How many times have we all heard that exercising boosts ENERGY?!

This is especially helpful in the winter when days are short and it’s easy to get the energy-draining blues. Tammy loves to go for a run in the crisp air after she drops her daughters at school in the morning. It’s refreshing and invigorating and wakes her up, even if she’s had a rough night of sleep with her daughters keeping her up a lot of the night.

Just remember, even though you may not sweat as much as you do in the summer if you’re exercising outside, it’s still just as important to stay hydrated (another thing that is critical to do when it comes to keeping ENERGY levels high!). One of the biggest nutrition mistakes made by those who exercise in the winter is not drinking enough. Be careful not to drink beverages that are too cold during outdoor activities in the winter as it could lower your body temperature too much.

No matter whether we go for walks, a run, or bike rides outside in the winter, we are sure to stay hydrated. If we’re not running (it’s too difficult for us to hold a thermos when we run), we love to bring a thermos filled with a hot beverage such as tea with honey or cider. These beverages offer a few calories and some sugar, important for strenuous exercise, and enough water to keep our cells hydrated and working properly. Their warmth keeps us warm from the inside out so we can stand to be outside on those ultra-cold days! (Well not always, but most of the time !)

Do you exercise outside in the winter? Do you bring a warm beverage? How do you stay warm and hydrated?

image from janespice.com