I don’t know about you, but I adore Winter. The clothes are nicer, the food is better and you have the perfect excuse to be lazy. You can spend every evening cocooned in fleecy blankets and jammies in front of the fire, watching movies and stuffing your face.
But there is a downside; in fact there are several downsides. It’s dark when you go to work, it’s dark when you leave work, it’s wet, it’s cold and your jeans are still tight from Christmas.
If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to hibernate through this horrible time of year and only poke your head out from your cosy sofa nest when it’s absolutely necessary.
Well it’s time to shake ourselves, because the mornings are starting to brighten, the evenings are starting to lengthen and summer holidays are just around the corner.
Even if it’s still freezing outside, with so much amazing equipment and gym gear out there, we really don’t have an excuse to have let those New Years resolutions slip.
Even if you don’t feel like climbing Cuilcagh any time soon, (I know I don’t) there’s no reason why
you can’t throw on a waterproof like this fleece lined one from Trespass and take the dog for a walk. You’ll be warm, you’ll be dry and you won’t look like the Michelin Man, so it’s a win win all round.
There are so many beautiful places to explore in Fermanagh with Florence Court, Castle Archdale and Castle Coole to name a few. We probably don’t realise how lucky we are to have all this greenery on our doorstep, so we should make the most of it and get out there.
Maybe you’re thinking of taking up running? Treat yourself to some new runners to motivate yourself. I have my eye on this Adidas pair from lifestyle sports, because mine are well and truly ready for the bin. Plus the colours in these are amazing, and make me want to put them on and get moving.
Nobody’s saying you have to run a marathon next month, but a light jog for a mile won’t kill you, and you can build it up. Who knows you could be a running devotee by summer. Download a running app on your phone, I use Couch to 5K, admittedly not as often as I should but I do use it.
If you really are what they call “indoorsy” and have no interest in hitting the great outdoors until the weather heats up a bit, then grab yourself some new kit and hit the gym.
Nothing makes me want to exercise more than having new gym gear, and JD sports has tonnes of printed leggings and tops to make your workout more interesting. Leave the dull black leggings behind and get yourself a pair of brightly coloured capris or tights. You’ll be instantly rearing to go! 
For those of you who are still feeling the pinch financially from Christmas, I hear your cries, trust me, I am one of you. You don’t have to spend a fortune on new equipment or a gym membership if you don’t want to.
There’s so much out there that will get you moving that won’t break the bank. Grab yourself a Gym Ball, like this one, just £7.49 from Argos or this skipping rope for just £3.49. Just so you know, there’s 3 for 2 on selected items in store at the moment, so if you added a small set of weights and a little motivation, you could have the makings of your own home gym, all for under a tenner. 
Even if you grab a badminton set like this one from Poundland and play in the garden for 15/20 minutes every evening with a family member, it’s better than sitting in front of the TV. Do anything you can to get yourself moving and make it as much fun as you can. Go to a yoga class, go for a walk with friends. Z
umba is hilarious if you go with a few people and then there’s my personal favourite way to make a fool of yourself…Rollerblading.
My point is, where there is a will, there is a way. We spend so much time viewing the world through a screen these days that it’s easy to forget what a beautiful County we live in. It’s so easy to completely waste an evening vegetating with your phone in your hand. Put it down, and get moving. Do your best to get outside and get some air into your lungs. Fermanagh is an amazing County, so let’s get active and get exploring!
