Prevent Winter Weight Gain

The cooler weather isn’t exactly exercise-friendly, especially when lounging on the couch, wrapped in blankets watching a new episode of Modern Family is the alternative. (PS- Check out SELFy Stars for the latest in entertainment!)But unlike bears, we can’t blame adding a little winter weight on the need to hibernate, so I chatted with NYC-based Jeff Halevy, behavioral health and fitness expert and CEO of Halevy Life, for some tricks on how to stay motivated throughout the season.MORE FROM SELF: Your No-Excuses Fall Workout Plan (We’ll Text You Moves!)Jeff created the Let’s Move! Newark: Our Power, a 12-week fitness program extension to First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign, to fight childhood obesity. The program recently launched at five Newark, NJ high schools (look for it in more cities soon) and is a competition between schools where participating students compete against each other for the most minutes moved (and there are some pretty sweet prizes involved!).I stopped by the launch event this Wednesday where students got a taste of different workouts including Zumba, yoga, basketball and football. Tiki Barber and Nets former player Kerry Kittles were amongst some of the all-stars that stopped by to kick things off. Since I’m a closet techie, I’m really excited about the high-tech MYTRAK given to each participating student. The wearable device measures an activity’s duration and intensity so they can keep track of their daily activity.MORE FROM SELF: Boost Your Immunity With These Antioxidant-Packed FoodsTo be the star of your own Let’s Move! campaign, here are 3 fun tricks Jeff recommends to make sure you stay on the fitness wagon this fall:1. Make it a competition: “People respond to competition, it’s inherent,” Jeff says. “Friendly competition keeps morale high and keeps you focused.” And keep in mind that why competition can be against friends, family or co-workers, it can also be against yourself (to beat your current record), or in the case of Tiki Barber, against a complete stranger! “It’s easy to get lazy when you’re by yourself,” Tiki said at Wednesday’s event. He admitted that when he’s at spinning class, he’ll compete with the person on the bike next to him.2. Define a specific goal: “Make sure you have a very defined goal to help motivate you throughout the winter,” Jeff says. If being bikini ready by the time summer rolls around is your goal, Jeff advises to make that your focus now, even though that bikini is tucked behind turtlenecks and coats. “Summer creeps up on us and being beach ready only becomes a goal on the first warm day. But really, you need to work 5-6 months out,” Jeff says.3. Be an early riser: “Particular to winter, I’ve found that working out in the morning is best. Energy levels are in tune with the circadian rhythm which is related to the sunlight so with the shorter days, it’s easier to fall off track if you’re saving your workouts for the evening,” Jeff says.Learn more about LM!NOP.MORE FROM SELF: Steal Lauren Graham’s Stay Slim SecretsFor daily fitness tips follow SELF on Facebook and Twitter.Get SELF on your iPad!

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