Five Practical Tips To Stay Fit In Winter

Staying healthy in winter is tough. It's the gloomy time of year when most people rather stay indoors. Because it's colder during wintertime, we tend to eat more, as this a way for our bodies to stay warm. So by not going outside and by eating (too) much we gain weight and lose stamina and strength. This opens up the door to the flu and colds. Also, the lack of sun and daylight can cause seasonal depression.

So what to do when winter gets the better of you? These tips might help you stay fit in winter.

Exercise

If you don't want to go outside, this is no reason not to exercise. Practicing yoga or going to the fitness studio will get you the indoor exercise you need. Yoga is also good if you suffer from winter depression.

Basically, any form of exercise is beneficial, because moving and sweating make our brain produce endorphins, a happy hormone.

Playing in the snow, or shoveling the driving lane is healthy exercise too, however it's wise to be careful not to overdo it with shoveling snow, since it's hard labor and in the cold you could risk a heart attack. So shovel slowly and wisely.

Other good exercise in winter is skiing or snowshoe hiking.

Get plenty of fresh air

Because of the cold we tend to keep the windows shut and this reduces air circulation. Lack of fresh air makes us susceptible to disease too. So get out of the house, preferably during daylight. Walking the dog or taking a brisk walk in the park for half an hour or more can work wonders. Whatever happens, don't stay in the house all day. Fresh air and exercise are good for the immune system and blood circulation

Enjoy the daylight

Daylight is vital to our immune system and holds off depression. If you're lucky you can catch some sunlight as well. This might compensate the general lack of vitamin D we suffer during wintertime.

Drink plenty of water and tea

Because it's colder we heat the house, we get dehydrated. The problem is that we usually don't recognize this in winter. But if your skin is dry and scaly, it's a tell-tale sign you're not drinking enough fluids.

Green tea and co. are packed with antioxidants and will help strengthen the immune function and regulate skin moisture.

Healthy diet

Eating more in winter doesn't mean eating fat or over eating. Plenty of veggies, fruits and fish are recommended.

Fresh vegetables and fruits are full of antioxidants and vitamins that strengthen the immune system. Fish is protein rich, have plenty od vitamins D and E to compensate the lack of sun during winter.