ARTICLE
Top Ways To Stay Fit, Healthy And Happy This Winter
August 1, 2025-3 min read
Staying active, eating well and keeping your mind in check can make winter feel a lot healthier and happier, even when it is cold and grey outside. The article shares simple ways to keep moving, eat better, stay motivated and lift your mood without giving up the occasional comfort treat.
Key takeaways from this article
Keep exercising through winter to boost endorphins, sleep and overall wellbeing.
Choose hearty meals like soups and stews that are comforting without being unhealthy.
Set small daily goals, like steps or water intake, to stay on track and motivated.
Use music, singing or a dance session to lift your mood when you are stuck indoors.
Jon Unal recommends gratitude, stretching, water and 20 minutes of mindfulness each morning.
While grey skies and chilly temperatures might be forcing you indoors at this time of year, it can also be a great time to reset your fitness goals and turn the focus on you. Here’s how to use the winter months to optimise your overall health and wellbeing (in a fun way), while still treating yourself to a hot chocolate or two. Life is meant to be enjoyed, after all.
#1 Keep up with your fitness routine
Exercising and staying active is the key to a healthy life, regardless of the season. Any daily exercise has the same impact – it releases endorphins. “Endorphins help us feel happier, sleep better and clear the mental funk we can get into,” says mindfulness and mindset coach and psychotherapist Jon Unal. “The highest performers on the planet work out at least 3–4 times per week. So if you’re not doing this, you’re doing a disservice to yourself, as well as to your mental health and wellbeing.” Keep active in the comfort of your own home with the BH Fitness I. Pixel Program Bike.
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BH Fitness I. Pixel Program Bike
#2 Maintain a healthy diet
Winter is all about comfort food. But it doesn’t have to be high in calories (although indulging every now and then will help keep the cravings at bay). Slow-cooked soups, stews and curries are all hearty but healthy dishes you can cook at home.
Chicken and vegetable soups are always great for winter, and stews using less fatty meats, such as chuck steak and chicken breast, are also a great option. Adding hidden veggies to bolognese and smoothies is a great way to pack more into your diet. Add carrot, mushrooms and zucchini to pasta sauce, and spinach, chia and flaxseeds for smoothies.
Cook slow, fast and everything in between in the Russell Hobbs Express Chef 6L Multicooker. Create smoothies with in-season kiwis, oranges, passionfruit and berries with the NUTRIBULLET Mega Pack 900 Watt.
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NUTRIBULLET Mega Pack 900 Watt
#3 Set achievable daily goals
From nailing 10,000 steps a day to moving enough to burn 200 calories, setting small daily goals can help you stay on track and lift your mood.
“It can be as simple as a morning routine,” Jon Unal says. “Every morning I do three things: I start with gratitude, then I do some physical activity – I stretch to open up my body – drink at least half a litre of water, and practise 20 minute of mindfulness.
“If you’re busy in the morning, my tip is to become more intentional and focus on how you’re showing up in each moment. Having a meaningful conversation with your kids or partner can be very helpful because we all need connection, and connection doesn’t happen when your mind is off somewhere else.”
A fitness tracker can support your daily goals, tracking your walking and/or running pace, daily steps and kilojoules burnt, and it will even remind you to get moving when you’ve been sitting too long.
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Fitbit Versa 3 Black/Black Aluminium
Garmin Vivomove 3S Watch Sml (Rose Gold-Sand)
Withings Scanwatch 38mm - Rose Gold
“"From nailing 10,000 steps a day to moving enough to burn 200 calories, setting small daily goals can help you stay on track and lift your mood"
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#4 Practise mindfulness
Mindfulness has swept the world as the benefits of staying present and paying attention to your emotions and thoughts have been found to potentially have a positive impact on mental health.
What’s mindfulness? It’s as simple as doing a 5–10 minute meditation in the morning, before bed or whenever works best for you, journaling and practising gratitude (writing down 3–5 things you’re grateful for).
“Mindfulness is the gym for your mind. It helps you to stay in the present moment where you can take charge of your life and decide how you want to live,” says Jon Unal.
“Your mind is a tool you can use to get what you want in life. But for a lot of people, including myself at times, the mind becomes the master and it runs our lives. Mindfulness allows us to take control.”
Jon recommends the meditation apps Insight Timer, Headspace and Smiling Mind – all of which feature guided meditations for beginners to experts. Load them on a tablet, which also lets you journal your thoughts and feelings.
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Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 Wi-Fi 64GB - Grey
Lenovo Tab M8 8" (2nd Gen) 32GB Tablet
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#5 Improve your mood with music
Let loose with a boogie or even sing your favourite tunes when you’re stuck inside on rainy days. Grab a portable speaker so you’ll have awesome sound quality wherever you are. Plus, it’s waterproof.
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Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 - Grey
Ultimate Ears BOOM 3 - Night Black
Get ready for your happiest and healthiest winter yet with tech, and grab your essentials to stay fit, happy and healthy by visiting The Good Guys in-store or online for everything you need.
