How to Combat Post-Holiday Funk

We are now almost two weeks into the new year and well entrenched in winter. With the holidays behind us and no vacations on the horizon, now is the time people start getting the winter blues. The number one surefire way to combat the winter blues is to escape to sunshine, but that isn’t always an option (hello real world schedules and real world bank accounts). So for those of us who actually have to continue on with our lives, we’ve come up with some suggestions to combat your post-holiday funk.

1. Surprise! Someone that isn’t Elizabeth is going to suggest a make-up fix: invest in a new lipstick. Lipstick is a fast, easy way to brighten up your look and you will be pleasantly surprised at the compliments you will get when you go a little outside your comfort zone in terms of color. If you don’t stray too far, you can wear the color during the work day. Katie 2 suggests going with a super moisturizing lipstick to help combat chapped lips. Added bonus: if it feels nice, you will be more likely to (remember to) reapply throughout the day. (Katie 2 is going to let Elizabeth go ahead and recommend a brand because she has no idea). Elizabeth says: Tom Ford is a recent favorite, but admittedly very pricey. But hey, you're treating yourself, right? There is a wide shade range and they feel very good on the lips. A more affordable option is Bite Beauty. While we're still not talking drugstore prices, a Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick will only set you back about half of what a Tom Ford lipstick will. Again, there are many colors to choose from and they are made with twelve edible oils and triple milled pigments, so it delivers moisture and a soft creamy wear.
2. Plan a fun activity. This could be a fun day trip to a local ski resort, a day trip to a local touristy small town, a weekend trip to see friends, or even an after work cooking  class. Just give yourself something to look forward to. For example, Katie 1 has a weekend trip to Atlanta planned for this coming weekend and a skip trip to Lake Tahoe planned for February. A spa day is another great way to beat the blahs. You can either go to your  favorite spa or have an at-home pampering session. Bonus- you will be combating the dull dry winter skin as well as the winter blues.
3. Instead of just saying "work out", we are going to say try a new workout. We've all heard about the endorphin high people get from working out (Katie 2 calls BS and is confident no such thing exists, but she does admit it helps sometimes to shake things up). Need an idea of what to try? We have a few ideas: Orange Theory or boxing. Need more ideas? Katie 1 loves this idea and intends to learn how to cross country ski this winter. Need more ideas or want to know how the ski lesson goes? Keep coming back and check out Workout Wednesdays (and all the other days too).
4. In addition to trying a new workout, we also love the idea of falling back in love with an old workout. Katie 1 swam competitively for over 10 years and has recently rediscovered her love of the pool. Perhaps it's because the "swim season" for high school was in the winter, but there is absolutely nothing more comforting to Katie 1 than ending an extraordinarily cold and dreary winter day with a tough pool workout. Why? First of all, she's swimming in a heated indoor pool so she's going from the frigid outdoor temperatures to the warm embrace of the pool. Second, because she's already wet and not a hot sweaty mess after her workout, a post-swim steam followed by a shower helps keep her toasty and warm post-workout. No post-workout chills here! So she arrives home starving yet otherwise blissed out. Third, swimming helps to rehab sore muscles after a tough run, day skiing, or killer HIIT class, plus it burns like 700 calories per hour, so two birds, one stone.

Thinking about following Katie 1's lead into the pool? Awesome! Here are some things you should know about it (if you've never swam for exercise/competitively before):

1. You need the right gear, including: goggles (Katie 1 loves these); a swim cap (trust us. Katie 1 has this one); and a swimsuit that is made for exercise (again, trust us) which stays in place in the pool and is made to survive frequent trips into chlorine and the washer. (If you're not looking to spend a lot of money, Katie 1 highly recommends this one for value. While she's been pleased with Dolfin, she's also a fan of Speedo, TYR, Nike, and Sweaty Betty for exercise swimsuits.)
2. While swimming is great for your body, it's not so great for your skin and hair. How do you combat that? First of all, a swim cap keeps hair from becoming a tangled mess. Second, as soon as she gets out of the pool and dries off, Katie 1 goes to the shower at her gym and immediately covers her hair with conditioner. She  combs it through, puts her hair in a high bun, and sits in the steam room for a good 10 minutes before taking a shower. She rinses the conditioner out in the shower, follows with shampoo to get rid of the chlorine, and conditions again. Once she's finished showering she follows with leave-in conditioner (thankfully the conditioner provided by her gym doubles as a leave-in). She then dries her hair like normal. Just like swimming can seriously dry out hair, it can dry out skin, so Katie 1 makes sure to moisturize immediately after she gets out of the shower post-swim. Thankfully the gym provides Kiehl's facial and body moisturizer.
3. Finally, safety first! Know your limits and if you've never swam for exercise or competitively, take time to learn proper technique. The internet is your friend here. So is your local park district. If your gym has a pool they may also offer an intro to swimming for exercise class to help you nail down the proper techniques. If all else fails, you may have a friend who at some point swam competitively or trained for a triathlon. If they are willing to help, they can help you get the basics down and teach you some beginner workouts. 
4. If swimming sounds like an awesome idea and a longer post about swimming as a workout would be helpful, let us know!