1- Avoid Injury
There is no doubt that our body gets tighter in winter. This happens for a couple of reasons. One, we are busy trying to stay warn and this can create tension on the muscles, causing tightness. We also tend to not drink enough water in winter, this also contributes to tightness of the muscles and joints. When our bodies are tight, this inhibits mobility around the joints that can lead to injury. A well-stretched and hydrated body in winter will help keep you safe from muscular tears and potential joint problems.
2 – Avoid Winter Weight Gain
We all love a good stew in winter and snuggling up on the lounge with a blanket is great at the end of the day, however it is very easy to put on weight over this period due to too much food and too little exercise. That glass of wine will cost you 30-minutes of Pilates, 2 cubes of cheese will be another 30-minutes, and that hot chocolate? A full hour of Pilates is what you need to work that off.
3 – Beat The Winter Blues
It is not uncommon to get the winter blues, especially for us Queenslanders who are so used to the sunshine, the shorter days can create havoc with our mental wellbeing. A daily workout releases feel-good, de-stress brain chemicals, gives you a break from the daily grind and helps ease depression. “After at least 10 minutes of exercise, the brain releases “feel-good” chemicals serotonin and dopamine, which can help to reduce anxiety and depression while boosting wellbeing,” and we all want some of those special chemicals floating around in our body.
4 – Strengthen The Immune System
Research has shown time and again that regular exercise strengthens your immune system so it can fight off bacterial and viral infections. This becomes particularly important in winter when colds and flu rear their ugly heads.
When you exercise and get your blood pumping, immune cells circulate through your body more quickly helping them seek and destroy infections. But this boost only lasts for a few hours, so exercise needs to be regular for long-term effects.
