How to stay healthy in Winter?

The Winter season always exciting. So many events like family dinners, holiday parties distract us from focusing on our health and taking care of ourselves as we would normally. Once the holiday season is over, many people experience low motivation to stay active. Others let diet and healthy eating habits fall by the wayside. Often, exercise is sacrificed for warm nights and spent indoors on the couch. In colder weather, finding the motivation to stay healthy and fit can be difficult. And that can lay the foundation for a weakened immune system, posing a greater risk of developing illness or injury. The colder weather creates a number of safety risks to us and to those around us, and some of these we may not even be aware of. Recognizing safety risks and patterns of illness or low energy ahead of time is key to preventing them. There are countless winter wellness tips and ideas available to ensure you have lots of ways to stay healthy, fit and safe this holiday season and beyond. These healthy winter habits will help you to recognize where your health falls short and what you can do to boost it during this time of year.

Nutrition

The biggest risk to our overall health is a lack of attention to diet and exercise routines. During the holidays, we find ourselves so busy finalizing travel plans, finishing up with tasks at work, buying and wrapping gifts and crossing everything off of our checklists that we forget to prioritize our healthy habits. The chilly and unpleasant weather can make it very difficult to find the motivation to get to the gym or head outdoors for exercises. In additional time spent indoors means many of us snack more than we would typically at other times of the year. This combination reduce our happiness and self-esteem over time.

Maintaining proper diet and exercise routines is also necessary to go away from illness. Wintertime presents a higher likelihood to develop cold and flu than during any other season. Here are some winter diet and exercise tips to show you how to stay healthy and fit during winter colder months.

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Plan Exercises

Try to stick to a weekly exercise plan so you do not put off your regular exercise activities. On Sunday night, write down your exercise schedule for the next seven days. Choose your exact workout routines, activities or exercises for each day and how long they will be. Knowing what you’re scheduled to do each day ahead of time makes it easier to stick to. If you can, line up your workout schedule with a friend to encourage each other to stick with it and stay motivated.

Workout at Home

If you have no desire to head outdoors for your workout, then never fear. There are plenty of resources online that supply fun workout videos and exercises. These resources offer a variety of workouts including yoga, strength training, aerobics and other body-weight exercises. 

Calm Carb Cravings

The cold season tends for cravings of more carbs and comfort foods. Consume these delicious treats making your brain think you are happier and your carb cravings get stronger and stronger.

To counter this try eating a protein-packed breakfast to keep your energy levels up throughout the day. If by the time the afternoon rolls around you are still craving sweets or carbs, be sure to have low-fat and healthy snacks on hand. However, if you can, finding a way to increase your happiness levels without food is the best way to beat the carb cravings.

Add Omega 3

Omega 3 fatty acids are a healthy type of fat that are naturally found in many food types including fish, plant seeds and nuts. Omega 3 fatty acids are great for reducing joint pain and stiffness as they are a natural anti-inflammatory. Studies have also shown that omega 3 fatty acids help lower levels of depression, which people commonly feel during the shorter days of winter.

Eat More Fiber

Soluble fiber found in apples, oats and nuts is an important way to decrease inflammation and boost immune system function. Soluble fiber also helps reduce cholesterol levels in the body and aids in weight loss and protection against diabetes. This is an especially important winter health tip for seniors who require a high-fiber diet to protect their digestive systems.

Eat Vegetables & Fruits

Sticking primarily to vegetables and fruits that are dark green and orange is important in ensuring you are getting healthy nutrients, sugars and fats. Spinach, kale, Swiss chard, squash, carrots and oranges are all delicious during the winter. There are plenty of recipes available to incorporate these items into your regular winter diet.

Cook With Spices

Onions, garlic, ginger and cilantro are the perfect items to add flavor to your dishes. Not only do they make food taste great, but they are also shown to help improve immune function. Turmeric is a spice traditionally used in Chinese and Indian medicine. Its main active ingredient is called curcumin, which gives curry its yellow color. This spice helps to combat a number of conditions including inflammation and heart disease, and it acts as a powerful antioxidant.

Healthy and Fit Winter

All these tips are easy to implement in your daily life if you add them in slowly and it will help you to find your own areas more improved. If you lose track of your diet and exercise habits, then start with these basic winter health tips to keep you happy and positive throughout the season. It has a lot of helpful health information to keep you healthy and well throughout the entire year.