Those cold dark mornings make it a little bit harder to get out of bed and get that workout in.  We tend to want to go into hibernation mode.  We are distracted with all of the holiday festivities and all of the to do lists that need to be done.  With all of these exciting activities on our minds, exercise falls down the list of priorities.

Well the shortest day is only two days away so we can look forward to the days getting longer.   With these short days many on us talk about the “winter blues”.  We have lack of motivation, feelings of slight depression, fatigue, and cravings for all of those holiday goodies.  Exercise is a great way to improve your state of mind and quality of life during these cold winter days!

Here a few benefits of maintaining your exercise routine in the winter months:

•  Immune Function:  In the winter months we are in the heart of the cold and flu season.  Research shows that when you exercise your body increases the speed at which it removes waste products.  Your breathing rate increases and you increase the amount that you sweat which helps remove more waste products.  This decreases your risk of infection because fewer infectious agents are present in the body.  Your body temperature rises when you exercise and many infectious agents cannot survive this increase in temperature.  This is why you get a fever when you come down with a cold, it is your bodies way of killing off the invaders.  Exercise also reduces stress, and any reduction in overall stress keeps the immune system functioning at its best!
• Endorphins: Endorphins are neurotransmitters that are released by your brain when you exercise.  They are your natural pain killer and when you work up a good sweat during exercise they produce analgesia and a feeling of well-being, which helps brighten the spirit on those grey days.
• Self Image:  When you decrease your exercise in the winter months you are setting your fitness goals back. This set back will only add to feelings of negativity towards yourself and it makes it harder and harder to get back on track. Most people will put on 5 pounds from Thanksgiving to New Years. Stay on track with your fitness regimen and give yourself something to be proud about.

Helpful tips to keep up with your exercise schedule throughout the winter:

• If you are a brave individuals who continues to exercise outdoors throughout the winter, be sure to do a proper warm-up beforehand, wear appropriate clothing so you are warm and can be seen if it is dark out.  Also beware of ice or slippery surfaces.
• Break up your workout. Instead of getting on the same machine every time, pick 3 different machines and workout on a different one each day or use each one for 10 minutes during your workout.
• Try something new.   We all have our favorite machines or exercises that we gravitate to every time we go to the gym. Winter is a great time to experiment with something completely different. When was the last time you tried the rowing machine or the stationary bike? What about the heavy punching bag in the corner? Moving your body in a different way can rejuvenate your workouts. You can also try some new winter sports like cross country skiing or ice skating.

• Try finding a new fitness class such as yoga, spinning, zumba, or a boot camp.  Sign up with a friend to help you stay motivated and hold each other accountable to attending regular classes; this also makes it more fun!
• If  going to the gym isn’t for you, try a workout DVD or book a session with a personal trainer who can set you up with a program you can perform in your own living room with very little equipment.

Don’t use the cold busy winter/holiday season as an excuse to just start again in the new year.  This will set you back and make it very difficult to get back on track.  So avoid the unwanted weight gain and the winter blues by sticking to a regular exercise routine.

So drop and give me 20!!!