Most of us experience the winter blues at some point in our lives. The changes in the seasons, onset of colder weather, and fewer hours of daylight can all contribute to feeling down. This can be compounded by additional stresses caused by the holiday season. Finding money for gifts, resisting unhealthy foods, or feeling alone at this time of year can all add to the pressure. It’s all too easy to let your motivation slide and fall out of your fitness routine, which can derail your goals along the way. In this article, we look at some practical ways to beat the winter blues and proactively manage stress.

Stay Active

Staying active is the #1 way to keep your fitness goals on track. Many people start to miss sessions around this time of year which can quickly snowball into hardly training at all. Once you break your routine, it’s easy to slip from 5 sessions a week down to 3, and from there it’s all downhill.

If you’re finding it harder to stick with your fitness plan, then perhaps it’s time to switch it up. Incorporate new exercises or workout techniques to keep things fresh and interesting. Try different activities or find things you can do at home like online training. There’s a wealth of videos on YouTube that will push you to your fitness limits from the comfort of your living room. If you’re still struggling to motivate yourself, then create a checklist that you can tick off on a daily basis. Seeing a consistent line of ticks will encourage you to keep going and not to break the chain.

Embrace Seasonal Changes

Instead of resisting the colder seasonal changes, try embracing them instead. Shifting your mindset in this way will make you more excited and accepting of all the good things that winter brings. Think about sports or activities you can do that take advantage of the cold weather, such as skiing, snowboarding, or ice-hockey. If you train outdoors, then include a super-hot shower to your post-workout routine so that you have something to look forward to.

In Scandinavian countries like Denmark and Norway, they practice ‘hygge’ in the dark winter months. This roughly translates to doing things that make you ‘feel cozy’ despite the cold. Warm drinks, candles, and spending nights around the fire with friends can all create this feeling and keep the winter blues at bay. You can also apply this to your fitness and nutrition – instead of drinking your protein shakes cold, try adding warm milk or water instead. Just don’t fall into the trap of eating calorie-laden comfort food as that’s sure to have the opposite effect on your health objectives.  

Develop New Goals

If you’re finding it hard to stay focused and stick with your goals, then it may be time to change them. A new season is an ideal time to reassess your fitness objectives and consider switching them up. Have your workouts become too easy? Are you simply maintaining your fitness levels instead of pushing yourself to develop even further? Perhaps your initial goals were overambitious and you need to make them more realistic. Spend a few minutes thinking about what you’re trying to achieve and whether you’re really motivated by it. If not, then it may be time to develop new goals that really excite you.

Avoid Stress-Related Overeating

The winter is often a time when people over-eat. Sometimes it’s down to the tempting foods that surround us during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Other times it’s a reaction to the stress we feel, whether that’s from family, work, or other worries. The first step is to recognize that you’re doing it since many people don’t make this connection between mind and body health. Taking a supplement like Thyrovate™ can help you to reduce stress-related overeating as well as accelerating your metabolism. The next step is to identify the root cause and then address that. Working out is a fantastic way to beat stress and release tension that’s built up over time. But if there’s something that’s consistently troubling you then it may be good to talk it out with someone else.

Ensure Nutrient Sufficiency

There are lots of possible reasons that people feel down but few people realize how nutrition plays a role. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can play havoc with neurotransmitters in the brain which affect how you feel. Having low levels of vitamin B12, folate, and omega-3 fatty acids can all stop the brain from functioning as it should. Many neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline are produced from amino acids. Not consuming enough may reduce your levels to a point where your emotions and mood are negatively affected. It’s therefore important to consume a balanced diet that’s rich in vitamins, minerals, protein, and fish oil throughout the winter months.  

Beating the Winter Blues

Managing stress and mood can be challenging during the winter but these practical tips will help. Staying active, embracing seasonal changes, and developing new goals can keep your mind positive and fitness goals on track. Avoiding stress-related overeating while ensuring nutrient sufficiency will keep your body fueled with the good stuff it needs to stay balanced. By combining these steps into your winter routine, you’ll stay on top of your goals (even as the days get shorter and colder).

Thyrovate – Thermogenic Fat Loss Catalyst

Thyrovate is an advanced stimulant-free fat burning supplement that can also boost metabolism and minimize stress-related overeating. It’s ideal for the winter when people are more prone to ditching their meal plans and putting on weight. Clinically tested and reviewed, its formula uses carefully researched ingredients to assist in weight loss and increase lean muscle mass. It does this by suppressing your appetite, increasing your resistance to stress, and boost your natural metabolic rate.

One of the key benefits of Thyrovate is that it specifically targets your midsection. Unlike other weight loss supplements, it doesn’t rely on any stimulants to help you burn fat. This prevents the potential for negative side effects related to hyperactivity and overstimulation which allows for safe, effective fat burning. It also includes Ashwagandha which has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety. Learn more here.