Welcome friends!
Here we are, another Thursday is upon us.
Is anyone else feeling a bit of the seasonal depression setting in right about now?
I know I am.
The holidays are long gone. Spring is still officially a month away and unofficially at least two months from really showing up.
The days are short, the weather is cold and football season is over.
What is there to live for?
Ok ok, I'm joking. Sort of.
The truth is that this is a hard time of year mentally and physically.
So with that in mind, here are three things that you can do to stave off ol' man winter's effects and keep your mind and body moving in the right direction:
1. Take up a winter sport. Instead of trying to avoid the cold, snowy weather start to lean into it. Take up ice skating, skiing/sledding, or snow shoeing/cross country skiing. Most of these are relatively cheap and good exercise. Plus, you'll be learning a new skill which is an excellent way to operate outside of your comfort zone.
2. Get some sun. Now, I know what you're thinking. It's the middle of winter. WTF are you talking about?
I know the sun doesn't come out everyday especially in the winter, but on the days that it does (like today) make it a priority to get some direct sunlight.
Even though it's the dead of winter, sun exposure still has many health benefits such as hormone regulation, mood enhancement, positive effects on circadian rhythm (24-hour clock/sleep schedule) and immune support.
3. Point 2 leads into my last point because you can do them at the same time: go for a daily walk.
Once again, I can hear you saying or thinking "yeah right, it's 20 degrees out right now."
And my response is, so what?
Bundle up and get out there. The benefits of walking transcend the weather, and not only that, but making yourself go for a walk in less than ideal circumstances is a phenomenal way to build mental grit.
You don't want to use the weather as an excuse to not hit your daily step goal, right?
So, don't think too much about it, just start doing it!
I think most people will find that the cold isn't as scary as it seems and it can even be invigorating once you start exposing yourself to it regularly.
Ok, so that's all I have for this week. I hope everyone finishes the week strong and has a great weekend on tap.
Get Fit!
Sean