Four simple and effective ways of staying fit in winter

When it comes to our fitness and our health, it’s pretty safe to say that the weather, and indeed the seasons, play a big role in determining how we look, what we eat, how active we are, and truthfully just how good of a shape we’re actually in. During the summer for example, the weather is generally hot, the days are longer, we’re far more physically active, and we wear far less clothing. Because of this, not only do we burn more calories due to an increase in activity, we also step up our training and watch what we eat because we’ll be far more exposed due to less clothing, and will obviously want to look and feel our absolute best. During the winter however, people tend to almost hibernate, spending far more time in doors, getting much less exercise, and eating far more calories. Keeping fit during the winter is far more difficult than in the summer, even in warmer climates, but it is certainly not impossible. Take a look at these four simple and effective ways of staying fit in the winter and you’ll know what we mean.Head to the gym as soon as possible – If you work a 9 – 5 job, try to head to the gym on your way back from work, rather than stopping off at home first. Once you make it home, as it begins to grow darker and cooler, you’ll find it much harder to drag yourself back out of the house, especially after a long day at work. If you call in at the gym on your way back from work however, you don’t have any excuses. Alternatively you could get an early workout in before work, that way you can head straight home and relax, knowing that you have a productive workout under your belt for the day. Staying fit is all about passion and dedication.Try to train indoors – Staying fit requires determination. It doesn’t matter how warm or how cold your winters are, they will still be colder than your summers which means that the temperatures can come as quite a shock to the system. If you’re used to jogging, walking, or cycling outdoors in warmer temperatures, don’t try to brave the weather, instead train indoors somewhere warm such as a gym, leisure centre, or crossfit performance centre perhaps? That way you still get to work out, plus you get the added benefit of feeling warm and comfortable. Exercising in cold temperatures also puts you at a much higher risk of suffering an injury.Hire a personal trainer – During the winter, many of us experience extreme dips in our motivation levels, with some suffering from SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) due to the cooler temperatures and prolonged spells of darkness. For staying fit, and to have one heck of a workout in the process, why not hire a personal trainer to work with you one on one? A PT will provide effective workouts, will motivate you, will encourage you, will help you, and will hold you accountable so you can’t just decide not to show up for a workout.Think of your goals – If you’re exercising and working out regularly, remind yourself why you’re doing it in the first place. Do you want to lose weight, build muscle, get fitter, tone up, or anything else for that matter. Whatever your goals and targets may be, remind yourself of them on a daily basis so on the days when the rain is falling and the night is fast drawing in, rather than curling up on the sofa eating pizza, you’re instead going to head to the gym to help get yourself into the best shape possible.