Getting regular exercise during the cold winter months can be difficult, especially if you hate jogging on the treadmill or riding the stationary bike. Snow, wind, and freezing temperatures can discourage even the most motivated person from exercising – but it doesn’t have to be that way!
It’s important to keep your warm weather exercise habits up during the cold months – the consistency will help you feel more energetic, which should make it easier for you to get out of bed on those cold, dark mornings. It can even help you ward off those extra cravings that come with the season. Plus, inconsistent exercise habits can even increase inflammation levels. So if you’re tempted to stash away your workout gear and hibernate for the winter, here are some ways to combat the cold…
Winter Exercise
Layer up
Many people make the mistake of dressing too warmly during a winter workout. When you exercise, you produce a considerable amount of body heat that makes the air around you feel warmer than it actually is, which can cause you to sweat. The problem then arises when your workout is over, and your body temperature returns to normal. All that leftover moisture can give you a chill, which can make you sick if you don’t address it quickly. So what is the solution? Dress in layers! When you start to sweat, you can add and remove clothing as necessary.
Avoid making cotton your first layer – it absorbs moisture and will keep your skin wet and cold. Instead, wear a thin layer of synthetic material that is designed to draw sweat away from your body (a.k.a. “moisture-wicking”). Then, add a layer of wool or fleece for extra warmth, and top that with a breathable, waterproof outer layer. Resist the temptation to pack on a heavy jacket or vest because it may cause you to overheat, especially if you’re engaging in an aerobic workout.
If it’s particularly cold, you can wear a face mask or scarf to heat the air before it enters your body. Of course, it’s always best to experiment with a wide variety of clothing that suits your level of exercise intensity. Remember that stop-and-go activities, such as alternating walking and jogging, can make you more susceptible to the cold weather if you start to sweat and then cool off, so try to keep your outdoor workouts to steady-state ones.
Conceal your extremities
Your hands, feet, and ears are most vulnerable to frostbite, because in cold weather, the blood flow is typically concentrated in the middle of your body, leaving less for your extremities. To protect your hands, try wearing two layers of gloves – a thin layer underneath a heavy layer – so that you can remove the top ones if your hands start to sweat. For your feet, consider purchasing trainers that are a little big so that you can wear thick thermal socks. Your ears are also important, so don’t forget to bring a hat or a headband!
Watch the weather
Working out in a cold rain can make you even more vulnerable to frostbite; if your clothes get wet, your body temperature may fall, even if you’re wearing multiple layers. So if it’s exceptionally cold and raining, do your workout indoors or skip it completely until the weather improves.
Wind is also a problem. Even if you dress warmly and wear multiple layers, wind can make outdoor workouts unsafe because it can penetrate your clothes and remove any warm air that surrounds your body. If it’s particularly windy outside, do the second half of your workout with the wind at your back. That way, you’re at less risk for getting chilled after you’ve worked up a sweat.
Protect yourself
If you’re the type of person who enjoys an early-morning or post-work training session, be sure to wear reflective clothing to stay safe in the dark. Similarly, wear shoes that have enough traction to prevent slipping in the ice and snow. Chemical heating packs are also great ways to warm up your hands and feet.
Fuel up the right way
Hydration is not just for the hot summer months! You can become just as dehydrated in the cold weather as in the hot weather, but it may be harder to notice. Sweating, urinating, and breathing all release water from your body, so be sure to drink lots of fluids before, during, and after your workout.
Fueling your workout is a little more complicated. You need to consume an adequate amount of food in order to have enough energy to exercise, and this fact is amplified during the winter – when also you have to generate enough body heat to keep yourself warm. The good news is that the digestion process does much of the work for you, since it creates heat as it distributes energy throughout your body. This process, which is known as thermogenesis, helps your body generate about 10% more heat after 30-60 minutes after eating compared to when you have an empty stomach.
The key to fueling your winter workout is to consume nutrients that are digested quickly and easily, but provide enough energy for long efforts. Carbohydrates like oats, bananas, pasta, and toast with peanut butter are great ways to warm up and fuel up for working out in the cold!
Find the right fitness workout that works for you
With YouTube and a dozen other streaming services, there’s a workout plan that was created for just about everyone’s schedule, body type, goals, etc. With a simple search, you can be following along to a workout in the comfort of your own living room.
Also, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many exercise classes have turned to hosting online Zoom workout classes. Check with a local studio or class to see if video classes are being offered. If you need motivation from others, try hosting a Zoom workout event on your own with friends and family — perhaps, it’ll become a weekly event!
Celebrate small wins
Getting into the routine of exercising can be difficult. It’s even more difficult in the wintertime in the midst of a pandemic! Be sure to show yourself some love and celebrate yourself. The workout may have been tough, but you know it’s worth it in the long haul. Keep going.
Pilates for a winter win!
As both mornings and evenings grow darker and colder in the winter months, it’s incredibly important to keep moving. Pilates is a great form of exercise to take up at any time of year, but here are some keys reasons why incorporating it into your routine during the winter months is especially beneficial:
Boosts mood
As the days get colder and darker during the winter months, our moods may start to dip. One way of boosting mood is taking up Pilates, as it triggers the release of feel-good endorphins as well as serotonin, the happy hormone. As a result, Pilates can improve our self-esteem and overall happiness. Doing Pilates in a group class brings can also boost mood as it creates a sense of togetherness. Working out in a group reignites social connection through building relationships, which helps reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation that people often feel during the winter months.
Strengthen your immune system
Winter is commonly known as the dreaded cold and flu season, when peoples’ immune systems aren’t operating at their optimum level. Regular participation in Pilates is proven to improve immunity via mechanical and physiological process. The emphasis on breathing and mindful movement encourages our fight or flight sympathetic nervous system to quiet, reducing stress which research shows can boost immunity.
Boosts overall health
Core strength: Pilates is a low impact form of exercise that trains the body as an integrated whole, but mostly focusing on core strength. A stronger core will improve your stability and protect your back during traditional strength training.
Better posture and form: To position the body correctly requires complex interactions of the bones joints, connective tissues, skeletal muscles, and the nervous system. Pilates helps to correct postural alignment and makes you aware of form in all other areas of training and in day-to-day movements.
Increases flexibility: During strength training, muscles often become short and tight. Incorporating Pilates alongside can improve your flexibility and mobility by working through full range of motion and all planes of movement. Muscles in turn become long and lean.
Coordination: Balance and agility are required to perform smooth and effective movements in strength training. Pilates trains the nervous system through initiating coordinated movement and controlling correct posture, balance, and muscular activity.
Reference: https://blog.