Avoiding the winter coat, how to look and feel good through the cold months

STEP away from that sticky date pudding and head out the door. They say summer bodies are made in winter, and Tim Robards tells us how.

Bachelor Tim Robards

AS I write this, the wind is howling outside my window and the rain is blowing at a 45 degree angle. It definitely gets harder to stay motivated to exercise in the colder months.

We tend to pack on a little extra weight due to a few main factors. We love to stay in bed snuggled up for as long as we can. By the time we’ve hit snooze a few times … oops … there’s no more time left to squeeze in the gym before work … what a pity. Generally our hormonal profile changes due to less hours of daylight, less vitamin D from the sun and the fact that our body has to work harder to maintain our core temperature when it is exposed to the colder weather.

Our serotonin may decrease in general which tends to make us crave carbs to get it back up. We tend to provide ourselves a lot of excuses like I’ll ‘catch’ a cold if I go out in the cold weather, or my body needs the extra cup of creamy mash and hot sticky date pudding to keep warm. It increases your serotonin temporarily, but then you are down on yourself a few weeks later as you’re no longer fitting into your pants and your partner makes fun of your jiggly bits.

So here are my top tips for feeling and looking great through the cold months:

1. Maintain your vitamin D

Try to get outdoors during your lunch hour and get some sun to at least 60 per cent of your body for around 10 -15 mins. The sun is less intense at this time of the year but obviously be smart with your exposure, especially the fairer your skin.

2. Get Outdoors

The benefits of outdoor training are proving far more beneficial than we think.

Outdoor training:

— Boosts your mood/productivity.

— Gets you outdoors/escape boredom and cabin fever. Train muscles you can’t train in gym on treadmill.

— Improves cardio and strength at once.

— Is time efficient

— Increases balance and flexibility.

— Nearly every exercise works your core as well.

3. Dress in layers when training outdoors

Try a synthetic layer to draw away moisture from the body. Avoid cottons close to your skin as they hold the moisture on your body and can lead to excess cooling. Add a woollen or fleecy layer to insulate, then finish off with a light, water repellent/wind resistant outer layer.

4. Ditch the milky and carb loaded hot drinks and soups

Try bone broths and herbal teas. One of my favourites is Your Tea for its addition of Chinese herbs. It’s great for detoxing and improving metabolism.

5. Avoid the excess winter carbs

Try slow cooked meats with lots of fresh veggies/salads. Great to keep you warm in winter. As a guide you want your portion of protein to be about the size and thickness of your palm, your veggie/salad portion the size of what you could hold in cupping two open hands, and some quality fats the size of two fingers (eg: small handful or raw almonds).

The wind is still howling outside but it will soon come to an end. Have those runners at the end of the bed waiting and your jacket near the door. There’s nothing better than pulling off the layers as your body warms up and the sense of achievement and the endorphins you feel after getting some fresh air and getting your sweat on.

Dr Tim Robards is a Chiropractor and exercise scientist (B. Med. Sc, M. Chiro) and regular news.com.au Columnist. His observations and research into what people really need live a healthy life and thrive in their environment has lead him to develop The Robards Method. You can follow Tim on Instagram and Twitter.

Tim Robards says it is possible to lose weight in winter. Picture Cameron Richardson