Did you know that winter is the best time year for exercise?

How to manage your health and fitness this holiday season

Exercising in winter is more beneficial than you ever knew. In colder temperatures, your heart doesn’t have to work as hard, you sweat less, and expend less energy, all of which means you can exercise more efficiently.

But for most people, exercising in winter is all about finding the motivation. Let’s face it, winter clothes hide the bulges, and the cold and dreary weather makes us want to just stay indoors and do nothing. 

During winter, many people let their gym memberships lag when actually, this is the best time to use it! Here are a few reasons why you should keep up your exercise regimes this winter.

Stay healthy during flu season

Winter-time brings nasties including cold and flu, which is why it’s so important for your body to remain as healthy as possible. Research has shown that regular exercise strengthens your immune system so it can better fight off sicknesses. When you exercise and get your blood pumping, immune cells circulate through your body more quickly helping them seek and destroy infections. So avoid nasty germs this winter by keeping your body as healthy as you can with exercise!

Beat the winter blues

We’ve all heard this phrase before: Winter Blues; otherwise knowns as SAD (seasonal affective disorder). For many, it’s a real issue where the colder months and dreary weather affect their moods and put them into a state of sadness and even depression. Exercise releases serotonin and dopamine, the “feel-good” chemicals, which may help reduce anxiety and depression while boosting wellbeing. A daily workout can truly change your whole outlook this winter!

Avoid winter weight gain

A trap that many of us fall into is overeating and comfort eating in the colder months. Add to this the fact many people stop exercising in the colder months, and you have a clear recipe for weight gain! Keeping up with your exercise means you don’t have to feel so guilty about those extra treats you’re enjoying, and you’ll appreciate it come spring when you realise you have avoided putting on weight over winter!

Burn those calories!

It’s a simple fact that you’ll burn more calories in winter than in summer. In the cold, your body works harder to warm up and get you to a stable temperature, meaning that your normal workouts are burning even more calories than normal. If you’re exercising for weight loss, this should be extra motivation for you this winter!

Try something new

A new season offers a chance to refresh your workout routine. During winter, gyms are often quieter, giving you more opportunities to try new things and step out of your comfort zone. Classes are less busy and often don’t have the waiting lists they might have in summer, so it’s a great chance to try something new. During winter-time, gyms are encouraging more attendance, and therefore you may even get a better deal on memberships and classes. A whole world of opportunity is opening for you this winter because fewer people are using the gyms, so take advantage of it!

Winter-time can be your time to shine! Hit the gym, try something new, take a new class or two, and chat with trainers about what suits you. Your summer body will thank you for it!