The top 5 reasons to keep training during Winter

11 Jul The top 5 reasons to keep training during Winter

It is always then same story every year at this time of year – Winter arrives, the weather gets colder, less people go to the gym and fewer people contact me for personal training.

But what if I was to tell you, this is the perfect time of year to actually start your training or to train more than what you normally do!

I know it is getting colder, darker and wetter but don’t go into hibernation – your health and fitness shouldn’t take a break. Let me convince you why with my top 5 reasons you should keep exercising or even increase your training over Winter.

1. Feeling hungry?

Let’s face it, we tend to eat more than usual when it is colder. When the weather is hot and the humidity is high, this tends to suppress the appetite and we often eat more salads and lighter meals. But when the cold weather arrives, it stimulates the taste buds and we tend to eat more comfort food which often has extra calories.

2. We move less

It is harder to get motivated to go outside when it is so cold. As a result we tend to stay indoors where we mainly sit on the couch, watching TV in front of the heater to stay warm. So moving less combined with eating more (my previous point), is an all too easy way to stack on the kilos (I have read the average person puts on 2 to 4 kilos over winter – yikes).

3. Keep your immune system healthy

This is often the time where we get sick with colds, flus and other lurgies (mainly due to sitting indoors in front of the heater, then going outside into the cold, then going into an air conditioned office and so forth). So by keeping our training up, you keep your body healthy which boosts your immune system which reduces the chances of catching something nasty.

4. Beat the winter blues

It is very common to get a bit down with the cold and dark weather – that makes exercising even more important. It is a well known fact that exercise releases endorphins which is like an euphoric high. So after a tough training session, you will feel great afterwards which will instantly elevate your mood.

5. Summer bodies are made in the Winter

At this time of year,  the toughest part of the workout is just turning up but as I always say, the only workout you will ever regret is the one you miss. So instead of getting to the warmer months and then being in a mad panic to lose the kilos you put on over Winter, keep your training up now so you stay in the shape of your life and will look your best when Summer does arrive.