Is your exercise program slipping due to cold weather? You’re not alone! It’s common for folks who have started an outdoor exercise program in warm weather to let it slide when the cold and snow of winter hit. If you always exercise in a gym, or if you move your exercise indoors to a gym in cold weather, you’re all set. But some people don’t find gyms motivating and/or really like to be outside to exercise. It can be done!
Read on for ideas on how to look at outdoor exercising in a new light:
- For those with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), exercising outside can provide a chance to be in mood-lifting daylight
- Exercise boosts the body’s immune system, critical during cold and flu season
- Exercising in the cold burns more calories, as we tend to pick up the pace in order to stay warm
- Winter offers a chance to try outdoor activities you can’t do in the summer, such as ice skating, cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing
Keep these tips in mind to stay safe and healthy when exercising outside in winter:
- Warm up inside before heading out
- Dress in layers, so you can peel them off as needed
- Stay hydrated; even though the temperature has dropped, your body still needs to replace fluids lost by sweating
- Be sure to cover extremities – nose, fingers, and ears
- If your exercise is walking, consider wearing cleats if conditions are icy