In recent years, keeping on top of your health has become a huge priority in a bid to stay safe. Not only have we all been avoiding Covid-19, we are now trying to avoid getting the usual health woes that seem to appear every year. Here are some ideas to help you keep your health in check this winter.
This should go without saying but if you have a health niggle, go and get it seen to. There are a lot of people who are putting off getting something simple seen to and allowing it to snowball into a much bigger issue. If you are concerned, head to your local urgent care center to get some treatment. In many cases, your issue can be resolved in one or two appointments. It is always better to get these issues seen before they become more than niggles.
Eat well
One of the best things that you can do to take care of yourself this winter is to ensure that you are eating plenty and eating well. Make sure that you are getting plenty of fruit and vegetables into your diet to help boost your immune system. There are plenty of wonderful vegetables that are available locally at this time of the year, now is the time to make the most out of them with soups and stews. Of course, there will be plenty of opportunities to eat well with the different holidays but just make sure that you add plenty of green veg to the mix.
Exercise
Getting some exercise is one of the top ways to ensure that your health is in tip-top shape this winter. Not only will you feel better shaking off the cobwebs, daily exercise has a benefit of helping with your overall health. Exercise does not have to be intense and difficult, it can be anything that gets your heart rate up. If you want to take it easy, you could try yoga or swimming. If your local gym is shut or you can’t get to it due to the bad weather, you could try some of the YouTube workouts available or running.
Vitamins
If you feel that your immune system needs that bit of extra help, you could look into the various vitamins and elixirs that are available to help your immune system be stronger. There is a wide range of things to choose from such as simple multivitamin tablets to organic honey. When it comes to these options, there is no right or wrong answer, but you should be mindful about overloading your body with certain vitamins. Fizzy vitamin tablets can have a lot of salt in them and this might cancel out the good that they do for your body.
As you can see, there are a few different ways to look after your health this winter that are simple. If you have any concerns about your overall health, speak to your doctor or healthcare professional to get the best advice for you.
CBD is a cannabis extract with a wealth of beneficial properties. However, it does not contain any of the euphoric properties, so it won’t make you high; it can reduce your stress levels in your business, improve sleep patterns to make you more productive, and improve your workouts.
Relieves Stress
Stress is a normal part of everyday life, but when it starts to affect the quality of your work or your relationships, it’s time to take action. Some people drink wine, and others smoke, but these are shown to increase stress as well. Nowadays, there is a healthier alternative.
It’s not known exactly how CBD can relieve stress, but it does somehow. It’s thought the endocannabinoids in the product counterbalance the effects of stress in the brain or encourage the growth of new neurons that help reduce anxiety levels.
Improves Sleep
Taking CBD and make you sleepy. This is an excellent advantage if you have trouble getting to sleep or you need some downtime after staring at a blue screen all day. Once again, it isn’t known exactly how this process works in the brain, but the benefits to people are clear.
There are various ways you can ingest CBD before you go to bed. You can take gummies, for instance, ingest a spray, or have some CBD tea. Whatever way you choose to consume the product, use a CBD calculator to measure the amounts, so you don’t sleep through your morning alarm.
Reduces Inflammation
One of the main properties of CBD is its ability to reduce inflammation. That is why CBD is often used to relieve chronic pain symptoms and for muscle and joint recovery post-workout. So if you want to improve your performance in the gym or make your life more comfortable, try CBD.
When you work out in the gym or play an active sport, your joints take some stress and your muscles tear and repair. CBD helps your joints to stay supple and your muscles to grow stronger. This mainly occurs through relaxation during the activity and better sleep cycles.
Improves Performance
Whether you are using CBD for physical activity or sports, it has been shown to improve performance. With sports, CBD can improve your recovery times, allowing you to train harder and accelerate your muscle growth. But, it can also improve business performance.
When you have better sleep patterns and more concentration in the office, your productivity tends to be better; you will also be happier and more successful in your life if you can work without the overhanging stress. So build up your CBD daily for best results.
Strengthens Muscles
There are lots of muscle strengthening supplements on the market that contain various properties. Some are made of protein, while others are creatine based. These can be effective depending on your workout strategy; however, CBD is another excellent supplement to try.
