Getting fit can be tough – especially when Christmas has undone a fair chunk of 2016’s efforts and now it’s so cold outside the temptation to stay in can be just too great! However, to get fit doesn’t necessarily mean exposing yourself to the elements, and there’s more to do than sign up for an expensive gym membership, too. Here are our top tips for keeping your fitness levels ticking over through the winter months.
Turn on the TV
Even the most hardened of runners would be excused from hitting the tarmac in minus temperatures. The great outdoors might not be for everyone so thankfully there is a cheap and easy way to exercise from the comfort of your living room. Wait for it! Exercise DVDs.
Far from the leotard-clad 80s affair that immediately springs to mind, these can be bought cheaply online and are a great way of keeping in shape. You can even pick up some great free workout videos online that you can follow at home – Youtube is a great source of these, from aerobic workouts to yoga and even Zumba.
If you get bored of the routine, consider swapping fitness DVDs with friends, browse your local library for one you haven’t tried yet, or get online to find some more workouts to get fit.
Technology
Everybody seems to be going tech mad these days when it comes to working out. There are a whole host of apps offering diet plans, recipe tips, workouts and activity trackers, and if you’re new to the game it can be hard to know where to start in picking the right ones for you.
Our favourites are apps like Fitocracy, which provide you with rewards along the way for completing exercise goals, and the NHS’s Couch to 5k seeks to get you there in just 9 weeks. If you think you’re going to find motivating yourself to keep to an exercise routine tough, turning your runs and walks into a game with Zombies, Run! and Pokemon Go are great to get you out and about without feeling like it’s a chore.
Eat well to get fit
Eating well is just as important as getting plenty of exercise when you’re trying to get fit. Buying ready-made juices, vitamins and protein heavy shakes can be a costly health regime, though, and the additives and sugar in some products make them less healthy than you might think.
For a homemade alternative, why not give making your own fruit and vegetable smoothies a go? Try out banana, yogurt, honey, and ginger for a nutritious treat, or create a classic green juice with apples, spinach, cucumber and celery.
For carbohydrates, try switching to whole grains when you go grocery shopping – brown rice, oatmeal and whole wheat bread are excellent replacements for white rice, cereals and white bread. Avoid sugary snacks and instead eat plenty of nuts, beans and seeds which are high in healthy fats and oils. If it’s protein you are craving, keep it lean by sticking to fish, poultry and eggs.
Organised initiatives
There are plenty of initiatives, some of them free or subsidised, that are designed purposely to help you get more active, so take advantage! Cycling or walking to work is a great habit to get into, and there are initiatives such as the Government’s Cycle to Work scheme, which means you can offset the cost of buying a new bike against your pre-tax salary.
We all know gyms are a great way of getting into an exercise routine and keep fit, but they can be a costly commitment. What you may not know is that there are a host of outdoor gyms available to use for free, often stocked up with familiar equipment you find in indoor gyms. Visit The Great Outdoor Gym Company to find the closest one.
On top of these great options, many councils also offer free or reduced price sports such as tennis and swimming. Keep an eye out for these being advertised at local facilities – they’re a great way to try out something new without committing to it long-term.
How do you intend to get fit without splashing the cash? Let us know!
