It is cold and it is easy to be lazy and eat comfort food in the winter. Remember that starting today; the days are going to start getting longer! But that doesn’t help when you feel unmotivated to exercise in the cold, dark winter. Join a gym.

Winter Weight gain is very common; most people add a few pounds. Thirty percent of people in the US don’t exercise in the winter.  Be committed to a healthy life style, it is the only way to lose or maintain you weight. Diet and exercise (and motivation) are the answer to staying healthy and fit in the winter.

Working out inside, with a welcoming environment, with a variety of options from cardio machines to group exercise classes makes it much easier to exercise in the winter.

Try out our free 30 day pass, if you are not sure of your commitment. You will see a difference in your motivation to get up and exercise when you are welcomed as you arrive, greeted as you enter class, and make friends with fellow exercisers.

Contact Answer is Fitness in your area for a free 30 day pass.

So many people buy new sneakers for their work out and then a week later find that the shoe isn’t performing right, or their feet or knees hurt. Here are a few tips to think about when you are looking for the perfect sneakers from the personal trainers at Answer is Fitness.
 
First, be sure you are looking for the right sneakers for the right activity. If you are looking for cross training shoes, inspect the treads. Unlike the waffle-pattern on running shoes, many cross trainers have a spot like a bull's-eye under the ball of the foot. This helps with pivoting and they grip the floor better for side-to-side motion. Running shoes work fine on cardio machines, but if most of your gym time is spent in classes, buy the cross-trainers.

For walking shoes, look for a rounded heel. The heel is usually more beveled than  running shoes which helps with the heel-to-toe push-off of walking. However, if you’re a combo walker and jogger, you should get running-specific sneakers.

Now, if you are looking for running shoes, check out the color of the foam on the side. Generally, the more gray-tinted foam there is near the arch, the more motion support the sneaker gives you. However, if you have high arches and need extra cushioning, pick gray-free ones.

Trail runners, should avoid white sneakers because those made for trail running mostly come in gray or dark colors and have knobbier treads than those for on-road running.

Also keep in mind that in walking or running shoes, your toes should be a thumb's width away from the tip of the sneaker. However, cross-trainers should fit more snugly, with your toes as close to the tip as possible without feeling scrunched.