How To Stay Healthy In The Cooler Months

Winter is nearly here once again and we will soon be bracing ourselves to face the bitter cold. Typically, it is much easier to maintain our health and keep up our usual fitness regime during summer. The cold weather can just make it so easy to skip your morning workout in favour of staying in bed, and also has us turning to our favourite comfort foods.

It is easier than you think however to keep up your health and wellness routine right through winter. Just make a few tweaks to your routine to make it more winter-friendly and you are right on track! Read on for my top tips and the tricks that I use to keep healthy through the long winter (especially if you live in Melbourne like me!).

1. Meal prep delicious comfort foods.

Thankfully there are so many delicious wintery meals that are just perfect for meal prep and keeping in the freezer. Curries, stews, bolognaise sauce, lentil dhal, I could go on! All these dishes freeze really well, so make up a big batch and freeze in individual containers ready to go. You will thank yourself when you can skip the after work peak hour supermarket stop in the rain, because you already have a delicious and nourishing meal at home.

2. Eat for the weather.

Salads just don’t cut it for lunch on an ice cold day – let’s just be honest about that! Chances are you will not feel satisfied and be looking for something else to eat after. We crave warming foods during winter, so adjust your diet to reflect this. There are plenty of lunch options, such as delicious soups, that still are really nourishing for the body, but also nourishing for the soul.

3. Embrace seasonality.

Eating seasonally is great for so many reasons. It helps to increase variety in your diet, is often much more affordable, and is better for the environment. Fresh produce that is at its best over the winter months includes citrus fruits, pears, brussel sprouts, kale, cauliflower and cabbage.

4. Keep hydrated

It can be really easy to become dehydrated during winter, as we pay less attention to how much we are drinking. Our fluid requirements are not necessarily less during winter. It really depends on you and your activity level throughout the day. Tap water isn’t always the most appealing drink, so go for lots of herbal teas to keep warm and hydrated throughout the day.

5. Maintain your workout regime.

Workouts can so easily slip during winter, as the thought of going out for a run and enduring the bitter morning chill just seems unbearable. Aim to stick to your normal workout regime, however once again, adjust your workouts to ensure your routine is realistic and enjoyable. Perhaps try more indoor workouts, or invest in a gym membership for six months. Whatever helps to keep exercise enjoyable and something to look forward into.

A few simple tweaks to your normal routine make it much easier for you to embrace winter and keep your health in good shape! Now, fingers crossed for a fairly mild winter!