Tips to reinvigorate your fitness goals during the cold winter months

Don’t give up on yourself. For a lot of people when the weather gets colder, it becomes easy to not uphold promises to themselves such as being more active. The warm blankets are just too warm and the cold air just too cold, so you convince yourself it’s fine to quit.

Don’t do that.

Even if you gave up your fitness goals in February or right after you made fitness your New Year’s resolution, you can still get back to it. You’re alive. You have today and that’s a lot.

Life is often that simple. If you don’t know where to start, there’s plenty of people who can help. The first one is Themba Ndlovu, the Clere For Men brand manager. 

Below, Ndlovu shares several tips and tricks you can use to reinvigorate your fitness goals to help you get back on track:

Set specific goals: The first step is to set specific, measurable and achievable goals. Instead of saying you want to “get fit”, set a specific goal like “run a 5km in under 30 minutes” or “do 10 pull-ups”. This will help you track your progress and give you something specific to work towards.

Find a workout buddy: Having a workout buddy can make a huge difference in your motivation and accountability. Find someone who shares your fitness goals and can help keep you on track. You can work out together, share progress updates and motivate each other when things get tough.

Switch up your routine: Doing the same workout day in and day out can get boring and lead to a lack of motivation. Try mixing up your routine by adding new exercises, trying a spinning class, or doing a different form of exercise altogether. This can help keep things fresh and exciting.

Try a challenge: Setting a fitness challenge for yourself can be a great way to reinvigorate your fitness goals. Try something like a 30-day plank challenge, a 100-pushup challenge, or a 10,000-step challenge. This can help you stay motivated and give you a sense of accomplishment when you complete the challenge.

Get proper sleep: Sleep is crucial for maintaining good health and achieving fitness goals. Lack of sleep can lead to fatigue, decreased motivation and poor performance during workouts. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night to ensure your body has the rest it needs to function properly.

Reward yourself: Don’t forget to reward yourself for your hard work. Set up a reward system for yourself when you hit certain fitness milestones. Treat yourself to a delicious meal, new workout gear, or a night out with friends. This can help you stay motivated and give you something to look forward to.

Look after your skin: Taking care of your skin is important for several reasons. Firstly, healthy skin can help boost your self-confidence and make you feel good about yourself. Secondly, healthy skin can help prevent skin damage and premature ageing. Plus, taking care of your skin can help reinvigorate your fitness goals by improving your overall health and wellness. Moisturising your skin regularly can help prevent dryness, flakiness, and wrinkles. Use a moisturiser that’s suitable for your skin type and apply it at least twice a day.

One last tip, which is from me, is to have a reward meal for yourself. My love language is food, so I have to chip in for my fellow foodies. In this cold weather, a hearty warm meal that suits your fitness purposes and doctor’s orders would be best. I’m currently in favour of this fish curry by Ann Nagan’s mother Sandra. Ann Nagan is the Durban campus head of Capsicum Culinary Studio and she shared her mom’s recipe with us. You can try out the recipe below, don’t worry… you’ll work it off anyway!

Sandra Nagan’s South Indian Fish Curry

Ingredients

1 tbs vegetable oil

1 large onion, diced                  

6 green chillies, sliced down the middle

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tbs Kashmiri masala

1½ tbs fish masala

8-10 ripe tomatoes

4 cloves garlic, sliced in half

2 stem curry leaves

4 tbsp black tamarind, soaked in hot water

2kgs fresh fish (salmon is especially good)

A few small brinjals, chopped (optional)

Salt to taste

Method

Soak the tomatoes in hot water until the skin starts to come off, then remove and puree in a food processor. Add just enough oil to cover the base of a flat bottom pot and heat. Add mustard seeds and allow to fry. Add diced onions, green chillies and curry leaves.

Once onions are translucent, add the sliced garlic and masala spices. Mix well and allow to braise for a few minutes before adding the pureed tomatoes and salt to taste. Allow to simmer on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. Mix tamarind in a little hot water then strain into the mixture.

Reduce heat to low and allow to cook for an additional 8 to 10 minutes before adding the fish and brinjals, making sure you don’t break the fish. Swirl gravy around but do not mix. Reduce the heat and allow to cook for another 10 minutes or until gravy thickens and fish is cooked through. Garnish with coriander and serve with rice, bread or roti.