Welcome to Diet and Fitness Podcast, a free audio podcast sponsored by Diet.com. This is your fit, fun, and fabulous host, Lady Diet, ready to give you the skinny on the latest diet fitness health tips and news.
The thrill of the holidays is behind us, and now it’s time to face the fact that it’s winter. Cold weather brings more than snow – it brings a whole slew of health ailments that need to be avoided. Follow these five winter health tips to keep your routine from icing over this season!
1. Avoid the blues. For many of us, winter can trigger seasonal depression and make us want to remain indoors and inactive. But did you know that those two things actually perpetuate seasonal depression? Sunlight is a natural energy and mood booster, and so is exercise! So take to the streets! Try to work more sun-time activity into your day and say goodbye to the winter blues!
2. Watch your appetite. Cold weather has a tendency to make us crave comfort foods. If you think nothing will warm you up like some of Mom’s Meatloaf or Mac ‘n Cheese, think again! Snacking conscientiously between your meals will help you avoid the desire to splurge on fatty comfort foods. Make sure your snacks are high in protein and you’ll be all set till dinner!
3. Feed your cold! You probably know that Vitamin C is good for cold-prevention, but did you know that garlic helps move mucus? Or that bitter greens help relieve the sniffles? Eating the right foods can stave off your cold this winter. And since most of us tend to veg out when we’re sick, catching a cold will make you feel crummy and interrupt your New Year’s plan to get into a routine of exercising.
4. Put the D back in your Diet. In the wintertime, the reduced amount of sunlight lowers the body’s intake of Vitamin D, which is no good. Make up for your lack of Vitamin D by keeping plenty of fish, low-fat milk, or orange juice in your diet this winter.
5. Warm up. Cold weather can mean trouble for your muscles. So warm them up really well before you exercise in the winter! Take into account the temperature difference from season to season and adjust your warm-up period accordingly. Skimping on your winter warm-up time will only increase your chances of injury, so don’t cheat yourself!
The winter doesn’t have to ruin your plans for fitness and healthy dieting. Knowing what adjustments you need to make to your routine in the winter is the key to maintaining your healthy lifestyle this season. Making the right changes will guarantee you a victory over the cold!
If you have any comments or suggestions about today’s podcast or any fun health diet or fitness tip, please feel free to email me at ladydietpodcast@diet.com.
This is Lady Diet signing off…