Now Christmas has come and gone, knowing how to keep the January blues away can help you start the year (and the decade!) on a high. January marks both an end to the Christmas jollies and a start to the new year which in itself means that we are halfway through the winter. The winter is the harshest season if you live in a cold country where you don’t get much sunlight and the days are short which can give you a feeling of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Leading personal trainer and online coach, David Thomas shares some tips on how to keep the January blues away and feel fab naturally.
Exercise and sauna
“O
ne of the best things you can do is start or continue your exercise routine. Whether this is at a gym or at home. Weight training and cardio workouts will release endorphins. Giving you a natural high and making you feel good. This will not only make you feel good but also regulate your body weight as you start to eat more in the winter.
The sauna is something many people don’t do and they really should. The warmth of the sauna almost mimics the heat of a warm climate releasing a great feeling into your body. Have you ever not felt relaxed after a sauna? So I suggest you go after your gym session or just visit your local spa more often. It will do wonders for you.
Start a morning routine 
By starting a morning routine you have to think about what you want to incorporate into it. You can exercise, meditate, do something you love, organise your day, read and write. You may not be into all of these things. However, you do have things you always wanted to do and all you need to do is wake up half an hour earlier and get started. You will build your routine as you go along and it will start to feel like clock-work. Remember this is your time to look after yourself. Selfcare is a must in every ones lives because if you don’t look after yourself how are you meant to look after others that need you in your life. Start by looking after the body that you have, it the only one you will ever get.
Eat a healthier diet than usual
Start to add more seasonal vegetables into your diet so that you are getting the right nutrition for the right time of year. There have been studies on the benefits of eating local and seasonal food from your environment so consider eating adding more colour and variety to your meals.
If this is something you have thought about and always wanted to do it is the best time of year to start. The more vegetables you eat the better you will feel and the better your body will react to them. It the most natural thing you can put into your body and therefore will help nourish your body. Remember this isn’t a diet, it’s a change in what you put into your body. I don’t want you to eat less. I want you to eat healthily but also take the refined carbohydrates out of your diet like sugar and flour products.
Plan something you can look forward to
Lots of holidays are booked for the end of January and February. This is so that you have a vacation to be able to get some sunlight and to relax somewhere new. However, it doesn’t always have to be somewhere sunny it can just be somewhere fun and exciting. This gives you something to feel good about. So, that in a months-time you will be enjoying yourself again. Making you feel good about the year ahead.
Go for a walk when the sun is up
I do thi
s all the time. In the winter the sun is up in the morning from around 8am till around 12. The sun at this time can be really enjoyable. Giving you that little bit of heat and light that you need to feel better.
However, it’s not just about the sun, it’s more about the movement and the fresh air you’ll be getting whilst on your walk.
A walk can
- Increase movement
- Help with mood
- Wake your body up
- Make you more productive person because you’ve moved oxygen around your body.
I would suggest going for a 30 minute stroll or brisk walk in the morning. Make this part of your day and daily habits to help you improve your health in January.
Top up your vitamin D level
Vitamin D is a nutrient that most of us don’t get enough of naturally throughout the winter due to a lack of sun so do consider finding it from other sources such as supplementation (seek advice from a doctor so that you know what is best for you) or from your food.
If you plan to get vitamin D from your food you will find it in sardines and other fatty fish, eggs, mushrooms, cheese and beef liver. Now I know that some of these aren’t realistic for some dietary requirements. Therefore eat the ones that you like and seek a supplement to top up the rest.
Last note:
After the highs of Christmas and New Year you are bound to get sad once it’s all over because it’s been so exciting. One of the great things you get from having a health coach in your life is help to keep the January blues away and maintain your wellbeing throughout the year. I’m an online and in-person trainer who trains busy people all over the world through my company Future Health Training.”
Thank you David for sharing some simple ways to feel fab naturally. Taking small steps to improve your wellbeing all add up to a big difference over time. A simple way to feel fab is to reduce your oxidative stress levels by reactivating your body’s own antioxidant production to support cellular health and wellbeing.
We already know that we age because of the oxidative stress on our cells caused in part by free radical damage. It is impossible to avoid free radicals because the food we eat and the air we breathe, as well as stress or even vigorous exercise, can stimulate cells to produce destructive free radicals in staggering numbers. The human body fights free radicals by producing its own antioxidant enzymes, but as we grow older our bodies produce more free radicals and fewer of these antioxidant enzymes.
Antioxidants and free radicals
Scientists have known for years that antioxidants are the key to helping to reverse the ageing process. But the supplement industry wants us to believe that means we need to take expensive antioxidant supplements or “super fruit” juices. They’re wrong.
While antioxidants help neutralise the free radicals that lead to oxidative stress, just taking more antioxidants can only neutralise one free radical at a time. That’s like trying to bail out a sinking ship with a bucket.
You can take more antioxidants. But we suggest making them. Protandim Nrf2 Synergizer keeps you healthy and strong from the inside out. Comprised of natural plant ingredients, Protandim Nrf2 Synergizer is a patented, science-based formula that has been researched and tested by 26 peer-reviewed studies and published by renowed research institutions. For the cost of around half a cup of coffee a day, you can flip the switch back on in your body to trigger your body to make its own antioxidants again.
If not now, when do you want to feel fab naturally?