CBD strengthens muscles by regulating your sleep patterns and giving your body more time to recover at night. This, in turn, strengthens your muscles and allows you to work harder in the gym sooner than you normally would. Take some CBD oil after you work out to aid recovery.
You undoubtedly know how to drive your vehicle safely during normal driving conditions. But, how adept are you with winter driving? In some areas, winter conditions can make driving very dangerous and almost impossible.
The last thing you want to happen when you’re out on the road is to get stuck in the ice and snow or damage your vehicle (or anyone else’s vehicle). With that in mind, take a look at these helpful, safe winter driving tips and tricks:
Make Sure Your Vehicle Is Roadworthy
Did you know that the cause of many winter accidents on the road isn’t to do with how people drive or even the wintry conditions themselves? It might surprise you to learn that many winter road traffic accidents are down to unroadworthy vehicles.
That’s why it’s crucial you take the time to check your car or truck is in perfect mechanical condition. For example, you should ensure that you’ve got appropriate winter tires on your wheels as they provide extra grip on snowy and icy roads.
Also, you must ensure that your brakes are functioning correctly, as are other safety systems like ABS and stability control.
Don’t Drive Fast
It might seem like an obvious statement to make, but when there are poor driving conditions outside, the last thing you should do is drive fast.
One of the most common cases any car crash lawyer might have to deal with during the winter is when drivers speed along the road and end up with out of control vehicles that crash into other vehicles, property, or even pedestrians in some cases.
Always drive appropriately according to the driving conditions. When there is ice and snow on the road, you will find it hard to control your car or truck if you drive quickly.
Don’t Travel Unless Necessary
If the snow is coming down thick and fast, you need to question whether your journey is essential. For example, if you were going to travel for leisure reasons, it makes more sense to stay at home.
You should only travel if you need groceries or in emergencies. If you can do so, work from home instead of traveling to your place of work. You will obviously be less likely to have an accident if you stay at home instead of traveling in treacherous conditions.
Pack an Emergency Kit of Essentials
Last but not least, if you become stranded in the snow or have an accident on the road, it can take a long time for any emergency services to reach you due to the traveling conditions and the increased demand for help.
It makes sense to have an emergency kit of essentials in your vehicle that you can use should something happen to you during your journey. Examples of what you can take with you include:
One of the biggest traumas a person can face is being the victim of medical malpractice. The source of the trauma is typically the fact that you put your life and well-being into the hands of someone you trusted, and that person broke that trust. Whether it was through negligence, an honest mistake, or fatigue that could have been prevented, it is now up to you to start on the road of not only healing physically, but healing emotionally. Here are four ways you can deal with your malpractice trauma in a healthy way.
Talk to a Therapist
First and foremost, find a professional you feel comfortable talking with about your trauma. You are never going to get past this without verbalizing how you are feeling and how you are being affected by what has happened to you. A therapist will be able to set a plan for you where you can identify what has happened to you, process the event, and start taking the initial steps into healing and getting back to your usual self. Having someone hear your thoughts and see your vulnerabilities will help set you free.
Talk to a Lawyer
When you are fully ready, talk to a medical malpractice attorney. Speaking with an attorney can help you set a course to getting better by giving you your options when it comes to compensation. Your malpractice experience may stop you from being able to work, or cause you to have to stop working for a period of time. When that happens, you are going to need money to help make ends meet until you are making a paycheck again. This can give you peace of mind knowing that financial compensation is coming. Attaining justice for what happened to you also makes you feel better knowing that the law is on your side, and there are people out there who care about what has happened to you.
Gather Your Support System
You won’t be able to get over this alone. Surrounding yourself with those who support and love you will help you get better faster. When a person is the victim of a severe trauma, they need daily reassurance that everything is going to be okay and everything is going to turn out for the best. These daily reminders are essential in a person getting back on track and getting back to life in a new, but familiar way. Having the people you know the best and who know you the best in your corner at all times will be the boost you need to get your life back.
