Winter generally means sipping on hot chocolate and plying on layers of clothing to stay warm, rarely does fitness regime come to mind. The warmer weather other on the other hand sends us all into a tailspin and we rush to our nearest park and run our butts off or frolic in the ocean. What if we could reduce the need to frantically exercise in Spring/Summer and have you slipping in your mini-dress faster than you can say burpee? Here’s the secret, you exercise throughout winter! Genius, right?
Image via pinterest
Exercising in winter has several advantages, including:
– Increases ability to burn fat (thermogenic effect on the body. Colder months means our body burns more fuel to stay warm)
– You look hotter year round as opposed to only in summer
– The gains you made with your summer training program will not be lost (do you really want to lose all that muscle you fought hard to create?)
– You may be wearing layers but you still want to rock that mini dress with tights sans Spanx! No one likes a muffin top
– The cooler weather means running and most other cardio based activities won’t have you breaking into sweats or fainting episodes due to the heat.
– Skinny jeans/tights/ always look better on sculpted, lean thighs. Very achievable if you keep your squats and lunges up throughout winter.
Here are a few important things to remember during winter. Get these in order and you’ll be turning heads in all the right ways:
Consistency:
Quality not quantity. Keep a routine 3-x 30min minimum per week Join the Nike Training Club (NTC) for a great online community and easy to perform whole body workouts you can do with a bunch of girlfriends or solo. Elite Nike trainer Marie Purvis, who has worked with Serena Williams, helped developed the NTC app and it was extremely well received in 2011 earning number 1 spot in fitness apps. You can search online at the hundreds of different workouts. Marie took me through my paces recently. I loved the variety and functionality of the workouts. Her workouts are fun and get your working on your strength, power and endurance. So easy for any of you to do in your lounge room!
Set an alarm and exercise when it will work for you.
A common mistake made by many setting out to start a fitness program is not selecting a time to workout that fits in with their life. You need to make it work for you. If you hate exercising at the crack of dawn, then try a lunchtime session. If the thought of sweating it out after a busy day sends your motivation in a downward spiral then what about first thing in the morning? At the end of the day the calories get burnt so that’s all that matters. Another helpful tip is appointment scheduling in your diary. Diarise your workout and you may find it helps you keep a routine, similar to a client meeting or facial. Get that routine tight and you’ll reap the rewards in no time.
Switch outdoors for indoors.
Whilst I love exercising outdoors I understand it’s not for everyone. So why not stay indoors? A short-term gym membership, an exercise video, a group boxing class or playing an indoor sport may be a few options that appeal to you. These are great options if creativity is not your strong point. When summer time hits simply switch it up to a summer friendly outdoor based routine (soft sand running, stand up paddle boarding, boot camp, swimming or a group weights session). The key is to mix your fitness modalities. Doing a whole week of aerobics classes is not something I advise anyone to do. I like variety, using the body in many different ways (increasing the fat burning options). Do 2-3 days of a weight training protocol and 3-4 of cardio activities (think dance class, spinning, boxing, running, cycling or walking). You only need to move for a minimum of 30 minutes (at a medium-high intensity or if you increase your duration reduce your intensity), 3-4 times per week to start seeing changes in your body.
Find yummy soup recipes and get bulk cooking.
Nutrition is half of the “looking hot” equation remember. Combine your favourite vegetables with nutrient rich beans/legumes with a low salt stock and you have an easy meal you can pair with a piece of protein for a quick mid week lunch or dinner.
Cardio will help keep the extra kilos at bay
Plus, by combining it with resistance training you will keep muscle definition (use it or lose it). My favourite cardio activity? Running. A big calorie burner and it’ll work well to warm you up. Nike have released their new Free 3.0 V4, what better way to keep fit and stay stylish than lacing up a pair of bright pink Nike Free. The way the Free is designed means your foot is in close contact with the floor, it’s very similar to bare foot running (a popular yet controversial style). It has trans tarsal diagonal cuts along the sole so your foot can move effectively through a full range of movement (especially the all important push off through the fore foot when running, that a lot of bulkier running shoes don’t provide). The skin like fit makes it lightweight and sleek, all girls want to look sleek right?
Aim to do 3 x 30 minute runs per week. If you have been running for a while now switch to interval runs. Use a timer and sprint for 1 minute, then after the minute is up jog at a medium, consistent pace for 3 minutes. Keep switching between the two intensity’s till you complete a total of 25 minutes. A great way to burn fat and keep fitness levels high. Sprinting involves all of the major leg muscle group, excellent for leaning out our legs for those skinny jeans.
Step up!
Remembering that resistance training is essential to tone our butts and thighs, I always advise girls (and guys!) to add a step up to their current workout. Why? The height of hotness in my opinion is a curvy, round butt. To develop the glute muscles we need to add a hip extension movement. The hip extension is an often-neglected exercise but really is so vital to achieve a perky butt. These ‘’plumper” butts fit into pants better and of course are the envy on all beaches come summer time.
How to perform a step up: Using a bench or chair, place your left foot on top. Leaning forward slightly and with a straight back push up through your heel and left butt cheek. Once at the top, perform a butt squeeze and push the hips forward. Always keep your navel drawn into your spine and then slowly lower back down. Repeat 15 reps and then change sides. You can attempt 3 full sets and feel free to add weight. Varying the direction is also great for hitting the glute muscle at different angles. Try a side step up (as shown in the photo)
