By Julie Cox
Trying to find motivation to exercise can be hard especially in winter!
“The โwinter bluesโ is a milder condition that predominately results from reduced involvement in pleasurable and satisfying activities. In turn, low mood can lead to unhelpful thoughts, which then reinforce the bluesโฆand a negative, vicious cycle can develop. The sun stimulates our serotonin levels so automatically makes us feel uplifted which is a lot easier to find the energy and motivation to move! When we feel better we have less head games and voices telling us that the warm bed or snooze button is a better option.
- Make your environment brighter. When your body is craving more daylight, sitting next to an artificial light – even just a warm lamp for 30 minutes per day can be as effective as antidepressant medication.
- Eat smarter.
- Simulate dawn and warmth.
- Exercise.
- Turn on the tunes.
- Plan a holiday
- Help others.
- Get outside.
- Keep social and laughing
- Be around people who uplift you and have a good vibe
- Plan fun things such as a nice dinner
Achieving happiness can sometimes be nothing more than practicing a few simple disciplines each day.
This is never truer than during the winter months when it can be difficult to maintain some of the strategies that normally lead to happiness and other positive emotions.”
So many people view fitness as a chore but these days we have too many different types and forms of exercise, lets face it , they bring a new one out every week! We are spoilt for choices these days.
I believe finding something you enjoy doing will keep you more interested and therefore it’ll be an ongoing thing.
SOME TIPS TO FINDING WHATS RIGHT FOR YOU
- Ask yourself do you like low intensity or high ?
- Group training or prefer on your own?
- Don’t rely on friends to join to make you go
- Make the most of free offers and 7 day trials to work out what you really enjoy
Eating to happiness:
When you make healthier food choices you feel better about yourself. Also, when you are eating a healthy well balanced diet your blood sugar levels are stable therefore minimising moods etc.
Eating bad food can lead our systems to feeling sluggish which then gives us bad energy. Its like if you put bad fuel in your car it. It wont go very well or far; neither will your body. Food is our fuel just like petrol is for a car.
At the time it can be easier to make bad choices because when we feel unmotivated opting for something that isn’t healthy can be a lot easier. We naturally want that โpick me upโ and sometimes grabbing a sugary food is easiest and mentally our bodies are craving that so we go for it. However, choosing a nice healthy sandwich or salad that’s filled with proper nutrients, long lasting carbs for a cleaner balanced energy is the way to go over a quick sugar high rush followed by a crash.
The best feeling is fighting against that urge and ordering something healthy and the feeling after it when you have stayed strong with your choices. You not only have accomplished some self control so you feel good about yourself but when your system is well balanced so is your mind and energy levels making for a much happier version of you. At the end of the day, nothing bad ever comes from healthy eating and exercising. Only positives, so even if you add in a few of these into your weekly life, you’ll feel much better for it mentally, emotionally and physically. It can help for a much happier winter.
However, rest assured that winter is only 3 months and there is a light at the end of the dark grey gloomy tunnel.
Julie is mum to a sassy two and a half-year-old girl who keeps her moving. Her passion for mums/women’s fitness has catapulted a career in a range of fields from exercise to eating healthy, supplements, and serving up great lunchbox treats.
You can find more about Julie at www.facebook.com/MumsInMotion