The weather is getting colder and we find ourselves inside more often. We also find ourselves exercising less, eating more, and enjoying lots of deserts.
When the cold weather comes our bodies ask for more calories to keep us warm. We indulge ourselves in all the wonderful smelling, tasting, and altogether good foods that end up near us during the holiday.
When January comes around we realize what we've done and spend the next few months attempting to reverse what we've done. We don't always succeed.
Here are some tips to stay on the wagon and keep fit during the winter.
1. Dust off the DVD player. Pull out those old exercise videos you bought and haven't used yet. The older they are, the more fun they tend to be. Get your spouse and kids involved, they'll enjoy some of the silly exercises, and the laughs.
2. Exercise during your favorite TV show. As my friend Bryan talked with me about after this post, take the commercial breaks of your favorite TV show and turn them into your opportunity to exercise. The first commercial break can be dedicated to sit-ups, the second is for pushups, the third is for air squats. Most half hour shows have 3 commercial breaks, which is perfect.
3. Go mall walking. My wife and I live a mile away from a mall and love to walk around. It may take some will power to stay away from buying anything, but we look at it as a time to exercise and people watch. We tend to get the majority of our Christmas shopping done in the first few weeks of November and watch everyone else run around shopping the rest of the holiday.
4. Library story time. Most local libraries have story times for kids, and their separated into baby, toddler, and family times. They're normally about thirty minutes in length and include music, movement, and dance. It's a great opportunity to move around, smile, and watch some very cute babies and kids. Ask a friend who has a child to go with them or even volunteer to help out.
5. Get a trial gym membership. Most gyms have a trial offer for one month free, and around January is the best time to get a good deal like this. Give it a try for a month or two and see how you like, if you don't, most gyms allow for a no-hassle cancelation.
Hopefully some of these suggestions work for you. You don't have to try them all, but start with one of them and see how it works. You might just make through this winter/holiday season without falling off the wagon!
