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The changing season is a great time to revamp your daily routine to keep healthy & motivated for the colder months.
Okay. If you are in the Southern Hemisphere, it's starting to get wet and cold out there....not to mention, cold and flu season is in full gear.
So, what better time to have a winter reset to help keep you on track with your healthy lifestyle goals?
What works in the warmer months...
...might not work for you when it's getting colder and darker outside.
Now this won't be the case for everything, but there are some routines and habits we have in the summer that simply just don't work for us in the winter.
Easy fix though! Just write down all of your daily routine and decide what needs to be updated to get through this winter.
Some of my updates include
Drinking warm herbal teas for hydration, instead of cold water.
Scheduling some outdoor time in the middle of the day, because we don't get it before or after work with the shorter days.
Doing a few more indoor workouts for my exercise (instead of focusing so much on the outdoors), along with doing exercise dates with friends and my partner to stay motivated!
Eat my meals a bit earlier, as I tend to sleep more in the winter and I like to make sure I'm fully digested before heading to bed.
Meal prep lots of healthy, warming food as I find I'm not as motivated to cook up something from scratch after work when it's dark so early.
Allow and schedule in more time for rest as my body needs it this time of year.
Daily routine
My current daily routine includes most of the below each day. Use this to help inspire you and have a think about what might work for you.
Get at least 5 minutes of sunlight (even through those grey clouds) as soon as you are up or the sun rises. This is proven to improve our overall wellbeing, along with heaps more benefits. If you want to hear more, check out this podcast episode from Dr. Andrew Huberman.
No phone for at least the first 15 minutes.
Set my intention for the day and have a moment of gratitude before I get up.
Warm water with fresh squeezed lemon and a bit of apple cider vinegar.
Cold shower. Yep, particularly in the winter as this helps to increase circulation, wake up our alertness, increase the number of white blood cells, increase our metabolic rate, lift mood (so needed on those grey days), and reduce inflammation.
Note I only do cold water for the last 30 seconds of my shower, but I'm trying to work myself up to go longer!
Get moving! Whether it's heading to the Pilates or Yoga studio, going for a run, or doing some easy movement in my loungeroom. Get the blood flowing and the endorphins kicking in!
Dress in layers. I mean, probably obvious, but something I have to always remind myself to do as we go from cold outside to warmer inside.
Warm herbal tea throughout the day.
Warm and nourishing lunch and dinner using seasonal produce, with a focus on whole foods.
Schedule a moment of joy into each and every day.
Get outside for at least 15 minutes during the day when the sun is out.
Take my supplements each day, which I amp up a bit for these colder months.
Wash my hands lots, which makes my skin dry, particularly with the cold weather, so I carry around a nourishing hand cream to keep them feeling soft.
Get to bed early.
The key is to set your routine and habits with intention so that they work for you, and keep you feeling fabulous.
Staying healthy, happy and motivated this time of year is essential. What do you do?