The leaves are beginning to change, the sun is going down earlier, and there’s a crisp chill in the air. Now that the warm summers have gone away for the year, your motivation to keep up your fitness routine may dwindle. Don’t let the changing seasons change your goals, here is how to maintain your fitness throughout the colder fall and winter seasons.
Shortened Days and Motivation
As the days become shorter, the darkness gives our body the signal that it is time for bed. This, coupled with less vitamin D from the sun can leave you feeling sluggish and unmotivated.
Combat this by setting a schedule with reminders to keep yourself on a consistent routine, and don’t forget to rest effectively. Rest and relaxation is just as important as exercise, so including rest days is important for your overall wellness and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.
Circadian Rhythm and Time Changes
Your body is fitted with its own internal clock, known as a circadian rhythm. This clock tells your body when it is time to sleep, and when it is time to wake up, among other functions like controlling your metabolism.
When the days grow shorter, the lack of sunlight can trigger this clock to tell your body it is time to sleep, when it may only just be dinnertime in the early evening!
Keep your circadian rhythm on time by keeping a sleep-wake routine. Go to bed and wake up at a consistent time everyday to keep your body in a pattern that is easy to maintain, while getting enough rest everyday.
Since everyone is different, talking to a physician about your sleep, and including sleep hygiene in your wellness routine can help you get adequate rest and feel recharged, no matter how early the sun goes out.
Metabolism Changes in Colder vs. Warmer Months
During the winter time, our body sends signals to prepare for the colder months by increasing fat storage and insulin resistance. These can lead to your metabolism slowing down, making it easier to gain weight than it is to lose. Although frustrating, it is natural for your body to want to protect itself from the cold weather coming in. Talk to your personal trainer for ways to customize your diet to fit your body’s metabolism while it prepares for winter.
During the spring, this switches and it becomes slightly easier to lose weight as your body prepares for warmer months. Instinctually, our bodies know that winter can be a time with less food and less heat. It also knows that spring brings an abundance of food and warmer weather. This may make winter time more difficult to lose weight, but it is still important to maintain the routine to still reach your goals.
How To Keep Fit In Colder Weather
Nutrition and Seasonal Eating
The foundation to reaching your fitness goals is nutrition. During the winter time, it is especially important to fuel your body with the recommended three meals a day that are nutrient rich and fit your lifestyle.
Try foods rich in protein like eggs, lean meats, nuts, and seeds to energize your body and prepare it for exercise. To combat the sleepiness and Seasonal depression that comes in the winter time, try vitamin D supplements, or fortified juices and fish.
Exercising At Home
By having a personal trainer come to you, you can skip the cold and snow and feel comfortable while sticking to your fitness goals over the colder months. First Class Personal Training helps by bringing personal trainers to you. We offer convenient and effective in-home personal training services for people of all fitness levels, ages, and abilities with our qualified trainers to help you meet your fitness goals.
Contact First Class Personal Training for your complimentary consultation.
Gera is the Founder and Head Trainer of First Class Personal Training with over 20 years of professional experience, not only as a personal trainer but also as a nutrition and wellness counselor and a post rehabilitation specialist.
