If you’re exercising or hoping to become fitter during the winter period, you’ll need dedication. Not only is it difficult to maintain a healthy weight when completely surrounded by beautiful foods and festive baked goods, but due to the busy social calendar, finding the time to do this can be difficult in itself.

To that end, you’re going to have some real dedication. But that’s not to say that this is impossible or even unwise, it’s just that you’ll have to resist a few more temptations. You’ll also need to protect yourself well. Winter fitness is an important thing to get right, not only because of lower visibility but because of additional dangers that you may need to adjust for. For example, running through the woods in the morning is likely not wise when sunrise is expected at around 8am, an hour before you have to be at the office or tending to your responsibilities.

I like to try and keep fit throughout the year because it keeps me healthy. You should too and you can visit the CFAH.org website for useful tips on health and fitness. That said, it can be easy to slip out of the habit of exercise when winter comes around because of the increased risks. To help encourage you, here’s a few bits of advice to keep you fit, safe, and protected this winter:

Get To The Gym

While running outside or heading to the local park equipment might have been something you enjoyed doing in the warmer months, the cold and ice that can form on the ground or specialist equipment may raise your chances of falling or of being hurt, not to mention how dark the mornings and evenings can be. This is where getting to the gym can be important, even if only for a couple of months, as in a temperature-controlled environment you will have much more success staying safe. Additionally, less and less people head to the gym over the winter festive period, giving you more chance to enjoy the equipment without waiting.

Road Awareness

If you do choose to run or to spend time outside, it’s important to exercise incredible road awareness. Stay near well-lit pathways, and try not to run in areas where black ice could have formed. Wear thick protection in case of a fall, high visibility clothing, and always plan your routes ahead of time. This way the relatively unsafe practice of exterior winter exercise can at least be measured a little more reliably than its alternative.

Cold & Protection

In the cold, it’s important to try and protect yourself. The body will warm itself up through the act of exercise in itself, but that shouldn’t mean heading out in freezing temperatures wearing only shorts and a t-shirt is wise or acceptable. With a jacket, a worthwhile scarf, and thick shoes, you will be able to stay work while still keeping your unrestricted movement. We would also recommend investing in shoes with extended grip, those that naturally hug your feet and give you more room to maneuver. As far as this is concerned, you will enjoy the best pathway going forward.

With this advice, we hope you can follow the winter fitness advice for those with real dedication.