According to my Fitbit, I walked over 30,000 steps on Saturday and let me tell you… I felt it on Sunday. While every inch of my body might have been tired, it was a good tired. Camping is always a good kind of tired. You’re drunk on fresh air and nature, the sun has fueled you the entire day, and technology is far enough away that you don’t feel the constant pull of its various forms.
I really do enjoy our camping trips. 
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I haven’t done a What I Ate Wednesday post in a few months and I thought it would be fun to share a day of camp eats with you! A lot of people (myself included a few years ago) think that camp food revolves around a few main staples. Grilled meat, big pots of chili, sandwiches, and s’mores. Sure, those are all easy and great camping meals, but you can cook SO much more outdoors. Plus, everything tastes just a little better when it’s kissed by a smoky campfire. 
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“I also think it’s pointless for a human to paint scenes of nature when they can go outside and stand in it.” – Ron Swanson
Pictures of nature are nice, but I kind of agree with Ron. Go outside. Seriously. It will do you a world of good. Adam and I spend the weekend at Rock Cut State Park in Rockford, IL and it was just delightful! 
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This past week I’ve been in Hoffman Estates dog-sitting Bronson. The weather has been ABSOLUTELY gorgeous and it feels like summer. I love it. Right near my sister and brother-in-law’s place is a forest preserve and every time I drive by it I think, “I should take Bronson over there and go for a walk.”
Well, on Saturday Adam came out here and we decided a hike in the forest preserve would be a great way to spend the day. It was beautiful, sunny, and Bronson was ready to go.
Winter is the perfect combination of situations to keep you from being active. It’s cold and possibly snowy where you live, the days are shorter and it gets dark by 4 pm. Plus there are a slew of holidays that take up your time and energy leaving you feeling exhausted by the end of the day. It’s so easy to abandon your normal healthy activities and do what you can to keep up with everything. Even once the holidays are over, the weather makes you want to wrap up in a blanket and never leave your couch.
While it is so tempting to put your workouts on hold during these months, it’s really important to keep up with your exercise during this time. Taking too long of a break will make it that much harder to jump back on the wagon come spring time. The winter months are a good time to switch your exercises routine up and keep up with your health. Here are a few tips to keep you moving during the cold and dreary months of winter.
Change it up
If you have been running outside or doing other outdoor activities, it might be a little more difficult to keep up with them during the winter. While you still can workout outside (I might have been the crazy person running in sub-zero temps last winter….) this is a great time to try something new. Many gyms are offering new classes as well as discounted deals at this time of year. Some gyms even allow you to try out a new class for a low price so you can check out a few and see what you like before spending a lot of money. If you don’t want to spend any money, check out online workouts. I am a huge fan of Fitness Blender. They are a husband and wife team that offer hundreds of free workouts on YouTube. They have all different types of workouts for all fitness levels. Either way, there are plenty of indoor activities you can do to keep you out of the harsh weather.
Grab a buddy
Look at how happy winter and working out with a friend makes you!
One of the most popular resolutions at this time of year is to be healthier. If you have a friend who made this resolution, invite them along to your workouts. This not only helps them with their goals, but it can keep you accountable as well. Now you have someone relying on you and that makes you much more likely to go and do your workout. Plus it’s more fun to have someone working out with you!
Have winter fun
There are a lot of winter activities that are great workouts. Sledding, skating, skiing, even building a snowman! Instead of fighting the elements, get out there and enjoy them. These are some fun ways to burn some calories, keep up your fitness level, and try some new things.
Schedule it
This isn’t just a winter time tip, I think you should do this all year long. This is one of my number one pieces of advice when it comes to getting yourself to a workout. Schedule it and put it on your calendar. You are more likely to do your workout if it’s already in your plans like anything else during your day.
It isn’t impossible to keep working out during the winter, you just have to be conscious to make the effort. Yes, it can be a little tougher to leave your warm bed when the weather is frightful, but exercise offers so many benefits that can help you get through these long months. It boosts your mood and energy, keeps you fit, and makes you feel better overall. Those are all great reasons to get out there and get active!
Life Healthfully Lived 