Energy Boosters for Cold Winter Days
There’s nothing harder than getting out of a warm bed on a cold winter morning. Harder still is to honor our resolve to get back to exercising in January when it is dark and cold outside.
Exercise is an energy and mood booster; it builds bone and muscle, reduces our health risks, and increases our chances of a long life. We all want to be our best selves and to be as healthy as we can be, so here are some tips that I hope will help you jump out of bed and get in a quick workout before the day gets busy.
Make certain you have the necessary gear for the weather you will encounter and if you plan to exercise outdoors, check the weather forecast. Lay your clothes out the night before as a visual and mental reminder of your commitment to exercise, and if it is still dark when you leave the house, don a headlamp and reflective clothing. If however, you plan to start your day with yoga or tai chi, you might even be able to stay in your PJs.
If you are a walker or a runner, meet up with a friend to help keep you motivated. It’s a lot safer and more fun anyhow to exercise with a friend than it is to be out in the dark by yourself. If you can’t convince any of your friends to exercise with you, let’s hope you have a pet to take on a morning walk. If all else fails, sign yourself up for a 5K run or walk in the spring which will give you a reason to train on a regular basis.
It is true that exercising in the fresh air can give you a healthy appetite, but that doesn’t mean you need to stop for a Starbuck’s caramel brulée crème on the way home. It is natural to feel virtuous when you stick to a commitment to exercise, but treating yourself to fresh, filtered water will solve your hydration requirements. When working up a sweat and eating right, your reward will be a sunnier outlook and a strong, fit body.
Exercising in the early morning means less exposure to sunlight which is good for the skin, although the benefit of exercising in the sun is that it supplies us with vitamin D. If you exercise in the morning, eat a good breakfast that includes foods that high in vitamin D such as a mushroom omelet, a bagel, and lox or vitamin D-fortified cereal, milk, juice, or yogurt.
If early morning exercise isn’t your thing, be aware of your level of activity during the day. Add as much movement as you can: do squats while you brush your teeth, run up and downstairs, dance to a catchy tune, speed vacuum and mop, pick up toys, walk to do errands, park at the far end of a parking lot, do jumping jacks during commercials, play with your kids … be creative and have fun with it.
The one advantage of exercising in the morning is that it is invigorating, clears out the cobwebs of sleep, and gets your commitment to exercising done and over with so you can go on to other things in your busy life. In a few weeks, getting up early to walk or go for a run will become a habit that you can carry forward into the rest of your life.
A healthy lifestyle is a cornerstone of our approach to longevity medicine at Tao of Wellness, and you are welcome to ask us for guidance along the way.