Ideas to help you stay active and care for yourself in the cold winter months
In the new year we naturally start to think about new beginnings, a fresh start, and ways to start improving ourselves. Then we’re confronted with the daunting task of doing something and realize that it’s challenging to get active or pursue self-care when it’s -10 degrees outside. Have no fear, local Waterdown Village fitness and training experts are ready to help beat the winter blahs and kick your new year into high gear!
Keep Moving
When it’s freezing cold outside it can be challenging to make motion happen – we’d much rather stay warm and cozy indoors! That’s where the convenience of a downtown gym like Free2Be Fitness comes in. Can’t ride a bike in the slushy streets? Hop on a stationary cycle and pedal till your heart(rate)’s content. Finding it difficult to jog in your winter boots? Get your run in on an indoor treadmill. In addition to membership, Free2Be offers unique classes to stay active and motivated with like-minded peers and energetic instructors.
Get started by signing up for a free intro at free2befitness.ca
Find Balance
Yoga is different from other types of exercise because it focuses on the unity of the mind, body, and spirit. It can help people develop inner awareness, improve your mood, and achieve a balance between physical fitness and mental stability. Bound Yoga owner and instructor Eli has some tips to avoid burnout & recharge your immune system with Yoga:
- Active yoga styles like vinyasa will promote circulation, giving you energy & encouraging healing.
- Restful practices like restorative can help bring balance (sattva) to your being, especially after the overwhelm of the holidays.
Kick it Up a Notch
Ready to try something new? Martial arts offer a unique mixture of physical activity and mental discipline, while also teaching self-defence. Prolonged pursuit of this life-skill is sure to boost self-confidence and awareness. Here’s some tips from Master Sarah at OMAC Waterdown:
- OMAC offers ongoing intake Teen/Adult Taekwondo classes, so it’s never too late to try something new and get in shape, regardless of your skill level.
- Classes are indoors, so you can benefit from training year-round without worrying about the cold or rain.
- Don’t try to tough it out on your own. The OMAC family works together as a team to have fun and encourage each other through the challenges.
Relax with some ‘me’ time
Once you’re all worked out, it’s important to take time to relax and recharge, and deal with any pain that ails you. Visit a local multi-disciplinary clinic like OM Massage and Wellness to help you release any built-up tension and address physical concerns. Feel the serenity from the moment you step into the studio, with fresh plant vibes and calming long-toned music and nature sounds. Clinic owner Rebecca has some recommendations:
- Winter blahs are real! Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in Canada as we have some short days with minimal sunshine. Sunshine and enough of certain foods are what we need to keep our levels at an ideal range. Many Canadians are deficient, and this can show up as feeling more tired than usual, trouble sleeping, pale skin, hair loss, muscle weakness and other not-so-fun ways. Our Naturopathic Doctors at OM will test your vitamin D levels, and help bring them back to their ideal levels quickly and easily while supporting your health in all areas along the way.
- Motion is lotion! It’s important to keep moving throughout the year, even when we’d rather stay inside. A great treatment combination at OM is a Physiotherapy appointment to get a custom exercise plan designed for your body, and a massage or osteopathy appointment to fine tune your body head to toe. We need to keep moving, especially as our bodies are aging to maintain muscle that you’ve got, and ideally build more. Muscle on our bodies is what keeps us warm, agile and ready to bundle up and go for a walk on a brisk sunny day. If you live close enough come walk over to OM and visit, we always have a bowl of chocolate at the desk waiting for you.
We hope you find some of the tips here useful and look forward to seeing you out and about getting active this winter right here in Waterdown Village. Visit the ‘Self Care’, ‘Health Care’, and ‘Play’ categories in our Find a Business section to find businesses ready to show you more ways to win winter. You can have it all in Waterdown Village.
