How To Glide Through Winter Feeling Happy and Healthy
Daylight is becoming ever more sparse as we enter the colder months of the year, forcing us to change our routines and lifestyles to suit the weather accordingly. Our habits may become more sedentary, but it is vital that we look after our health and wellbeing to it’s fullest throughout winter.
Our habitual hibernation will likely decrease our levels of exercise, and increase our cravings for comfort food. The lack of daylight will also test our mood and energy levels, perhaps leading to feelings of lethargy and grumpiness.
So how do you fight against this to ensure your weight, emotional wellbeing and mood remain stable until the weather picks up once again?
What follows are a few simple alterations you can make to your lifestyle that will encourage an uplifted mood, make weight maintenance a breeze and ensure you are looking after your health and wellbeing to the best of your ability.
1. Exercise
Many of us struggle to maintain an exercise routine throughout summer, making exercise an even bigger struggle to maintain when the weather is miserable. However, rearranging your schedule or investing some time in a totally new form of exercise could be the key. Many gyms offer a whole host of classes for all tastes, abilities and lifestyle. Check out your local branch and see if something takes your fancy – even if nothing does, try something new, because you never know! Getting your blood pumping will increase your serotonin levels, making you happier and therefore healthier.
2. Eat REAL food
Food is the key when it comes to maintaining your health and happiness. It is vital that you avoid processed foods and stick to real ingredients. Home cooked food doesn’t have to be boring or time consuming – simply adding herbs and spices can completely transform a meal. Things can also be cooked in bulk and frozen for a later date, you may only need to cook a couple of times a week if you do this! We have a vast array of healthy comfort food recipes, for inspiration click here.
3. Be kind to yourself
Feelings of lethargy and lowness are natural for this time of year, and so you shouldn’t beat yourself up about it. However, you can help yourself by taking bite-sized proactive changes in your usual lifestyle pattern that may begin to chip away at current unhappiness. This simple and steady approach will make day to day living seem easier as the nights draw in, and also make the above two points easier to instigate, encouraging your health and wellbeing to slot into place.
