During the winter months when it’s cold and dark outside and the urge to nest indoors sets in, it can be easy to gain weight. After all, who wants to go jogging in the sleet and snow? It’s at these times it can be easy to put on a few pounds or lose our fitness levels, so it’s important to be a little creative with your fitness regime to keep everything in check.

For those who aren’t natural gym bunnies there are still plenty of affordable choices when the winter chill sets in. Many councils offer courts or indoor pitches for hire on an hourly basis, giving you the opportunity to catch up with some friends over a game of football, netball, tennis or badminton. In terms of financial commitment, this is far more flexible than joining up to a gym and paying a monthly fee and it’s a great way to stay social during a period when the couch and TV can seem like an attractive ‘activity’. Depending on the sport you choose, you won’t need to invest too much extra cash in equipment either. You can pick up a good set of trainers online at JD Sports (For Example: www.jdsports.co.uk/product/nike-air-max-90/51898
) and you may even be able to hire rackets at the venue.

Another advantage of playing team sports is that the responsibility of making it a social event can motivate you to take part. It’s far harder to excuse yourself from exercising when you have others relying on you and that can make getting fit and staying that way a little bit easier.