Spend Time Alone
There are going to be times where you are going to want to be alone to process what happened to you. With all the support, legal advice, and talking with a therapist, you are going to need time to let it all sink in. Take these moments to get to know yourself and understand yourself so that you always feel complete as you get better.
For those who have ever been involved in an accident, you will understand how important it is to get help. Without help, it can be hard to be on the road to recovery or manage financially. If you have never been involved in an accident, then you will want to understand the benefits of receiving help and where to get the right help.
On that note, here is all you need to know about getting the right help after an accident.
When you are involved in an accident, it is so important to get legal help. Even if the accident was your fault, you will need support to help you with your claim in and outside of court.
On the other hand, using incredibly talented personal injury attorneys can help you attain the best results from a claim you make against another driver. If the accident wasn’t your fault, then the right attorney will ensure that you attain the right help and compensation that you are entitled to.
The help from an attorney will ensure that you can take the right steps to attain compensation. Plus, it will take the stress out of the aftermath of the accident. They can deal with everything behind the scenes while you focus on recovering.
Medical help
The most important help to seek after an accident has occurred is medical help. Should you incur physical injuries, then you will want to seek medical help as soon as possible. Calling the emergency services will help you get immediate medical help. If you can avoid moving after an accident, especially if you have been badly injured, then you should.
Medical help is also available for the future. Should you realize that your physical health is not up to standard after some time, then ensure to seek medical attention to assess your health and to get the help that you need.
On the other hand, accidents can also take a toll on your mental health. Therefore, help is available for that too.
Support from your loved ones
Should you not want to talk to a stranger (professional) after an accident, that’s ok. But, ensure to talk to someone so that you do receive some kind of support.
Surrounding yourself with your loved ones will help you feel safe and comforted, which is what you need after an accident. They will be there to help you when you want to talk about what happened. Likewise, they will always be there to make sure that you are ok.
Use this guide to help you seek the right help after an accident. Legal and medical help are the first two steps to take. They will ensure that you can be on the road to recovery and avoid deteriorating your physical and mental health.
If you suffer from long-term depression, you will know that it comes and goes from time to time and you just have to learn how to manage the difficult periods when they come up. Dealing with the underlying causes of depression is a long process and it’s something that you will have to live with until you can tackle it. For a lot of people, it never goes away entirely.
In a lot of cases, it starts as fairly regular feelings of sadness, which eventually develop into chronic depression. But what if you have never experienced depression before and it just comes out of nowhere? It can be so scary if you suddenly fall into a deep depression overnight. It’s important to understand what the triggers are in this situation so you can deal with your low feelings. These are some of the things that can cause a sudden onset of depression.
Traumatic Events
Traumatic events like losing a loved one are always likely to lead to a period of depression. If you have endured the death of someone close to you, then it’s completely natural for you to go through some tough times. Other traumatic events can have the same effect. However, people can be detached from their feelings in situations like this. They don’t consciously feel sad about the loss or the trauma and they don’t see the depression as being linked. But, in most cases, there is a direct link between the two and you need to deal with your feelings about the trauma if you want to manage the depression.
Hormonal Changes
One of the things that can cause a sudden onset of depression is hormonal changes in your body. As we get older, our hormone levels naturally fluctuate and this can cause depression. It’s well documented that women often experience mental health issues during menopause for this reason. However, it can affect anybody and people often have feelings of depression due to low testosterone. Don’t worry though, you can get your best-self back with TRT (testosterone replacement therapy). These treatments are becoming more common in people with mental health issues, as well as problems with fatigue or sexual health. By addressing the hormone imbalance, depression can be managed a lot more effectively.
Medication Side Effects
Depression can be a side effect of certain medications. It’s often hard to know if this is what’s causing your symptoms because you could have become depressed for any number of reasons. Once you start medication though, the symptoms may suddenly blossom into something worse. You might even think that there is no link between the two at all and just assume that you are more likely to experience depression than most people. But if it’s come out of nowhere, it’s likely to be a side effect. Speak to your doctor about it because they can usually offer an alternative medication that will not affect you in the same way.
