It’s winter in Colorado, and for me that means one thing: all the skiing, all the lifting, and all the volleyball my body can handle.

Actually, in moving from Illinois to Colorado, there is one glaring difference: my level of activity. Back in the midwest, my physical activity was limited to one broad category: workouts.

However, in Colorado, it’s almost as if I have to fit my workouts into my other activities! In the summer, there’s strenuous hiking, trail running, white water rafting, etc. In the winter, all of the activities I listed above. These activities are the primary reason Shane and I packed up our things and made the big move more than two years ago.

Colorado doesn’t get the reputation of being the most active state in the nation for nothing! It’s actually kind of funny. Back in Normal, IL, I felt like I was one of the fittest women in the town! However, here in Boulder, I’d wager to say I’m in the latter half amongst all of the professional rock climbers, runners, and triathletes. But hey, it’s pretty inspiring, at the very least.

This year specifically, I’ve taken a liking (loving?) to skiing. I’m in that beginner to intermediate stage, where each visit to a mountain shows improvement, and that’s such an exciting time no matter which sport you’re taking on. But my #1 goal this season? Staying injury free.

[Tweet “How are you going to #BeActiv this season? via @TrainerPaige #fitfluential”]

Staying Injury-Free

How am planning on doing this? Well, the reality is I simply cannot control all circumstances, but I can do my best to stay injury-free by keeping my health as #1 priority.

The thing with skiing that scares the bejeezus out of me is the amount of injuries that result from the sport. Torn ligaments, broken bones, and fractures can be the result of over-confidence or a bad turn.

One thing I’ve done lately is step up my nutrition. After signing up to play volleyball again last year, I worked with a nutrition coach and we really discussed prioritizing sleep, reduced stress, and “flooding my body with nutrients” (among other things – more on that in another post.)

For me, this means:

• Getting in 3-4 servings of colored veggies and 3-4 servings of leafy greens every single day
• Focusing on healthy fats, and not just nuts and nut butter
• Getting in sufficient carbohydrate intake with optimal nutrient timing
• Relying on a couple vitamins/supplements – fish oil, magnesium, and calcium/vitamin D just in case

Calcium for Strong Bones

Did you know that 70% of adult women are deficient in calcium?! The recommended amount of calcium for women ages 19-50 is 1,000mg. Insufficient intake of calcium can lead to decreasing bone density, as calcium is not manufactured in the body.

While I do my best to get calcium through food sources, like plain yogurt, grass-fed milk, and leafy greens, I take a calcium supplement a few times a week as insurance. I was recently sent Viactiv’s line of calcium chews to try out.

What I really liked about the Viactiv line is that each flavor/product also contains vitamin D, which is necessary for calcium absorption in the body. Plus, popping a chewy caramel Viactiv after lunch tastes almost like dessert! (and much better than the bitter drops I used to place under my tongue and make a face :-X haha)

Viactiv also comes in chocolate, sugar free chocolate, and as gummies and taking 2 Viactiv chews twice a day provides 100% of the daily recommended value of calcium

No matter where you live, there are opportunities to fit in more activity every minute of the day. Taking the stairs at work, parking farther away, escaping the office and walking or running on a nearby trail. All of these activities also have those low impact benefits that improve bone density.

What vitamins do you take on a regular basis?

You can find Viactiv in stores like CVS, Rite Aid, Target, Walgreens and Walmart. For more information about Viactiv and to learn more about keeping bones strong, visit http://www.Viactiv.com  #BeActiv

This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Viactiv . The opinions and text are all mine.