New Season, New You

I love the summer and always have.  When I think of working out, I think of yoga in the park, hiking, and walks/runs outside in the warm summer air.  When the seasons change, it’s often necessary to change our active and healthy lifestyle routine as well.

Although the cooler weather can encourage more time in front of the TV, we want to avoid that habit and maintain feeling our ultimate best!  This might take a paradigm shift so you can begin to see the cold weather as an opportunity to explore something new and different.

Below are ideas on how to stay active and healthy during cold months:

Find an Accountability Buddy:

It is so much easier to keep up with your exercise habits when you can partner with a buddy. There are nights when we want to come home from work and not do anything active but having someone who is waiting for you to go exercise with them makes it easier to stay true to your commitments!  AND you feel so much better afterwards.

Choose Foods that Fit the Season:

I always get excited about new fall and winter foods: warming casseroles, soups and crock pot meals galore!  Pinterest will be your new best friend.  It is filled with easy Paleo or Vegan one-pot meals!  Get your friends and family involved to see who can find and create the healthiest, tastiest meal that compliments the season!

Get involved in your Community:

I have noticed that more and more local organizations are offering FREE exercise classes and food/recipe workshops.  For example, check your local library or YMCA and Natural Grocery stores who offer these free workshops. NTI also offers free exercise classes for students and members of this community. This might be a wonderful way for you to try a new exercise type (as mentioned below) or learn how to cook for the new season.  It’s also a great way to meet new, like-minded friends…and this can be encouraging for you to stick with a healthy plan!

Try a New Type of Exercise:

Consider trying something new! Search online for offers of free week deals or new student discounts. We’ve listed 4 workouts that we think are amazing. Check out our list below (pssst…groupon often offres deals for Kickboxing, Jujitsu, Aerial Yoga or Barre classes).

• Kickboxing:  Aids in toning muscles in the entire body through punching and kicking the bag.  This type of exercise is great to releive stress and agression. You’ll even learn some valuable self-defense moves!
• Jujitsu: A form of martial arts, this is not only about strength training and toning your body, but it is a regular practice. You can expect to gain significant physical and mental strengths from Jujitsu.
• Aerial Yoga:  A combination of traditional yoga poses, Pilates, and dance with the use of a hammock. Aerial yoga is a total body workout that also allows you to clear your mind and relieve stress due to its meditative state. It also improves flexibility, strength, balance, and aids in digestion. (Pictured here.)
• Barre: Barre fitness classes are simply ballet-inspired workouts. In each energized and targeted workout you will sculpt, slim and stretch your entire body.  Benefits from this type of exercise include: improved posture, increased flexibility, core strength, low injury, low-impact, and above all, it’s fun!

Think outside of the box and delve into something new and exciting that will make you actually want to go to class, even when it’s cold outside. Whichever option or route you choose to take, be mindful to honor your body and empower yourself.  Of course, it is perfectly fine to rest your body after work, just avoid falling into that habit on a daily basis.  What option will you try first?!

Kelly Pender is an admissions counselor at Nutrition Therapy Institute. She is a Registered Yoga Instructor and leads monthly Yoga & Hiking workshops. Learn more at kellypender.com

Nutrition Therapy Institute (NTI) creates optimal health through nutrition education. If you are interested in learning more about the comprehensive education offered at NTI click here.