5 Health and Fitness Experts on the One Thing You Can Do Now to Reverse Your Winter Bod
Haha...yeah.
According to Classical Adlerian psychotherapy, one of the final steps of self-actualization is coming to accept that bloating can be chronic and that the winter bod is actually a year-round occurrence. This may sound tragic, but in the course of a lifetime, would you rather fulfill your highest potential or die hot? (Hmm...)
Luckily, you're a girl who can do both, so while you work on figuring out why you exist, we—with the help of 5 health and fitness pros—have the other half covered. Better yet, covered in an "if you do one thing" format, because we know extreme moderation (heh) is the key to not rage-quitting.
"Even if you never have before, you'll start reaping the benefits immediately. It's the most efficient exercise going. It attacks cardiovascular and muscle endurance at the same time. Ten minutes of jumping rope is equal to 30 minutes of running. Once you have mastered the basic jump, get an AEROJUMP program going. AEROJUMP takes the jump rope to a whole other level. It's still completely doable, but the benefits are even more elevated than regular jump rope." — Leila Fazel, cofounder of AEROSPACE High Performance Center
Literally Get Up
"Sweat every day. Keep it simple. Schedule a walk or a run into your day. Bundle up and get outside. Just move! Make this a part of your daily routine and watch as one good habit helps you start to develop a better lifestyle." —Ava Fitzgerald, CSCS, CPT, Sports Performance Coach at the Professional Athletic Performance Center
No, Seriously—Do Anything to Stop Sitting (They Were Very Adamant About This)
"There are plenty of ways to keep yourself active without hitting the track. For example, opt for a standing desk—studies show you'll burn an extra 170 calories per day. Avoid the elevator rush and hit the stairs. And lastly, instead of heading to the nearest conference room, invite a colleague to go for a walk to keep conversations and your blood flowing." — Dr. Harry Ritter at Oscar Health
Do a Gut Check
"First step: Get your gut bacteria in balance. If it's not, you may experience symptoms like occasional bloating or weight gain. I recommend taking a daily probiotic supplement in addition to eating probiotic-rich foods to replenish the good bacteria. Look for a supplement that has a diverse blend of probiotic strains. You want a lot of different types of bacteria because you have a rich array of bacteria already in your gut and you want to keep that. You also have more than 100 trillion bacteria total in your digestive tract, so when it comes to probiotics, I also suggest a minimum of 15–30 billion culture count." —Ellie Krieger, RDN, culinary nutritionist, and host of Ellie's Real Good Food
Do the Same Thing You Promised You Would Do Last Year, but Actually Do It
"I think most people drink less in the winter because they don't feel as thirsty in the cold weather. Many times we confuse thirst for hunger and reach for food when actually we should simply pour ourselves a glass of water. Also, drinking water with meals can help to fill us up so we don't eat as much. If you are chilly and don't feel like anything cold, try a warm cup of decaf tea instead." —Keri Gans, RDN and author of The Small Change Diet
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Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at Marie Claire. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.