Extraordinary Health Magazine EH Magazine VOl 32 | Page 10

Cool Ways to
Fit Fitness Into
Grab your family or friends, go outside, and have
a blast! Start a snowball fight, build a snowman,
or just lay down and make snow angels.
by Tracey Pollack
When the cooler months arrive, don’t give exercise the cold shoulder.
Warm up to winter workouts to have a beach-ready body by Spring.
It’s cold. It’s windy. It’s dark by late afternoon. This can make
it very tempting to skip your workouts during the winter and
just hibernate at home. The couch may be calling your name,
but staying fit when it’s cooler is easier than you think. It’s also
a lot more fun!
And there are so many healthy benefits to being active during
the winter. You avoid the sweltering heat of summer when you’re
likely to break a sweat before you even start your routine. You
know that exercise is good for your body, but it’s great for your
mind and your mood. See, colder weather and darker days can
make you suffer the “winter blues,” which has been clinically
diagnosed as a mild form of depression called Seasonal Affective
Disorder (SAD). It’s related to the fewer hours of daylight we
have during fall and winter. But when you exercise, feel-good
chemicals are released in the brain that help improve your mood.
So working out when it’s colder can actually help you lighten up
both physically and emotionally.
But don’t assume that your only choice for exercise is the dreaded
treadmill. Go ahead, get creative, and try something new. These
fresh ideas for outdoor and indoor fitness will melt away your
doubts about working out when it’s cold.
5 Ways To Work In A Workout In Winter
1. Try Snowshoeing
In case you’re new to the activity, simply think of snowshoeing
as taking a walk through thick, heavy, snow while wearing flat
aluminum shoes. The beauty of showshoeing is that it’s very easy
to do, less expensive than other winter sports, and a perfect way
to stay active outdoors in the winter. And there’s a style that’s right
for everyone. You can take a leisurely stroll through a field of freshly
fallen snow or go for a brisk run through thick powder in the woods.
No matter which path you take, the snow creates resistance and gets your heart
pumping. You end up getting a good workout that lets you enjoy the cool, crisp air.
3. Get Out & Play
If you can’t bear the idea of working out when it’s chilly, try
“playing out” instead. Grab your family or friends, go outside,
and have a blast! Start a snowball fight, build a snowman,
or just lay down and make snow angels. No snow? Go jump
around in piles of fallen leaves or start a game of touch football. You’ll get
in some good cardio while having a great time.
4. Go For A Spin
If you don’t want to ride your bike with winds
whipping against your face, try an indoor spin class
instead. These high-intensity classes let you blast a
lot of calories and get a lower body workout among a
supportive group. You can go at your own pace because
the bikes let you adjust the speed and resistance easily.
And you can leave your helmet at home.
2. Go Ice Skating
Gliding on the ice is a low-impact workout that can
make you feel like a kid again. You can skate peacefully
on your own or make it a social event with your family
and friends. Ice skating is an ideal winter exercise in
both warmer and colder climates. If there’s snow on the
ground, there are many outdoor rinks that let you savor the wintry landscape.
Do you live in a warmer place? Then head to an indoor arena to twirl around
on the ice. Since rinks typically make all sizes of ice skates available, you don’t
need to invest in special equipment. Just grab your coat and hit the ice.
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5. Dancing
No interest in structured workouts? Turn on some upbeat music and dance around
the house. Choose a few of your favorite songs and start grooving to the beat.
Before you know it, you’ve blasted lots of calories while having a blast at home.
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