Beat the winter health wreckers; 20 tips for staying fit and healthy, even when no one else is

Ben Kallen

It happens every year around this time: Woolen clothes start appearing everywhere, wooden sitcoms start dropping from network schedules, and everyone in your general vicinity enters that prehibernation mode, storing up extra body fat for the frozen months ahead. They guzzle calorie-rich foods and drinks, cocoon in the evenings because it's too cold and dark to go running or biking, and skip workouts because there just isn't enough time for them in days that are already jam-packed. By the time the new year rolls around, they feel compelled to make resolutions about regaining the fitness they've just squandered.

You, of course, don't want to be like that--not this year, at any rate. But faced with all the peer pressures, time pressures and family pressures of the fall and winter seasons, how exactly can you stand up to this onslaught of yule hogs and keep your training habits on track? Follow our 20 suggestions, and you'll keep your own fitness ethic going while the people around you are finding reasons to lose theirs.

HEALTH WRECKER: Slowing Down

1 KEEP PUMPING.

What the other guys do: Without realizing it, they start skipping workouts (or stop exercising entirely) in the fall, then struggle to get back in condition in January, devoting the first three months of the year to regaining their preholiday condition.

What you'll do: Decide now that you aren't going to turn into a slob just because it isn't shirt-off season. Make steadfast rules for when you're going to hit the gym or hop on your home equipment, and stick to them. If you end up missing a session for any reason, make it up immediately.

The benefits: It's easier to stick to a fitness program than it is to start up again after months of inactivity; and you'll start the new year improving on an already tight physique.

2 DON'T STAND STILL FOR TIME.

What the other guys do: Suddenly discover that in the midst of holidays, family visits, vacations and other time devourers, they simply can't squeeze in that day's workout.

What you'll do: Make a schedule for the next few months that includes all your work, home and family obligations, and pencil in exercise sessions just like any other appointment. If you have to, go on a "maintenance" schedule: Work out, say, three times a week instead of five so that while you may not build new strength, you won't be losing ground, either.

The benefits: You won't be tempted to fall out of the habit of exercising after missing a workout or two.

3 MOVE IT OUTSIDE.

What the other guys do: Stop their usual outdoor-exercise routines due to bad weather.

What you'll do: Get into cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or other winter activities. Learn to appreciate winter power walking.

The benefits: These are great leg and cardiovascular workouts, burning as much as 800 calories per hour--and they may also allow you to buy groceries in a blizzard.

4 TRAVEL RIGHT.

What the other guys do: Put their entire workout routines to rest when they go on vacation or visit the family. What you'll do: Stay in a hotel with a well-stocked gym--and use it. If that's not possible, switch to a calisthenics routine of push-ups and crunches (see "Push-Up Intensity" on page 58). Pack a jump rope and exercise bands to make it more effective.

The benefits: You'll keep your training on track with an easy-to-do maintenance plan, and lessen the risk of jet lag and stiffness from traveling.

5 PROTECT YOUR FLUID CONTENT.

What the other guys do: Become dehydrated because they don't feel thirsty.

What you'll do: Remember to drink plenty of water all day long, and especially before and during workouts.

The benefits: Everyone realizes that you need plenty of [H.sub.2]O to perform well in the summertime, but a lot of guys forget the same applies when the weather turns cold. Since dry, heated indoor air can be even more dehydrating than warm sunshine, drinking enough is still a must.

HEALTH WRECKER: Pigging Out

6 EAT HOT AND HEALTHY.

What the other guys do: Throw their nutritional guidelines to the winds and chomp down on platefuls of macaroni, mashed potatoes and other comfort foods to get them through the chill of winter.

What you'll do: When you want something hot and comforting, start your meal with a bowl of chicken-vegetable soup.

The benefits: Not only does chicken soup contain proven illness-fighting chemicals, a study at Penn State University found that people who ate it as an appetizer consumed fewer calories over the entire meal.

7 GO FOR NUTS.

What the other guys do: At parties or office gatherings, graze on large amounts of baked goods, candies and chips.

What you'll do: Grab a handful of mixed nuts and nosh on them slowly. You will not, however, go back and eat the entire serving plate.

The benefits: Nuts are loaded with protein and healthy fats, and tests have found that they make you fuller and less likely to overconsume later on.

8 DRINK LIGHTER.

What the other guys do: Use up half a day's supply of calories and saturated fat on two glasses of eggnog, cream liquor or sweetened martinis.

What you'll do: If you're going to drink alcohol, make it a real drink, not a dessert in a glass--preferably antioxidant-rich red wine or dark beer. Don't overimbibe, and sip a glass of water between each shot of booze, which will help keep you hydrated (dehydration from alcohol can slow fat metabolism).

The benefits: Significantly fewer calories, reduced hangover risk, and less chance that you'll accidentally call the boss by the nickname everyone uses behind his back.

9 SIP SOMETHING TO CONTROL CRAVINGS.

What the other guys do: Give in to their pangs for empty-calorie snacks they wouldn't touch during warmer months.

What you'll do: When you get a yen for something you know you shouldn't have, occupy yourself with a hot beverage.

The benefits: A cup of java, green tea or low-sugar cocoa will help keep you warm on a cold day--and will also keep you busy for the 20 minutes or so nutritionists say it takes for a food craving to pass.

10 AVOID OVERFILL.

What the other guys do: Go out to eat with friends and family; profess to be surprised by the restaurant's huge portions but devour the whole plate anyway.

What you'll do: Knowing that many establishments serve Shrek-size meals these days, order yourself a low-fat appetizer or two, or offer to split a salad and entree with someone else.

The benefits: You eat less, pay less, and don't end up with leftovers that will just sit in your fridge for a month.

