LenDentonThrive Letter #38

Thriving Through Winter

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LenDentonThrive Letter #38

Welcome to the LenDentonThrive Letter!

My mission is to help guys over 50 to build their ThriveLives!

Is this year’s tough winter weather putting a crimp in your fitness routine? In this edition of the LenDentonThrive Letter I’ll share a few suggestions and personal practices that can help you winter-proof your daily health and fitness routines, and keep you on-track to your ThriveLife.

Thriving Through the Winter

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve reached out to several of my friends across North America. The story seems to be the same everywhere - ice, snow, freezing temperatures. We’re all having a tough Winter.

This kind of weather can have a really negative impact on your personal health and fitness routines. I prefer to walk outdoors and the chilly temps have made it difficult to do that over the last couple of weeks. And, those same chilly temps have made lifting weights in my garage a problem as well.

So, I’ve shifted my daily fitness strategy to compensate for the bad weather. I’ll share a few tips and suggestions below that you might find helpful to winterize your daily routines.

Focus on Eating Smarter

When your workout routines are being negatively impacted, one of the best things you can do to compensate is to focus on your eating. Your diet is the most powerful lever you have to control your weight and body fat. By focusing on Eating Smarter, you’ll avoid unnecessary calories, which takes pressure off of your need to workout. So, when your workouts are being curtailed for any reason (bad weather, illness, travel, etc.), double-down on Eating Smarter.

Also, consider eating more protein and healthy fats during cold weather to help manage your appetite. Click here to learn more about Eating Smarter.

Bring Your Cardio Indoors

If you’re like me, you spend a lot of time doing cardio outdoors (walking, running, etc.). When bad weather arrives, here are two ways to keep your pace up as the temperatures go down.

First, have an indoor location that you can move to for walking or running. One of my favorite ways to do this has been to go to my local recreation center, where I can use their indoor walking/running track. It costs a few bucks a month to belong to The Rec, but its worth the price.

Second, consider buying a treadmill or exercise bike for your home. This is a great way to get some cardio when its too cold to go outside. I did this a few years ago and I’ve enjoyed having it available whenever I’ve needed a Plan B. A quick survey of Amazon.com showed several models available for $300.00 or less. If you live in a perpetually cold place, this seems like a great investment in your health.

Bodyweight Exercise

If you get frozen out of your gym or garage-based weight room, consider doing strength training with bodyweight exercises. Bodyweight exercise is a great way to train when you don’t have access to your usual weight-training. Lots of guys (including me) use bodyweight exercise as a primary form of strength training, supplimenting it with barbells. So, whether its your Plan A or Plan B, bodyweight exercises are a great tool to have in your strength training toolbox.

In Closing

The ThriveLife is a sustainable, healthy lifestyle built on healthy daily practices. With a little planning and resourcefulness, you can winterize your daily fitness routines so you won’t miss a step when the weather turns bad.

Smart, not harder!

Thanks for your time and attention.

Thrive and prosper,

Len

I write this newsletter hoping to make a positive impact on the lives of Over-50 Guys and and their families. If you found this information useful, please consider subscribing to receive new editions each week.

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