Winter is coming, with its colder weather, darker nights, and coughs and flus. You might feel the urge to hibernate in front the TV during the colder months, consuming a box of biscuits and a cup of cocoa. To prepare for winter and autumn, you must be fit and healthy. You will be more resilient to infections and colds if you are healthier. Seasonal depression will be less common if you are fitter and healthier. You should ignore this advice or you could find yourself with Christmas party blues. Your best clothes are gone and all you have to wear is your emergency jogging pants, which are more saggy than you are.
Let’s see…
It is not too hot/cold/dark, and the kids are back in school. Now is the time for you to reevaluate your fitness and health. Don’t put it off for next week! Get out your trainers and clean out the cabinets and fridge to prepare for autumn and winter. Every day begins with a good breakfast. You can have porridge, uncooked oats, whetabix, or organic muesli without added sugar. If you have the time to cook, a poached egg on wholemeal can be a great choice. However, if you’re in a hurry, a banana or smoothie are better options.
Breakfast will help you control your weight and improve your mood. Every day, get outside and walk. Some people may go to work in the dark, then spend the day under artificial lighting, only to return home in darkness. Even spending the day outside can disrupt your body’s natural rhythms, affecting your sleep patterns, mood, and wellness. You will feel better if you go for a walk in daylight, wear outdoor clothes and an umbrella.
Try something new!
Find a new way of staying active. Try salsa classes, belly dancing and Pilates. Drink more water, especially after exercise. Avoid the temptation to drink hot beverages such as tea, coffee, and hot chocolate in the colder months. It is just as important to stay hydrated as it is in the warmer seasons. Avoid overeating; some people are more inclined to eat more in colder weather.
Healthy snacks such as bananas, apples and rice cakes can help you avoid hunger pangs wherever you go. You should eat three small meals per day, with a mid-morning snack and a mid-afternoon snack. You don’t have to eat gravy everywhere just because winter is here! It is easy to become addicted to TV when the evenings get darker.
There is a direct correlation between TV hours watched and weight gain. You may feel tired in the morning if you watch TV late at night. Instead, take the time to do the things you CANNOT do, such as cooking fresh meals and organizing yourself for the next day.
Organization
Organization could be the key to a healthier lifestyle and avoiding stress. Autumn is the season of harvest-home and seasonal bounty. Visit the farmers market. You will be amazed at the variety of fruits and vegetables available at this time of year. They are all full of goodness and ready for you to enjoy. Learn to say no! You won’t have time to shop, cook healthy meals, or be more active if you do everything.
You are now in school terms and Christmas is coming. There will be many requests and expectations. Sometimes there won’t be enough time to do extra responsibilities like making costumes for school plays or helping with football clubs. You should say no to requests that will make you feel stressed and pressed for time. Never give reasons why you can’t do it. This leaves room for others to offer solutions and traps you into accepting the request.
Healthy Resolutions
Many people make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight and get in shape. We are all likely guilty of this at one time or another. Sometimes the change lasts for a few weeks, other times it lasts for a few months, and sometimes it is permanent. Many people fall for the clever emotional marketing that lures them into buying diet pills, diet shakes, detoxes, or ‘one-food only’ diets. Many of these schemes sound too good to be true, and it is because they are. Smart people will make small changes in their diet and exercise more often to see progressively better results.
This is the best and most long-lasting way to lose excess weight, improve your health, and live longer. Many people fail to do this. You need to make some major lifestyle changes to be successful. They are hard work, and unfortunately the ‘I can’t bother’ mentality often wins. Weight loss can be simple. It is as simple as basic math. It is not easy or easy. I recommend the same thing if you’re making a resolution to lose weight, get fit, or whatever you call it, increase your quality of life.
Change your lifestyle!
You shouldn’t do too many at once. This is not sustainable and you will join the many failed’resolutors’. You will need to make a few changes and stick with them. Limit alcohol intake (eliminate it if possible), but keep it to a maximum of two drinks per week. Avoid pre-packaged and ready-to-eat meals. You can prepare healthy meals in minutes. Get more exercise! Don’t be lazy, walk to the places you need. Walk your children to school, or walk them to work. If it is too far to walk, park 10 minutes away. Rain is not an excuse, use an umbrella. You should start reading the packaging.
There is more information about kilojoules, calories and take-out than ever before. The excuse of “I didn’t know” is less common. Keep in mind that the average adult daily intake of calories is 8,500 kilojoules. If you can, stick to this amount or lower if possible. Control your portion size. Don’t let your stomach growl. It takes 20 minutes for the stomach to tell you that it is full. Don’t eat until you feel full. Limit your portions and stick to them. This will make it easier for you to eat less.
You shouldn’t give up on food you love. Enjoy it, but reduce your intake and frequency. Make it a reward, e.g. if I eat well and exercise, I can have this treat at week’s end. Exercise. Do it. Don’t do anything you don’t like. This makes it difficult to stay motivated to finish it. Find something you love and keep doing it. You can do whatever you like, whether it’s swimming, cycling, walking, running, jogging or basketball, as long as it’s something you enjoy. It makes it easier to burn energy and less of an effort.
