Summer bodies are made in winter: Tips to stay motivated to exercise during colder months
"If you're training in winter, your body will appreciate it and your mind will appreciate it too." - Derek Archer, Director at Fitpro- Institute of Fitness Professionals
Woman training in the gym. Image: Carme Lafay on Pixabay
Gugs Mhlungu spoke to Director at Fitpro- Institute of Fitness Professionals, Derek Archer.
Listen to their conversation in the audio clip below.
There's a saying that goes, 'summer bodies are made in winter'.
But the reality is the colder weather does demotivate some people from exercising.
There are however some things you can do during winter to stay on course.
"If you're training in winter, your body will appreciate it and your mind will appreciate it too."
- Derek Archer, Director at Fitpro- Institute of Fitness Professionals
A recent article on IOL, recommends the following:
Indoor workouts
The colder weather could be off-putting to do any outdoor workouts so indoor options like joining a gym, doing a fitness class or an online workout programme you can do from home could be an alternative for you.
Set realistic goals
Focus on maintaining your current fitness level, rather than pushing yourself too hard.
Prioritise rest and recovery
Don’t feel guilty about taking a rest day when your body needs it.
Listen to your body’s signals and allow yourself time to recover from intense workouts.
Archer strongly recommends not working out if you are feeling unwell.
"Don't train when you're sick...There's a rule of thumb that says if anything is below your chin, don't train - so if you're starting to get a sore throat, make sure you don't train."
- Derek Archer, Director at Fitpro- Institute of Fitness Professionals
Eat a balanced diet
It is easy to fall off the wagon when all you want is comfort food during winter, but it's all about balance.
Don't deprive yourself but remember your goal and make sure to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats in your meals to ensure you have the energy and nutrients you need.
"Our summer bodies are made in winter, but if you think about it, we're looking too far ahead, so let's rather look at short-term goals as opposed to what we want to look like on the beach when it eventually comes that time."
- Derek Archer, Director at Fitpro- Institute of Fitness Professionals
Scroll up to listen to the full interview.