Feeling too tired and unmotivated to work out? Well no wonder! Working out is one of those things that you have to put your heart, mind and body into for a long time to see results. Not only that, if you don’t couple a lifestyle of healthy eating habits with your daily fitness, you are less likely to see results at all. I’m not trying to validate your unambitious efforts, but rather lending some understanding to your plight. Getting motivated and staying motivated long enough to reap the rewards is an honest challenge. Here are some tips to sneaking exercise into your winter routine.
1.) Put away the snowblower and get out the shovel! Shoveling snow can burn an average of 500 calories an hour! You can even turn it into a total body workout.
2.) Putting away the groceries? Use good form squats to put things in cupboards down low. Lift heavy items like milk jugs, canned goods and bags of sugar the work out arms and shoulders. Hold the heavy items on your shoulders while you do squats and lunges to maximize the benefits. If you have stairs and have items that need to go up or down, take one item a time and run the stairs until everything is put away.
3.) During the short and dark winter days we tend to get tired easily and want to veg out in front of the TV. Set a wintertime rule that anytime you watch a show, you have to exercise at the same time. A yoga mat, hand weights, ankle weights and a set routine will help you get your exercise in every day. Write down a routine that includes exercises like squats, lunges, crunches, leg lifts, planks, push ups and arm exercises with weights and cycle through them while the time flies by.
4.) Why wait until spring to do your deep cleaning? You will feel refreshed and lighter after purging and deep cleaning closets, drawers, cabinets and storage areas. Move vigorously while you work to burn extra calories. Set a timer and every 5-10 minutes take a 1-3 minute break to do jumping jacks, do jumping lunges, run the stairs or hold a plank.
5.) Sick of working out altogether? Put on your boots and mittens and get out there and play! Building a snow fort or snowman can burn lots of calories. Pushing snowballs around can be great for your legs, butt and arms. Hold your abs tight and pull your belly button toward your spine to keep your core engaged.
Do you have any other tips and tricks for people to sneak exercise into their winter days?