The sudden onset of severe depression is usually caused by a specific trigger. Once you can work out what that trigger is, it’s much easier to manage your mental health.
Do you ever wish that you could hit the reset button on your life and start life on a new chapter? It can be hard to start life on a clean slate as you will have past mistakes, failure and many other things haunting you now and then.
Regardless of this, there are things that you can do to make it a lot easier to change your life. Some of the best strategies are outlined below. Read on!
Change Your Job
There are many reasons why you might want to find a new job. Perhaps the pay isn’t good enough, or your current career doesn’t feel right for you anymore. Whatever the reason is behind wanting to change jobs, it can be a complex process that needs planning and commitment if you’re going to succeed at making changes in your life.
Move House
Maybe you need to get out of your current living situation. If it’s holding you back, consider moving house for a fresh start in life.
Moving to a new house may not be something you want if you are happy at your current job, but it can also open up opportunities for better jobs. Also, moving somewhere new can bring on a sense of adventure and excitement, often lacking in your current routine.
Quit Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Quitting alcohol can be a hard thing to do. However, if you want a life free from addiction and living a sober lifestyle, then it is something you must consider doing for yourself.
This does not mean you should give up your addictions completely, but perhaps try to cut down. Not only will this make you feel better about yourself, but it’ll also help other aspects of your life, such as work and relationships.
If you can’t quite manage to quit altogether, there are services out there such as drug rehab programs that can support you in cutting back on the amount of alcohol or drugs you use.
Do Something That Scares You
It would help if you did something that scares you because it’s scary and takes a lot of courage to achieve. You may end up scared but at the same time proud of yourself for doing what was necessary and challenging your fears, or you might gain new skills which will help in future endeavors; either way, this is recommended as an effective method.
If you’re looking to get yourself out of a rut, keep your eyes peeled for new opportunities. You may find an opportunity you didn’t even know existed and you could benefit from taking advantage of.
Maybe it’s time for some more education or training or maybe there is another career path waiting for you ready to be explored – the possibilities are endless! Just make sure that when this moment arrives, you take full advantage of it because chances like these don’t come around all too often.
In conclusion, if you want to change your life for the better, try implementing some of these changes. If you are unhappy, take action. You have everything within yourself to be happy and live a well-balanced life, so do not wait for others to change your situation – change it by yourself!
Colic can be very frustrating, and until you experience a colicky baby, it can be tough to imagine the intensity. The intense crying can be frustrating to the point of breakdown for parents, especially new ones.
Colic is very common in kids and typically starts at around the age of 4 weeks. The most common signs include intense and prolonged crying; the baby clenches his fist or curves their back while crying, and their face becomes red and flushed. While it can feel like your world is crumbling down during the colic days, there is some good news. So, to help you get through that time, the following are some tips and tricks.
Understanding colic
Colic is a regular, extended, and intense crying or fussiness in an entirely healthy infant. This condition can be frustrating for parents as the baby’s anguish happens for no specific reason, and to make the matter worse, no amount of consoling seems to bring any relief. Colic episodes mainly occur in the evening when the parents are usually tired. Therefore, you should take the necessary steps to reduce the severity and duration of the colic episode, relieve your own stress and improve your confidence when it comes to the connection you have with your infant.
Know the symptoms
While crying and fussiness can be normal in kids, it can sometimes be caused by colic, especially if the child is in their initial three months. During these months, it is usually challenging to identify what is expected and what is not. But according to the Mayo Clinic, colic can be defined as crying or fussiness that goes for more than three hours a day, more than three days a week, and three or more weeks in a month. Also, colic has some features that include:
Facial discoloration, for instance, pale skins around the mouth or a red face
Intense fussiness even when the baby is no longer crying
Bodily tension, for example, baby pulling up or stiffening his legs, clenching his fists, or have a tense abdomen
Extreme crying is more like a scream or an expression of pain
Predictable crying
Crying for no apparent reason
It is important to note that these symptoms can reduce after the infant passes gas or after a bowel movement. In infants, gas is mainly a result of ingested air during extended crying.
