It’s now official! Melbourne Winter is here and it’s starting to get cold.
Now Melbourne has a pretty harsh, wet winter but it does have some benefits over the warmer climates.
- We get to break out the winter fashion!
- Winter food….yes please!
- Snow (A little bit of a drive but so worth it!); and
- Warm open fire places, hot baths, blankets and trackies!
Winter can be tricky though when it comes to fitness. We also need to tweak a few things to stay healthy, injury free and keep our Summer goals on track.
Here’s a few tips the FEMME Fitness Hub Team recommend to survive Winter….
Don’t the Weather change the Routines you’ve Worked so Hard to Create.
This means we stick to our workout times, even if it’s cold. Keep the food prep going (Winter can be easier) and ensure you always have a gym partner to keep you, and them, accountable.
Extend Your Warm Up a Bit.
Cold weather equals cold muscles and cold muscles put under a high strain without a thorough warm up can lead to injuries.
A great way to get nice and warm is to start with around 10 minutes of steady state aerobic activity, followed by some functional movements that you plan on using in the session i.e. If you’re squatting, warm up with some squats to get those muscle groups going.
Injuries over winter can put a big roadblock on your progress, which can then then lead to extended periods on the sidelines.
Hydration is still, if not more Important!
We notice this can really fall by the wayside over Winter with water swapping for warm drinks like coffee, tea etc. Whilst these warm us up, in many cases are used in place of the usual glass of water and can then lead to dehydration and in turn low energy levels and increased potential for injury.
Allow for SAD
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a real thing and can lead to low energy levels, weight gain and trouble sleeping.
SAD, as a result of lower levels of sunlight exposure can affect our sleeping patterns, our serotonin levels (The happy hormone) and melatonin levels.
Combat this by not going 100% into hiding, but rather rugging up and getting outside in the sun. You can also help sleeping patterns by focusing on relaxing at night, putting down electronic devices and meditation.
Food needs to be on point!
Nutrition over winter is very important, not only to maintain and continue striving towards our health and fitness goals, but also to ward off common cold and flu and other viruses that become rampant over the cooler months.
We recommend embracing the season and adjusting to more hearty, protein rich foods that both taste good, but also warm us up and make us excited for lunch and dinner!
Food prep can also become easier over winter as we incorporate more slow cooked food that we can make and freeze, ready to be used.
Finally, countdown from 5 and just do it!
Currently I’m reading the 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins (You can get a free trial to Audible and this book for FREE here!) which in its simplicity teaches us that our rationale brain will stop us doing the things we know we need to do in 1,2,3,4 and 5 seconds!
Using the 5 second rule, we take back control of our lives and get the things we need to do done, not necessarily the things we want to do.
Have an amazing winter period and embrace the cold weather to make it your best yet!