The holiday season is upon us and for many of us, this is a tough time to stay fit. With all of those tasty holiday treats, winter weather, and, of course, the shorter days it isn’t hard to understand why winter is the hardest time of the year to stay fit. Have no fear, this year doesn’t have to be that way. With a few little changes in your daily routine and diet, you too can stay fit all winter long. Here’s how.
Commit to an exercise routine
Sure we are all busy, but you should always find time to stay healthy. While there are several things that contribute to your overall health, perhaps few things are as important as committing to daily exercise.At a minimum, you need to commit to 30-60 minutes per day of vigorous exercise. Can you get up an hour earlier? Exercise during your lunch break? Exchange an hour of television for an hour of exercise (or do both at the same time)? Take a walk after dinner each night? The important thing is to turn your exercise into a habit. Find a routine. Make it fun, and of course, pick an activity you enjoy. We’ll have a few you might like to try below.
Set a goal
Goals are a great way to stay motivated over the winter months. After all, you can’t measure your progress over time if you don’t have a goal. Whether it’s a weight-loss goal, a daily exercise goal, a number on the scale, or obtaining a certain size, give yourself something to work toward and a way to monitor your success along the way. Mark it on your calendar or note it on your fitness app or put it on a sticky note where you’ll see it every day. Remember not to be too tough on yourself. This is a lifestyle change, or at the very least a commitment to a new goal. Stay positive and remember, one bad meal isn’t the end of the world. Have fun and work on fun ways to incorporate your nutrition and exercise routine into your daily life.
Forget the fad diet
You can’t turn the channel on the television without someone trying to sell the latest fad diet. There is a reason that there are so many new diets. That is because diets really only work temporarily. If you want to maintain a healthy weight, you have to change your eating habits altogether. Experts say your diet is 80% of your success or failure when it comes to losing weight and getting fit. That’s a pretty big factor, right? This winter commit to making healthier choices. Here are three easy things you can do to improve your diet.1. Give up that fancy coffee drink. Keep your coffee simple; you don’t need a 350 calorie drink to start the day. If you must use sweetener or cream choose non-fat creamers and natural sweeteners like stevia.2. Choose water over other sugary drinks. Let’s face it, we all know sodas are terrible for you, yes even diet soda.3. Snack on vegetables and fruits over chips and crackers. Remember that snacks are loaded with hidden calories that can sneak up on you
Need some help discovering the perfect exercise for your lifestyle? There are a lot of great gyms, recreation centers, and online resources. However, to help get you in the mood and moving fast here are five of our favorite ways to shred some winter weight all while having fun doing it.
Try some yoga
For well over a thousand years people have been enjoying the health benefits of Yoga. Yoga is shown to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve your flexibility and strength. There are a lot of great ways to learn Yoga. YouTube has many videos for all levels. Many recreation centers offer inexpensive classes. It may look intimidating at first, but you’ll love the health benefits.
Take a walk
Perhaps the easiest exercise to start is walking. Walking is a wonderful way to burn calories in a low impact way that almost anyone can do. The best thing about walking is you can literally do it anywhere and better yet, you have to do it. Try tracking your steps each day. Find extra steps by taking the stairs or parking further away than usual in the parking lot. If you need to find the perfect place to take a walk, we have the ideal place… an Ocean Isle Beach, beach!
Go for a ride
If you want to get back to your childhood roots all while getting in some great exercise, cycling is the perfect activity for you. Cycling, like walking, is also a low impact sport that is great for any age. If you love watching the world go by all while getting that heart rate up, you’ll love cruising the quiet streets of Ocean Isle Beach.
Lift some weights
Whether it is for strength, weight loss, lean muscle gain, or just overall fitness, strength training provides remarkable results for those willing or wanting to hit the weights. The key to weight training is consistent training. Train three times per week for 12 weeks can provide such benefits as increased muscle mass. A fitter body is less likely to be injured. Like any exercise, it is worth investing in some expert advice when getting started. Using too much weight too soon can cause injury so always start lower than your expected ability and work your way up to that first heavy workout.
Discover kayaking
Ocean Isle Beach is a water lover’s paradise. One of the best ways to explore the water while burning loads of calories is to enjoy the exciting sport of kayaking. Kayaking is a great upper body workout and almost anyone can learn to kayak with a few short lessons. We have several places that offer Kayak rentals, adventures, and lessons right here on Ocean Isle Beach.
Looking for the perfect place where you can do all of these activities regardless of the time of year? If you are, then look no further than beautiful Ocean Isle Beach, NC. Need help planning your next beach vacation? Give us a call today or click the button below and soon you’ll be enjoying the best of the North Carolina coast.
How do you like to stay fit? Leave a comment below with your secret.
