Thanks to Premier Protein and Fitfluential for sponsoring today’s post, as always all opinions are completely my own. Beating the winter blues:

Beating the Winter Blues

In the middle of a chilly winter, it can be hard to jump out of the slump of binge-watching TV and ordering delivery.  Being from New England, where the winters are long and the days are short, I can completely understand how easy it is to fall into the winter blues.  
Now I am in my first year as a Floridian and my body is trying to revert to its winter ways despite the 75 degree days.  So, staying active is something I must put a lot of effort into.  I’ve learned that the winter blues is more about a state of mind then the temperature outside.

Luckily, spring is right around the corner.  I know it may not feel like it in many areas, because from my Instagram feed I can see snow piles taller than cars, but it will be here before we know, trust me!  So why not get a jump start on feeling good in your clothes and having the energy to conquer each day.

Are you ready to get active and beat the winter blues so you’ll have a head start when spring finally blossoms?

These are my top tips for beating the winter blues

1. Get Outside!  I know it may be 20 degrees outside and your thinking “Why go outside when the air hurts my face” but getting fresh air and sunlight everyday can help lift your mood and give you energy.  Try making the most of the season by finding a winter activity to do with friends.  Go sledding, skiing, ice skating, or visit some winter attractions like the New Hampshire Ice Castles.
2. Stay active!  I usually completely fail at my exercise plan during the colder months and am then beating myself up over it once the birds start chirping in spring.  However, staying active is one of the best way to beat the winter slump.  Get some fun exercise videos for the cold days, join some fun workout classes, and whenever the weather lets you get out and walk.
3. Turn on some music!  When it is cold and yucky outside, most people revert to sitting on the couch with the TV on but what if you turned the TV off and turned some music on instead?  If you’re like me, it will get you in a completely different mindset and you may even find yourself dancing around the house cleaning.  Imagine having your spring cleaning done before all the snow melts?  That’s usually a goal for me, then once the season changes, I’m out at the park while my friends are cursing about cleaning on Facebook.
4. Pamper yourself!  Are you one of those girls who takes shaving off your to-do list once your shorts are packed up for the season?  Or was your last pedicure to get festive for the 4th of July?  You still need to take care of you in the cold months!  Yes, maybe the stubble and chipped toes won’t be front and center every time you step out the door, but just imagine how relaxing a nice bubble bath would feel in the middle of a cold day.  Tell your hubby your shaving your legs, lock that bathroom door and pamper yourself girl!  Put on a face mask, light the candles, and take care of you.
5. Eat right!  It is easy to binge on junk in the winter, when we can easily cover up with big sweaters and comfy sweatpants.  However, that just leaves us feeling more tired and cranky.  So, follow tip number 2 and stick to a work out plan and then make sure you are nourishing your body with lots of protein, veggies, and water.  Protein is one of the most important nutrients to incorporate into your diet.  It helps improve focus, maintain your weight, and even gives your metabolism a boost.  

The thing about nourishing our bodies is that there isn’t always time in our hectic schedules to make nutritious meals.  That’s why I rely on protein shakes to give me a huge helping vitamins and nutrients while I’m on the go.  Finding a delicious Protein shake can take some trial and error, and I have tried a lot of different brands.  One brand I hadn’t tried until recently was Premier Protein®, so when they offered to send me some of their Bananas & Cream shakes to try, i was excited to give them a go.  I could eat bananas all day long and my mind was instantly thinking about Banana Cream Pies. 

When I initially looked at the package I was impressed!  One shake has 30 grams of protein, only 160 calories and 3 grams of fat, and 1 gram of sugar.  Plus, it contains a large portion of 24 vitamins and mineral.  All the nutritional facts sounded great to me, based on just that I could see this being a staple in my kitchen.  But let’s face it, taste is what really matters.  If it had that bitter taste or worse that weird after taste that some brands have the box would have ended up in the trash.  We all want to eat healthy but very few of us will stick with it if it doesn’t taste good.
Well, GUESS WHAT!?  This shake tasted just like bananas!  I’m now obsessed, it is a staple in my kitchen and is helping me stay on track with my weight loss goals.  I drink one every day after my morning workout and it keeps my hunger pains away till lunch.

 

You can learn more about Premier Protein Bananas & Cream here.
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