All posts by jeremy

Welcome

Welcome to ActiveHealthNut.com, your resource for ideas and discussion for an active lifestyle. Make positive changes that work for you! With how-to’s, ideas and tips shared among fitness pros and amateurs alike, find a reason to get on your feet and in shape!

5 Winter Fitness Ideas to Keep You Out of the House and In Shape

If you live in an area that experiences a change in weather with the seasons, chances are you find yourself staying inside more and more in the winter. With daylight savings time and the winter solstice, many working individuals find themselves strapped for free time while the sun is out on weekdays.

Making a Change: Get in Your Head

You are not alone if you are not in the mood to work out or be active during the winter. It’s cold, the wind is blowing and if you live far enough north, there’s snow or ice on the ground. A lack of sunlight can literally be depressing. Fear not, however! Here’s a list of 5 winter activities that will surely keep you on your feet. Ditch the dull, gray overcast skies and join in on the enjoyable ways you can make a change this winter.

Winter Tips for Staying in the Mood to Exercise

  1. Strap your snow shoes on, and go for a hike.
    While it may be windy or slippery outside, give yourself a chance to appreciate the wondrous beauty of snow-covered trees, laid bare by the winter winds and conditions that have been banishing you to inside the house. Look out for signs of wildlife– the footprints of a rabbit, the sound of birds overhead– you are not the only one out, but luckily you can reward yourself with the warmth of your beverage of choice once you return.
  2. Remember your childhood? Find a sled, and get going!
    Wintertime activities of your childhood don’t have to be left in the dust– if you’re still nimble enough to make the much-hated return trip back to the top of your favorite hill, give it a shot! While dangerous when collisions with others nearby may threaten to ruin the fun, remember to enjoy yourself and have a good time.
  3. Collect Firewood
    Yes, this doesn’t have to be a chore! Bundle up and begin hunting for fuel for a relaxing fire. With trees devoid of leaves, you may find them right at your feet. Coniferous trees such as the pine do not lose their signs of life during the winter, but they do drop needles throughout the year. If they are not covered in snow or otherwise rendered wet, they make great fuel for starting a fire. Give it a shot! Larger wood, such as logs may prompt you to begin collecting in a wheelbarrow or other receptacle for the sake of your arms and back.
  4. Train for a Holiday 5K Race
    Chances are, your area has a holiday 5K race or other event to get you on your feet. Foster a feeling of community while possibly working toward a good cause, all while motivating yourself in the name of the holidays, perhaps marked by the kookiness that can only accompany them. Have fun, and feel free to find your favorite festive attire to train in and be seen!
  5. Find a Reason for a Change of Season: Take a Vacation
    While not practical for the purposes of finding a repetitive routine, if you live in a warmer climate à la Florida or California, pick a wintry destination, perhaps a ski lodge or less extreme, a nearby city with an ice skating rink. If you live in the North, perhaps those very same states may be tempting for some more mild weather, complete with a trip to the beach or even outdoor shopping among boutiques without fear of having to wear a coat.

Conclusion: Keep it Up, Keep it Off

With the new year fast approaching, surely many people are keen to get a head start to keeping weight off after ceremoniously gorging on holiday sweets and treats. Get your head in gear, and your body moving. Try new ideas to keep yourself entertained and the stress away. Whatever you do, be sure to find something that works for you, and keep up with it. Pick a time that works for you, and pair it with an activity. Put it in writing, and get going! Happy holidays from ActiveHealthNut.com!

How To Create Time for an Exercise Routine

Let’s face it — chances are, you’re busy. In fact, part of living an active lifestyle involves spending a large amount of time doing pre-planned activities. What you will find, however, is in an ideal situation, you have a proper balance of time between rigid obligations and more flexible activities. If you want to make a life change and hold yourself to exercising regularly, you need to ensure it becomes habitual to the point of becoming the new norm. To learn about techniques you can employ to incite your inner creature-of-habit, read on!

Obligations vs Activities

One question you may ask is, what is the difference between an obligation and an activity? Are you on business, or leisure time? While you may have notions that state the difference as a measure of  how enjoyable or desirable an activity is, you will find you are deceiving yourself. Obligations are often held to a higher standard than what you may spend doing in your free time. Try the following guidelines to get the most out of your time, and get the results you want:

  1. Treat anything important as an obligation. Create a specific time to start and end an activity  based on the duration you’d like to spend working on it. Therefore, if you have a goal of working out for 1 hour a day, select a start and end time that work well for you.
  2. Put your goals in writing. Not only will you remember what you write, it will also serve as a visual reminder of your obligation. Place it in a prominent place that you are likely to see it. Just like you may leave a note under your keys, leave this somewhere it will not get lost but instead actively motivate you.
  3. Divide and Conqueror. When faced with an enormous, daunting task, divide it into small sub-tasks. You will make big goals seem less intimidating and to have more points of visible progress as you complete each checkpoint. If you have limited amounts of time available, split your work into different time slots. Try to work at least for the minimum amount of time you feel you are productive; do not needlessly waste your time if your time block is nearly fully spent getting ready and wrapping up.