HEALTH WRECKER: Feeling Ill

11 KEEP YOUR HANDS CLEAN.

What the other guys do: Shake hands with some local Typhoid Marty, catch his cold or flu, and set back their fitness routines for days or weeks of recovery.

What you'll do: Wash your hands well with hot water and soap, especially before touching your own eyes, nose or mouth if you've just touched any person or public object that could be infected. Use a moisturizer to keep your digits from drying out after all that washing. Of course, we're talking about rational behavior, not obsessional cleansing.

The benefits: Since viruses are often transmitted by touch, keeping your hands clean may be the single best thing you can do to avoid getting sick.

12 WORK TOWARD IMMUNITY.

What the other guys do: Further weaken their immune systems by giving up on exercise during cold season.

What you'll do: Get plenty of moderate cardio.

The benefits: A recent study at the University of South Carolina in Columbia found that adults who get regular moderate exercise have significantly fewer colds. If you already have a cold, moderate exercise probably won't make it worse, but consult your doctor if you have possible flu symptoms such as fever, muscle aches or heavy coughing.

13 GET HEALTHY SHUT-EYE.

What the other guys do: Miss out on needed sleep as stress and time demands grow, resulting in fewer virus-fighting "natural killer" immune cells.

What you'll do: Go to sleep and wake up at about the same time every day, and don't eat heavy food or drink alcohol within a few hours of bedtime.

The benefits: Maintaining a consistent sleep/wake cycle and avoiding lots of food or alcohol before bed are key to preventing insomnia.

14 VEG IT UP.

What the other guys do: Consume more junk and fewer vegetables at a time when they most need better nutrition. What you'll do: Eat plenty of carotenoid-laden vegetables, including winter squash, carrots and even pumpkin.

The benefits: According to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report, a diet high in carotenoids can raise your immune-cell count by a third, which will help ward off illness and keep your fitness level intact.

15 BREATHE EASIER.

What the other guys do: Choke on indoor air.

What you'll do: Get a high-quality air cleaner with a "HEPA" filter (approximately $100 to $200) for your home; vacuum often; make sure your heating ducts are clean; and open some windows to air out your place whenever the weather permits it.

The benefits: What seems like winter cold symptoms can often be allergic reactions to dust and fungus in stale, heated indoor air. (If you experience flulike symptoms when you start using a gas heater or fireplace, have them checked out right away--you might have carbon-monoxide poisoning.)

HEALTH WRECKER: Losing Energy

16 FEAST LIGHTLY.

What the other guys do: Stuff themselves at meals, either because it's a special holiday gluttonfest or because Grandma's piling food on the plates faster than they can keep up with it, and end up too logy to do anything afterward but lie on the couch for a few hours.

What you'll do: Plot your strategy early: Eat the healthiest foods first, then nibble on the treats. Hold off on seconds by saying you're full, but that you'd love to take some leftovers home.

The benefits: Pace yourself and you won't end up feeling like a canned lox. You'll also prevent the artery damage that can result from overeating fatty foods.

17 SOAK UP THE SUN.

What the other guys do: Get the cloudyday blues.

What you'll do: Go out in the sunshine every day, especially in the morning. If there isn't any to be found, consider using a light-therapy lamp (available from Web sites and healthy-gadget stores).

The benefits: You've probably heard of seasonal affective disorder, a general lethargy and low-grade depression thought to be caused by diminished sunlight during the fall and winter months. But even a single day without sunshine may affect your mood: In a study at Wagner College in Staten Island, N.Y., students were found to have almost four times more anxiety and irritability on cloudy days. Just a few daily minutes of real or artificial sunshine may give you a much-needed boost throughout the winter. (For more on SAD, see "Winter Blues" in next month's issue of MEN'S FITNESS.)

18 REST UP ON VACATION.

What the other guys do: Take a vacation to "relax," and come back more exhausted than they were before their time off.

What you'll do: Plan to keep up your regular health habits when you're away. Get plenty of sleep both before and during the trip; pack comfortable clothes and a good pillow; stay in a quiet place away from busy streets; and allow yourself a recovery day before returning to work. As soon as possible after arriving at your destination, get in a workout, which will help you get over your jet lag quickly.

The benefits: One recent study found that more than half of American adults feel fired when they return from a trip. If you plan your vacation carefully, you can make sure it's rejuvenating rather than exhausting.

19 HALT WORK HASSLES.

What the other guys do: Overdose on year-end work stress.

What you'll do: Prioritize all your projects so you get the most important things done first. Take care of the majority of your work early in the day, when you and your colleagues have the most energy and the fewest distractions.

The benefits: Factoring year-end deadlines--as well as parties, vacations and distracted coworkers--into your planning can prevent a lot of headaches.

20 SELECT YOUR SIDE EFFECTS.

What the other guys do: Take cold remedies loaded with antihistamines, caffeine, or other ingredients that knock them out during the day or keep them awake at night.

What you'll do: Instead of popping a multisymptom remedy whenever you get the sniffles, only take what you need to function until the virus leaves your system. Drink plenty of water to help flush out toxins.

The benefits: With some experimentation you can find a remedy that helps blunt your symptoms without adding to them.

Of course, your buddies may deride you for attempting to stay healthy, happy and fit this time of year while they go down that long road toward gluttony and sloth. But in January, when you're still a hardbodied bundle of pep and they're just starting to lug their pudgified selves back to the gym, you'll have too much class to mention it--too often, anyway.

Note: If you're looking for a great training, nutrition and stretching program especially designed for this time of year, go to "Turn Holiday Calories Into Muscle" on page 80.

Senior Writer Ben Kallen would like you to pass him a sweet potato.

COPYRIGHT 2002 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group