This post is part of Indespension’s Get Out There campaign, encouraging people to make the most of the great British outdoors – whatever the weather!
Winter can keep us clinging to the warmth of the indoors at the expense of our usual, more active hobbies, and unfortunately this is one of the major reasons most of us gain more than a few extra pounds at this time of year! However, there is some good news: just because it’s starting to get chilly and dark outside doesn’t mean that all outdoor activities are out of the question.
If your family is outdoorsy at heart, taking a few simple precautions will ensure that you’ll be aptly prepared for the winter chill, and you can still spend time together making the most of the countryside and the activities on offer. Here’s a list of the five most important tips to bear in mind to keep your temperature high and your spirits even higher during the colder season.
1. Layer Up One thing we’ve all been guilty of at times is underestimating the sheer power of cold weather to penetrate our clothing and make us shiver, no matter how warm the outfit might have initially looked. Make sure you and your family are well-equipped with multiple layers every time you go outside, which will help keep precious heat in your body – but you can always take some off if your outdoors activity keeps you warmer than you might have expected.
2. Useful Winter Extras
Woolly items like hats, gloves, and scarves all help retain heat in the areas that can be left exposed with regular outerwear like coats and jumpers. This includes sport-specific items and equipment too, of course. If you’re planning to go camping, pack undersheets for your sleeping bags, and if you have a wave-surfing daredevil in your midst, don’t forget wetsuits, towels and changes of dry clothes. Taking the time to fully prepare and ‘wooly up’ for an outdoor escapade may seem tedious, but it pays off in the end, not least when you’re drawing jealous glances from other less-prepared outdoors adventurers.
3. Go Calorific Here’s a step I’m sure we can all savour: eating calorie-dense foods with high fat content will help your body retain heat while outdoors. When your metabolism breaks down food for fuel, it generates heat inside the body which is, of course, a great thing when you’re braving colder climes. For a healthy way of boosting your calorie intake, nuts are the perfect choice, as they’re packed with healthy fatty acids that will provide long-lasting heat and sustenance.
4. Drink Warm Drinks (And Water)
As Brits, we normally don’t need an excuse to drink hot drinks such as tea or coffee, which makes it cause for cheer that during Winter, these are the best possible warming options! By taking a thermos flask on any outdoor escapades, you’re equipped with some ‘heat-on-demand’ for any flagging family members. While a hot drink provides a little boost of heat from the inside, don’t forget to drink plenty of water either. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean that your body won’t get dehydrated during sports or activities, and drinking adequate water has been shown to improve physical performance by over 10%, which will serve your family well in the adrenaline-packed fun of winter sports.
5. Keep Active Last but not least, the most fun part; staying active outdoors. Once all the other steps are in check, you’ll be well-equipped to do the great outdoor activities you enjoy most. And even better news; by doing so, you’ll be keeping much warmer than if you were to just stand still shivering! So, what’s the best way to go about getting a good dose of winter activity? By playing some winter sports, of course! The Get Out There campaign is all about trying some new activities, be they hiking, mountain biking, or camping. You could even take to the water and go sailing, kayaking, or windsurfing… You just might need to pack a wetsuit!
In Collaboration With Indespension
I knew there was a science behind me eating more cakes :))) lol x
Woo hoo I can now justify another piece of cake!!