As we move into the Winter season, it’s important to continue looking after your mind and body. While it can be tempting to cut back on exercise and indulge in extra hot chocolates or heavy casseroles when it’s cold out, your health regime can’t go completely out the window. Read on for a few things to remember over the coming weeks so that your body gets the treatment it deserves.

Body

Don’t let your body lose shape or condition this winter. Rain is not an excuse for a lack of exercise, and neither is the end of Daylight Savings! While going for a run or cycle might not be as easy in nasty weather, you can still hit the gym for a group fitness class or a personal training session. If you don’t feel like going out, you can do yoga or Pilates from home – there are tons of clips on YouTube if you don’t have a DVD. I like to make the most of any sunshine we do happen to get over Winter, so if there’s a rare nice day get out there and go for it! It can be lovely going for a brisk walk early in the mornings when the air is crisp – a great way to wake up your body and mentally prepare you for the day ahead.

Just as important as exercise is your diet. I love a cappuccino as much as the next woman, but I always make sure I don’t increase the amount I drink during the cold season. Moderation works well for your food intake, also. Don’t hugely up the amounts of carb-heavy meals or high-sugar snacks you’re eating. There are plenty of comforting, hot dinners you can have that are healthy and easy to make. Why not check out Jeremy Dixon’s Revive cookbooks? They have tons of vegetarian dishes which are packed with nutrition and protein and taste delicious! Another thing to try is swapping your white rice for brown rice, and normal pasta for wholegrain.

Skin

Cold weather can do horrible things to our skin. A big issue I’ve noticed over the years is that people cut back on their water intake over Winter, causing their skin to become dehydrated. While the sun might not be affecting your skin as much, you still need to be consuming around 1.5 litres of water a day to ensure it remains as hydrated and healthy as possible. Nothing looks or feels worse than dry, tired skin!

As well as drinking enough water, you must uphold a skincare routine. Some of you may need to visit your local beauty clinic and have your skin reassessed if it changes during Winter – maybe your skin becomes oilier, or is easily irritated. If you’re lucky enough to have a fairly consistent skin quality, don’t slack off on your morning and evening practice – cleanse, tone, moisturise. And don’t forget to exfoliate once or twice a week. On top of this, make sure you use light sunscreen each morning – you can still get burnt even when it’s grey outside!

Mind

Make sure your mind remains active and alive during Winter. Keep up your standard sleeping pattern of 7-8 hours a night. Yes, it is very tempting to roll over and go back to sleep when it’s thundering with rain, but any more than eight hours a night actually leaves you feeling more exhausted and drained. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, you need to set yourself a regular weekday time to stop work or whatever you’re doing and get ready for bed.

Keeping your brain alert and focussed means giving it some motivation, too. Read regularly – a magazine with breakfast or a chapter before bed is a good idea – do the crossword in the paper, or the Sudoku. Also allow your mind to have some time out where it doesn’t need to work quite so hard. Watch an episode of your favourite show or scroll through Instagram for a few minutes. Balance is key!