In addition, you should be able to differentiate between a colicky baby and one that has high needs. A baby that has high needs is characterized by:
Extreme negative reaction to commotion or noise
Less crying
Irregular sleeping pattern
Keep a colic diary
This is the best way to identify the cause of colic. Tracking the time, length, and trigger of symptoms will significantly help you draw a connection between the cause and signs of colic in your child. The following are some information that you must record in your colic diary:
What is triggering the episodes, and what stops them?
What is the duration of the colic episodes?
How frequently do the symptoms happen?
Does your child seem bloated?
What soothing methods seem to work with your child?
Are you breastfeeding or using formula?
What is the frequency of the bowel movements? Are they hard or soft, or are they easy to pass?
It is advisable to bring your colic diary to your pediatrician. That will help the doctor determine what they are dealing with.
Coping with colic
Naturally, as a parent, you will do anything in your power to keep your child safe. And if your baby is one of the many babies that experience colic, there are a fair amount of myths out there about surviving it. So, the following are some strategies to help your colicky baby:
Swaddle
For many parents, swaddling can feel like being in repression. However, to a fussy and crying baby, it is like being in the womb. So, ensure that you snug them enough to ensure that they do not wiggle their legs and arms free. Also, make sure that you put them on their back and stop swaddling them the moment they learn to roll over.
Ensure that they nap
A colicky baby below three months should be getting at least four to six naps every day, which is about 10 hours of sleep at night and five during the day. Having your baby sleeping for those hours will increase their possibilities of a restful night and make it easier for them to sleep at night. So, ensure that their sleeping area is free of hazardous material, dark and quiet. And more importantly, make sure that they have a comfortable mattress; if not, you should plan on buying a bassinet mattress.
Get rid of the trapped air
Nobody knows the exact cause of colic; however, it is sometimes thought to be caused by the baby ingesting too much air when feeding or crying for an extended time. This can be a problem regardless of whether you are breastfeeding your baby or giving the formula. Trapped air is pretty common in babies, and it can cause some distress, primarily because the baby’s digestive system has not matured.
Alleviating the trapped air could be all your baby needs to cool down. There are various methods of relieving wind. You can place your baby over your shoulder and rub their back. On the other hand, you can lay the baby on your lap facing down and pat their back. Last but not least is to lay them on their back and move their legs in a circular motion to get rid of the gas.
Turn on white noise
White noise is a random noise with a flat spectra mass. This type of noise can help create a room for relaxation, promoting healthy and high-quality sleep. When it comes to a colicky child, some white noise can really help them feel like they are still in the womb. You can create white noise by turning on the fan, shower, or put their bassinet close to the dishwasher.
In addition, there are some noises that babies can respond to very well. For instance, heartbeat recordings, sounds of the ocean waves, shushing, and gentle humming in their ear.
Use a pacifier
All infants have a strong sucking instinct, and a pacifier can be the perfect remedy. Give your baby a pacifier even if they have just been fed. It is also important to note that some colicky babies can spit a pacifier out instantly while others can find relief from them. In addition, studies have shown that pacifiers can significantly reduce the risks of Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS),
Play and movement
All babies love movement, so popping your child in a stroller or carrying them around in a sling and going for a car ride or taking a walk can be incredibly calming. Also, consider creating an environment for soft play by getting rid of any stimulation and turning down the lights. Get down to your baby’s level, particularly on a playmat, and interact with them. Besides, babies love laying down and watching you while you talk to them. Also, baby bouncers and rocking chairs can come in handy during this time.
Baby massage
As earlier stated, babies can get colic due to swallowed air when crying or feeding. And while gas bubbles can be very uncomfortable for a child, there are ways to relieve them, including baby massage. Therefore, massaging the baby’s tummy can significantly help relieve this discomfort. Try using plant-based body oils that are lightly scented or unscented with calming essential oils like lavender and chamomile.
Change your diet
The cause of colic is not exact; however, some breastfeeding moms have reported that some foods cause colic in their babies. It is, therefore, possible that certain types of food can affect breast milk and lead to digestive issues or intestinal gas, which might result in a crying episode.
