Staying in shape during the winter can be challenging, especially if you’re still healing from an injury. Cold weather is known to lead to stiff and achy joints, and even the healthiest of athletes can have a hard time during the winter months.

However, there are some great tricks you can use to stay fit, so once spring arrives, you’ll be ready to get outside and enjoy your favorite activities once again.

Make Healthy Eating Choices

It’s common to gain weight during the fall and winter months because there are so many holidays to celebrate. We pull out all the stops during this time of year and enjoy the delicious treats we’re better at avoiding for the rest of the year. But it’s important that you maintain a healthy diet during the winter months so you can maintain your regular exercising habits.

Increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, and healthy starches, and maintain a healthy exercise routine, which can keep you from getting sick during cold and flu season. You also want to stay on top of your fluid intake since proper hydration is key to a healthy immune system, fast post-workout recovery, and detoxifying your body after less-than-healthy meals.

Hit the Gym After Work

One of the biggest challenges many of us face during the winter is finding a good time to work out. Shorter days and less light mean that those late evening runs you enjoyed during the summer are less likely to be on the top of your to-do list. The best thing you can do is to hit the gym directly after work. Think about how nice it will feel to loosen up those muscles after sitting at your desk all day.

After long periods of inactivity, your muscles can feel tense and achy. But going to the gym can help to relieve that stress so when you get home, you feel much more relaxed and ready to enjoy your time. You may also find that those extra moments spent sleeping in during your morning routine makes for a more pleasant morning.

Go for a Walk Outside

This may seem counterintuitive because it’s cold, but there’s actually a twofold reason that getting outside during winter is great for you. First, our bodies get used to certain climates depending on where we spend our time. So when you spend time bundled up outside, it starts to not feel quite so cold as your body gets used to the low temperatures. In addition, you’ll be able to enjoy the scenery and still see your neighbors.

The other reason for getting outside even when it’s freezing is to get some vitamin D. One of the reasons people get sick in the winter is because they lack this vital nutrient. Just 10 to 15 minutes in the sunshine, even if it’s just your face that’s exposed, can go a long way to keeping you healthy so you can keep up with your regular exercising during winter.

For information about how rehabilitation and non-operative methods can help relieve your pain, click here to download our eBook Understanding Your Options: The Non-Operative Guide for Sports and Spine Injuries.