Winter exercise the best time to workout

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Winter exercise the best time to workout! The change in seasons and the temperature gauge dropping, is a great time to share why we think Winter exercise is the best.

When it comes to exercise, Winter can be the time when we batten down the hatches, stay inside and stay warm, maintain what we have. We then wait until Spring to emerge and start working on our “Summer bodies”.

But this is back to front. Winter is when we should be out and raising our effort and working towards our “Summer bodies” or other goals. Spring is when we are applying the finishing touches and Summer is when we use more of a maintenance approach

WHY DO WE BELIEVE WINTER EXERCISE IS THE BEST?

The Summer Burning

Remember what a Sydney Summer feels like, the high humidity makes everything feel like a workout, even when you aren’t. If you are exercising, the level of discomfort rises quickly, and it is hard to stay cool and functioning at your best. Your trainer calls “rest” and you are searching for a cool breeze and a water bottle. Your trainer calls “work” and it is immediately back to feeling uncomfortable.

The Winter Workouts Wonderland

You arrive, get out of the car and it feels cool, perhaps cold. You immediately think, “I must get moving to start getting warm”, do this and within 5 minutes you are starting to feel warm, 10 minutes and you are preparing to remove layers of clothing. When it comes to the class, you work hard and when your trainer calls “rest”, you might stop for a brief period, but you want to keep moving to make sure you do not get cold. Time to work again and off you go.

When looking at the ability to enjoy exercising and being able to apply yourself I know which one I prefer, what about you?

BURN MORE CALORIES, IT IS ALL IN YOUR MIND

You will not even know you are doing it; it will be mostly subconscious.

  1. Your training effort can increase, you will be able to work harder and longer which will result in better exercise outcomes.
  2. You will be trying to stay warm, so your activity level increases, your warmup will be more vigorous, you are likely to use active recovery instead of passive.

Just remember training harder and better will not automatically happen because of the change of season. We all must make a conscious effort to put in the extra, embrace the season change and make the most of the moment.

BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Finally, did we mention the benefits to your immune system? We know that exercise is associated with a well functioning immune system as well as a reduction in cases of colds and flu’s. Not to mention the positive effects on mortality rates associated with maintaining a healthy weight and diet. This article explains well the benefits of maintaining exercise during the winter months and maintaining your immune system – ABC Article –

WINTER EXERCISE MOTIVATION ACCOUNTABILITY

Before we cover how to make a success of Winter exercise, consider what your motivation is.

We mentioned summer bodies, but losing weight, looking great are external motivators. Research has proved that internal motivators work much better.

refresh YOU have the internal motivators covered, try these out.

  1. The social side of training in your group.
  2. The coffee and chat after training.
  3. The health benefits that are hidden away under your skin.
  4. Keeping a training streak going (not missing a class) – How about not missing a class through the whole of winter or make a minimum each week or month?

The laughs you have at a class.

ACCOUNTABILITY

There is only one person we can be accountable to and that is ourselves. But being accountable to somebody else or a group of people can extremely helpful.

Rather than go into great lengths on this topic. Have a read of our Accountability blog

WINTER EXERCISE 6 WAYS TO SUCCEED

  1. Prepare the night before, get out your cloths and sneakers, have everything ready to go for the morning.
  2. 7 to 8 hours of sleep, make sure you go to bed early enough.
  3. Prepare your head the night before.Make sure you go to bed committed to going to training in the morning. No, “I will see how I feel in the morning” decisions. I am going to class!
  4. Clothing Layers. Make sure you dress like an onion, lots of layers. T-Shirt or a thin thermal as a bottom layer or the reverse way around. Add a fleece or thicker layer on the top. As you warm up take of the layers.
  5. Gloves and hats, you might find, particularly if you are a runner your peripheries get cold. A set of wind proof gloves will do the trick and keep the cold air from cooling you down too much. Your head can lose a lot of heat and wearing a cap or hat will help reduce this.
  6. Wear white or light colours, this applies more if you are runner. Most of you will run early in the morning or evening. Street lighting is poor and if you are wearing black or dark colours you will not be seen by car drivers. Make sure you are visible to others, be safe not fashionable.

Use this link to contact your local refresh YOU venue and experience the refresh YOU method of starting a workout habit.