Some foods that have been identified to affect breast milk include caffeine, cow’s milk, peaches, melon, beans, broccoli, garlic, cabbage, onions, apricots, prunes, and other fresh fruits. So, if you think that your baby’s crying has worsened after giving him breast milk, keep a record of everything you eat and how your child reacts to it.
Stay calm
The intense crying and fussiness will test the limits of your sanity. However, it is essential to remind yourself that your child is not in any great danger. Besides, your instinct would say otherwise. Remember that colic is not a disease, it is just a development stage, and it will pass.
Use anti-colic feeding bottles
There are many types of bottles in the market today; therefore, when you go shopping, try as much as you can to pick the anti-colic ones to avoid the episodes from occurring in the first place.
Summing Up
At times, you will feel overwhelmed with no one to understand you. However, you are not alone, as many other mothers are dealing with the same situation. And while it can be frustrating and hard to deal with, it is vital to remember that it is not long-term. Also, colic can be challenging for you, therefore take care of yourself during that difficult time.
Colic will improve with time, typically around sixteen weeks. However, visit your kid’s pediatrician if you are worried about something or if the colic doesn’t seem to improve. Also, it is crucial to be able to tell the difference between a colicky baby and a child that has toddler temper tantrums.
Suffering from a stuffy nose and nasal congestion can be very frustrating. It doesn’t feel like the biggest health problem in the world, but it can make it harder for you to breathe – particularly when you’re trying to sleep. Stuffy noses also make you feel all bunged up, which can lead to pressure building in your face, possibly even causing headaches.
As a consequence, you instinctively reach for nasal sprays to clear your blocked nose. While they will work, they come with a big risk. Most of these sprays shouldn’t be used for longer than a few days as they start to have a negative effect on your nose. They will still unblock it, but they dry out your nose to the point that it starts to become stuffy again. You end up in an endless cycle of needing your nasal spray, but never being free from congestion for more than a few hours.
Today, you’re going to find three simple tactics to naturally clear your stuffy nose:
Clean your home
The first tactic is to give your home a thorough clean from top to bottom. Primarily, you want to get rid of dust and mold that could be lingering around the place. Dust triggers allergies that can cause a stuffy nose, as can mold spores. You may want to consider air duct cleaning for a more thorough clean, removing loads of dust and mold from your home. The cleaner your house is, the fewer triggers you’ll have to cause a stuffy nose – especially when combined with step number two!
Purify the air
Secondly, you need to purify the air to make it better to breathe. When combined with regular cleaning, this does a great job of removing allergens from the atmosphere. It will make your air cleaner and easier for you to breathe in every day. A simple way to do this is by purchasing an air purifier for your bedroom. Turning it on throughout the day will leave you with pure air when you sleep. It should make it easier for you to sleep without a stuffy nose – and you won’t wake up with one either.
Use steam
The first two tactics are super effective at seeing long-term relief from a stuffy nose. But, what if you need some instant help? Don’t get your nasal sprays out, there’s a natural alternative; steam. Steam will line your nasal passages and cause them to heat up with moisture, which unblocks them and saves you from congestion. You can utilize steam by taking a hot shower, or by putting your face over a bowl of steaming water and covering your head with a towel. This is such a great tactic as you don’t dry out your nose, so it feels unblocked and a lot healthier.
The moral of the story is that you don’t need to depend on nasal sprays to unblock your stuffy nose! Try the three tactics in this post to achieve better results without pumping your nose full of chemicals.
Over the winter months, we all get hit with fatigue that stops us from doing much. Other than chilling in front of the fire with a blanket, the winter weather doesn’t invite much else to do. This poses a problem as when we don’t move as much, we tend to put on weight.
Now, let’s be clear, this is not a post about fat shaming. We are all beautiful in our own way. This is an untenable link to the size of our waists and our overall health. This is why tracking our waist size is one of the best things we can do to help keep an eye on our health. Here are some ideas about how to keep your waistline under control during the winter months.
This one seems pretty obvious but it requires some extra effort in the winter. Sitting in the house when the rain is lashing down, a movie on the TV, and a bag of sweets on your lap. We have all done it but we all need to stop it. This might be easier said than done because we have all developed a bad habit. However, if you would prefer to watch TV without sweets and crisps, you might have to look into ways to break the habit. You can click here for more info on how to manage those cravings. There is a good chance that you are eating because you are bored rather than hungry.
