Health & Fitness

Top tips to stay active over the freezing festive period

Lavina Mehta

Tempted to put Winter hibernation mode ON?! You’re not the only one struggling to stay active now the days are darker and colder, I know it’s a lot harder to motivate yourself!

Here’s some ideas to help you keep moving (and stay warm in the process!)

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• EXERCISE SNACKING! Build little bitesize amounts of movement into your day so they become habits. Every bit counts and workouts don’t need to be long to be beneficial!

• Go for a FEEL GOOD WALK first thing or at lunchtime - Expose yourself to sunlight early in the day. Ideally walk in nature to boost your mood and alleviate SAD.

• I am getting my Feel Good Walks in early (as you see on my stories!) On good days I get 30 mins in straight from the school run and before I start my work day! If not then I try and do 10 minute Walk Snacks 2/3x a day (as much as my diary allows.) Having a dog helps me a lot with motivation as I have no excuse but to get out!

• Diarise your walks and workouts like you would a meeting or appointment so you’re more likely to just do it!

• Be prepared - Keep your active wear laid out or wear them from the start!

• Dress the part & Layer up! If you’re heading outdoors protect your extremities and invest in a hat, gloves. Get some thermal active wear or long sleeve tops, reflective clothing and good grip trainers. Remember to Stay safe and on well lit roads if it gets dark.

• Set a Small Snack-sized SMART Goal! Be realistic, something small and achievable, not too big that you set yourself up for failure. Eg. I’m going to move for 10 minutes every day.

• Accountability - sign up to a programme or a group class - once you’ve committed you’re less likely to pull out.

• You can join my NEW 2022 Online Training Offer or my in person weekly Group PT - both are supportive groups to keep you motivated and accountable!

• If you can’t brave the cold then stick to home/gym workouts.

• There are over 155 saved workouts in my Facebook Community & structured plans on my exclusive Feel Good App for gym and home!

• Plus there are lots of free workouts on my Instagram IGTV & Reels.

• Don’t punish yourself over a festive weekend or a missed workout. Be kind to yourself. Life is too short not to enjoy this special time of the year.

• Eat Good, Train Good, Sleep Good ➡️ FEEL GOOD!

Lavina Mehta was awarded an MBE for services to health and fitness during Covid-19. She is passionate about promoting the health benefits of exercise to treat, prevent and reduce risks of common chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis.

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In her regular Feel Good series with iGlobal, the award-winning personal trainer and wellness coach shares stories from her journey into fitness, workout tips and announcements about her upcoming online sessions.

*Catch Lavina’s FREE “Exercise Snacks” & “21 Day Feel Good Workout Plan” on her Instagram IGTV; special offers to join her NEW Online Training Package here; FREE seniors workout sessions every Friday at 10am GMT on Zoom; and over 100 saved sessions, many translated into Gujarati with her mother-in-law, on YouTube.

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