanne and Fitness Tips to stay hydrated and exercise.
Exercise Tips
Don’t use the weather as an excuse to give up and do nothing or slow down your already active lifestyle. Here are some tips:
Use your head – Think of exercise as an opportunity, not an inconvenience and be active in as many ways as you can. Do something that you enjoy!
Don’t get left in the dark – Make the most of the daylight hours and stretch your legs during lunchtime. Go for a walk, run or organise a lunchtime team sport.
Don’t Do it Alone – Find an exercise partner who will help you to stay motivated when it is cold outside – phone a friend and get active together.
Try Something New – Find a nearby indoor exercise class or indoor heated pool – have you tried Zumba or water aerobics yet? Roller skating, ice skating or rug up and head for the hills for an exhilarating bush walk.
Set goals – Set some realistic winter goals and reward yourself as you achieve them.
Walk your best friend – Someone who never says no, no matter what the weather is your dog – get out and go!
Don’t Forget to Warm up – Cold temperatures can make your muscles tight and prone to injury. Make sure you do a thorough warm up prior to your exercise.
Insulate your Body – If exercising outdoors, wear layers of clothing. Layering provides the most effective heating method and allows you to remove the top layer if you get too hot.
Drink Up – It’s just as important to stay hydrated when exercising in winter as it is in summer, even though you may not feel as thirsty.
Why is Water so Important, Even in Winter?
Don’t forget the benefits of drinking water – it carries oxygen and nutrients to every cell and tissue in the body, regulates body temperature, flushes out toxins and helps keep the skin looking younger.
Start the Day with a Glass of Water
Try drinking a glass of hot water with a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon first thing in the morning. This gives the digestion a boost as well as giving the water a refreshing flavour.
Make Water Constantly Available
Keep water within reach at all times. Have a bottle of water on the office desk, in the car and on the side table in the bedroom. Those frequently on the move should also pack a small bottle of water in the handbag. If there are children in tow, make sure there are water bottles in their backpacks as well.
Spread Out Water Intake
Some people forget to drink regularly during the day and try to make it up by gulping down a few glasses of water at one go late in the evening. Avoid that. Spread out water intake throughout the day. Make it a point to drink in the morning, at noon, in the afternoon and evening or after each visit to the toilet.
Create a Water Intake Schedule
If remembering to drink more water is a real problem, create a water intake schedule. For instance, drink a glass of water first thing in the morning after waking up, after breakfast, before lunch, before dinner, and so on. Need more reminding? Try using a Hydration App to keep on top of your intake.
Have Water with Other Beverages
When eating out, those who just have to drink other beverages such as alcohol, coffee or tea should always order a glass of water as well. Try alternating the beverages with water as some of them can cause dehydration.
Adjust Temperatures of Drinking Water
On summer days keep a jug or bottle of water in the refrigerator so that there is always chilled drinking water available. On cold winter days, drink warm plain water instead of hot coffee or tea to keep warm.
Keeping the body hydrated is easy. To drink more water every day, make water constantly available, spread out water intake throughout the day, create a water intake schedule, have water with other beverages and adjust the temperatures of drinking water accordingly.
Nutrition Tips
The big word that should be on everyone’s lips over winter to keep off the unwanted kilograms is SOUP, SOUP AND MORE SOUP!!!
Soups decrease hunger, increase feelings of fullness and reduce kilojoule intake. Making soup is really simple and you hardly need a recipe at all.
Try making your own stock for soup! It not only adds more flavour, but chicken broth in particular is rich with essential fatty acids and protein to build and repair healthy muscle, bone, skin, and blood cells. Chicken broth is also a rich source of minerals like iron.
It’s easy making your own using a chicken carcass from last night’s roast (I freeze them after each roast until I have 3 or more, or you could ask your butcher if they have any raw on hand), and a heap of veg and herbs such as carrots, onion, celery, a few peppercorns, thyme and parsley. Using a slow cooker or pressure cooker makes it super easy!
If you’re looking for a vegetarian option, just use all your vegetable trimmings and peelings – onion, potato, carrot, leek, broccoli, tomato, whatever you have – plus a little salt, a few black peppercorns, a bay leaf and some dried herbs into a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes. Leave to cool, then strain.
More Nutrition Tips to Keep you Healthy Over Winter…
- Choose whole foods, not too much, and mostly plants
- Avoid UPF’s (Ultra Processed Foods) – don’t eat anything that your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food
- Avoid food products containing ingredients that are unfamiliar, unpronounceable, or more than five in number or that include high fructose corn syrup and trans fats
- Shop at fresh food markets where possible
- Shop on the outside aisles of the supermarket
