By WIN Contributor: Dr. Ernie Bagnulo, Chiropractor
Winter is (finally) coming!!! As is the cold and the snow. It has always seemed perplexing to me that this is time of year we choose to make resolutions for the year.
This is not the most ideal time of year for weather, given the colder temperatures, the rain and the snow as compared to the weather patterns of May to September. This can make starting, or sticking to, fitness goals very difficult.
Patients often ask me what do I do to stay healthy in the new year?
For myself, nutrition is primary. The winter months, grey skies and dreary weather makes easy to seek out comfort food. I work on consistently having breakfast, and packing healthy snacks, especially during the workweek. This supports good nutrition for the majority of the week.
I also try to incorporate activities (I didn’t say exercise), which embrace the winter weather. For instance, getting out to play hockey with friends, taking a walk or run in the snow, shoveling my driveway, skiing, pulling my children on a sled or tobogganing. I try to make the activities fun and involve the people I want to spend time with. When I enjoy what I am doing, I never want to stop and when I am finished, I am planning or looking forward to the time I can enjoy that activity again.
This time of year is definitely the most challenging to remain devoted to our healthy resolutions but it certainly can be made easier if we plan ahead, involve others and make sure we’re having fun with it.