Keeping in shape over the winter is always tough. You’re spending a lot less time outside, enjoying a few more festive drinks, and indulging in high-calorie comfort food to get you through the cold spells. Unfortunately, this all adds up.
So when summer rolls around, we often find we’re far from beach-body ready. Queue a mad crash diet to shed those holiday pounds…
But guys, it doesn’t have to be this way! If you find you tend to put on weight over the winter, check out the list below for some winter weight-loss ideas that will help keep you fit and trim all year round.
Keep Your Body In Check
It’s hard enough getting out for a run at the best of times, especially on a cold day. As a result, your fitness regime may falter over the holidays.
However, there is one huge advantage to winter workouts – your body burns more calories in the cold to keep you warm. In fact, during expeditions to the North Pole, explorers will burn as many as 8000 calories a day.
You’re obviously not going to be going out to run in arctic temperatures. But remember that you can shorten the duration of your workout in cold weather and burn just as many calories. Quick, fast-paced runs in the cold will help maintain your fitness over the winter.
Cold weather and shorter days are also a great opportunity to try out a new indoor activities that you’ve always liked the sound of. Indoor rock-climbing, dance classes or yoga can all be enjoyed from the comfort of a cozy indoor space and make for a fun evening activity with a friend or partner.
Focus on keeping up on your feet where possible. When you are standing, your body burns calories and uses muscles it wouldn’t if you’re just on the couch all day. So don’t say no to some festive cooking, carol-singing, ice-skating or shopping expeditions, if it’s going to keep you up and about instead of curled up under a blanket.
If you still find you’ve gone up a dress size come summer, a laser fat removal treatment can help you shed a few inches quickly and easily in time for your next vacation.
Eat Smart
When we get cold, we get hungry. Combine that with multiple family meals and festive treats and it’s no wonder we all pile on the pounds over Xmas.
It can be especially tempting to load up on sugar and carbohydrates over the winter to keep us going and keep us full throughout the day.
This is not eating smart. At all times of year – but especially over the winter – you are better off eating lots of smaller meals throughout the day, than gorging on big plates when you’re ravenous.
During the winter, try and increase your intake of protein and decrease your intake of bread, rice, pasta and potatoes where possible. High-protein meals will keep you full and energised, and eating smaller meals more regularly will help you avoid carby treats.
And last but not least, make sure you always have a bottle of water or a cup of herbal tea to hand. When you’re not hot, it can be harder to remember to keep hydrated. But dehydration can often be misread as hunger, which can then lead to a mass consumption of chocolate when all we really needed was a glass of water!
And there we have it. Use these ideas to help you avoid the holiday pile-on, and keep you beach-body ready all year round.
