staying athletic : out with the old, in with the cold
Tuesday, October 9, 2012 at 8:00AM Let's be honest. I've totally dropped the athletic ball (the medicine ball, shall we say) lately. It's been quite awhile since the long lost days of P90x and running posts. I'm back in a groove of working out again...but almost all of that exercise entails the great outdoors, which is still great, but also requiring increasing amounts of layers.
So I was thrilled to receive an email from Jim at GymSource. He was wondering if we would be interested in learning about ways to transition exercise routines now that the colder seasons that are upon us. I answered for all of us: heck yes!
Thank you, Jim, for this great post. (And if you'd like to chime in on the conversation or share your own methods of colder weather exercise, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section below!)
Keep Your Exercise Momentum Despite Colder Weather
Keeping up the level of exercise you have grown accustomed to over the spring and summer months can become a challenge as the weather begins to grow colder. We tend to want to snuggle up on the sofa rather than exercise when the temperatures dip low. Walking, biking, playing sports, swimming and all of those fun under the sun pursuits begin to wane as the air becomes chillier with the advancing fall and winter seasons.
Transitioning Your Workout Routine For Fall and Winter
If you are an avid gym goer already, transitioning your workout program is not as big of a challenge as it is for those who prefer to be outside during warm weather. The exclusively outdoor enthusiasts are the ones who have to make the most changes along with the weather. Joining a gym brings you not only the benefits of the typical treadmills and exercise bikes but also the opportunity for basketball, indoor swimming and other sports.
Outdoor Exercises
You might be one that doesn't mind when the temperatures turn a bit chilly and the wind seems to come from the North Pole. If this is the case, you can continue to bike, walk or run as long as you dress accordingly and avoid such exercises on icy surfaces. In some areas of the country, ice skating, sledding, snowshoeing, skiing and other such outdoor winter sports are great exercise and can keep your momentum going through the season.
Indoor Exercises
Many people tend to stay indoors as much as possible during cold weather. If you are one of those, there are a lot of great options for continuing to exercise indoors. The most obvious of these is to join a gym and go there regularly. Home gym equipment is another option. In addition to the traditional treadmills and ellipticals, some opt to try kettle bells, battling ropes or simply regular exercise routines. Traditional exercises such as push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks and squats are all tremendously effective. Getting out for bowling games or indoor basketball at the gym works as well.
If gym workouts are not up your alley or in your budget, there are numerous DVDs and YouTube videos that cover just about any exercise program you can think of from walking and running to zumba, dancing and yoga. The key to these DVD programs is to make sure you actually use them on a regular basis.
Staying Motivated
The key to keeping yourself motivated to exercise during the colder months, is to set small goals to meet. Challenge yourself to exercise by planning a spring trip or the purchase of new clothes in your new and improved size. Put pictures of clothes you want or places you want to go up for motivation. Make it fun to enjoy the holiday foods without gaining weight or giving up much of your exercise time. The pursuit of a healthy, fit lifestyle is beneficial to you and your loved ones--keeping you feeling good and staying healthy.
Reader Comments (2)
After reading this post, I'm feeling motivated to spend time outdoors getting into shape. In the south, this is the time of year when outdoor activity is fun because the temps are actually bearable! I should make the most of it :) I love the tip of setting small goals to keep you going, and with holidays just around the corner, I think that could be enough to keep me on track. Thanks for the great post!
Woo hoo!!! Go, Liz! All of us northerners will be channeling you this winter when we're running outside and growing icicles off our noses, haha :) BUT, it is pretty, that's for sure. (The snow, not the nose icicles.)