This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Emergen-C for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine. HOLY MOLY! Winter in Michigan is in full force!!! If you didn’t know, this past September I moved away from Texas and moved on over to Michigan (Read my letter, Goodbye Texas!) Being from Texas, there basically is no winter. At least not Michigan winter. I need to learn how to stay active this winter.
How to Stay Active This Winter
Even in “chilly” 55-degree weather, I was able to go outside and skate in or even do some cardio and weight routines in the backyard. NO WAY am I doing that now. So, I had to adjust.
I realized this about a week ago, so Ish and I decided to get a rowing machine for the basement.
It’s amazing.
Having the rower in the house has helped me rearrange my fitness routine. Which got me thinking…I can’t be the only one who doesn’t want to exercise outside when it’s 32 degrees (or even colder!).
Without further ado, here are my 5 tips to stay active this winter!
Go to Bed
Yup. You heard me. You need to get enough sleep, especially with the days getting shorter. I know that it’s so much harder for me to wake up in the morning when it’s still dark at 7:00 a.m.
To combat the wintertime blues, make sure that you’re getting at least 8 hours (you may need more…8 hours is just the average!!), and that you’re getting to bed at a reasonable hour.
If you have to stay up a little late, try to take a nap before dinner, or go to bed a little earlier the next night.
Support Your Energy!
Winter is cold, daylight savings is gone, and it gets dark at 5:00 p.m. In my humble experience, that means that you may get tired earlier…or even have less energy.
Some days it’s just plain exhausting to even think about being active but there are ways to go about it!
I am a believer in supporting your body’s immune system, so I’ve started taking my Emergen-C Energy+ dietary supplement, which contains Vitamin C for immune support and natural caffeine from green tea to revitalize your body* (I found it at Target!) It never gets boring because they have 3 DIFFERENT flavors!
When you’re supporting your body, you can totally make it through your day to achieve all of your daily tasks! #EnergyGoals.
Don’t Let The Cold Get To You
It can be so easy to just say “Ehh… forget it!” and curl up on the couch instead of checking things off your list.
I get it.
Been there. Done that.
I know it’s cold BUT WE CAN’T! You need to get up, kick some butt, and get your fitness on!
Write a time down in your planner, set an alarm to remind you to exercise, phone a friend (one of my favorite options), comment on this blog post…do whatever you need to do to motivate yourself.
Just make sure that you move on a daily basis…even if you’re just running up and down the stairs.
Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
During the colder months, air is typically drier. I know that my skin gets super dry in the winter, and you probably notice that you need more lotion to keep your hands from hurting. That’s totally normal and happens to the best of us.
Make sure that you’re drinking enough water (that means a minimum of 8 8-ounce glasses a day!) and that you’re using a moisturizer that doesn’t dry out your skin.
Staying hydrated is super important if you are exercising, too. Make sure that you keep a bottle of water handy while you sweat it out.
Use YouTube
You’re on the internet right now…why not pull up YouTube and look at one of the many, many fitness channels that have amazing (no equipment required) workouts?
Some of my favorites are Fitness Blender, ReboundFit, and POPSUGAR. Most of them post a new workout at least once a week.
If you’re a fan of barre workouts, I’ve collected quite a few that you can pull up right now.
I realize that these tips may be deceptively simple, but when you’re bummed because you can’t skate the neighborhood, having a game plan is smart.
To help you have energy to be active, make sure you’re taking Emergen-C Energy+, which contains natural caffeine from green tea. I really cannot rave enough about it! It’s delicious and Ish loves them too). Try it for yourself!
Get to bed at a reasonable hour (to figure out when you should be going to sleep, do a little math. Take the time you need to be out of bed and count backward 8-10 hours), and make sure you exercise (it helps you sleep).
Add plenty of water and a little determination and you’ll come out of this cold, cold winter in better shape than you went in.
How do you support your energy in the winter?