Train for a marathon
Ok, maybe a marathon is a bit too much, but you should always dream big. Training for a big achievement can help you to reach certain fitness goals, even if you have no intention of tackling something so big within the next 12 months. Marathon training involves getting out there in all weathers and pounding the pavement. It is tough, it is long, but if you ever decide to take part in a timed race, you will be ready. You will have to trust us when we say there is no other feeling like getting your medal handed to you after you cross the finish line. However, there are plenty of marathons and much harder races that you can aim to take part in if you want to challenge yourself.
Get cold
This is a strange one but hear us out for a second. When you exercise in the cold, you burn a lot more calories than when you exercise in warm weather. This can be great news if you are trying to shift a bit of extra weight. There is some debate around whether just being cold can burn calories so it might not be worth your while to run around the garden naked in the snow. The important thing to remember is that if you are exercising in the cold weather, you should layer up and make sure that your body temperature does not fluctuate too much as it can make you very ill. If you are going to play in the snow and ice, make sure that you do it safely.
Use YouTube
If there is one thing that YouTube has become known for, besides cat videos, it is the amount of talented content that you can find. And this includes fitness channels. The fitness channels on YouTube have grown bigger and better over the years. These are not just people wanting to make some money, many of these channels are run by professional trainers and experts. You don’t need to go hardcore with the exercise, you can choose anything from HIIT workouts to low-intensity yoga. The important thing is that you are active for around 30 minutes a day, and thanks to the length of the YouTube videos, you can time this down to a T.
Take up a hobby
On the back of one of our other points, we would like to point out that if your hands are busy, you are less likely to put them into the cookie jar. When the weather is cold, you might want to curl under a blanket, so why not grab a craft that you can do while you are there? Cross-stitch has become a favourite with a wide range of designs to choose from. You could also try your hand at knitting or crochet. You could even create your own special winter blanket to curl up under for years to come. We are pretty sure that you won’t want to get cheesy nacho fingers on your clean cross-stitch so it should keep you away from the snacks. Trust us, you will only get a grease stain on your project once for you to be extra careful and avoid the snacks in future.
Enlist your partner or a friend
There is no denying that having a fitness buddy can make all the difference. For example, most people prefer running marathons with other people or in the crowd because they love the energy. Having a friend or partner there with you can help you to keep your own energy up. This is really good if you have a habit of skipping exercise sessions in favour of a duvet day. However, make sure your friend is as motivated as you are and doesn’t lack discipline. Otherwise, you will have to talk yourself and them out of going home when the going gets tough. If you don’t have a friend who can help, there are plenty of online fitness communities that will cheer you on. Or you could join your local running group or fitness class to make some new friends.
Change your diet
We know this might be the same as controlling what you eat, but it is slightly different. The winter months are about food, feeding yourself so that you can survive the harsh winter months before there is no food and you have to wait for the spring again. What was that? You are not a bear? Exactly. There is no reason to have a full-fat diet during the winter, it will only make you ill. What you can do is alter your diet so that you can still enjoy the comfort of winter food, just without the lashings of sugar and fat on the side. Now is the time to take note of what you are eating and see if you can make any improvements. This will come in handy if you do start training for some big events. If you are stuck on ideas, you might need to enlist the help of a dietitian to help make some changes.
Buy a tracker
During the winter, you might not realise how often you sit on your bum during the day. Having a fitness tracker can help you be more aware of how much activity you get during the day. If you discover that you are not moving as much as you thought, now is the time to get more active. Fitness trackers come in many different forms, from the fancy iWatch and Garmin to the simple step counter. Whatever device you use, you should make sure that it works for you. It might be a better idea to start with a cheaper option and see how you go with it. As your fitness progresses, you could move up and choose a different device. If you don’t have a device at the moment, you could ask Santa if you can get one for Christmas. Obviously, this is to help with your New Year goals too so it is a present with a purpose.
