Out in the Cold

As winter draws closer, it brings several serious challenges for those of us trying to lose weight and maintain a healthy life style.  In addition to all the other challenges that come with the holidays season, those of us living in areas with cold winters must deal with the challenge of staying active during the cold winter months.  It’s much easier to get motivated to go out for a jog or walk on a beautiful Spring day, not so much on a cold January morning.

Staying active during the winter season is especially important as we get older, because our joints and tendons naturally become tighter in colder temperatures.  This can lead to an increased risk of injury and increased pain for individuals with joint or muscle ailments.

Here are some tips with you that will help you stay active and feeling great even during the cold winter months:

1.  Stretch each morning.  This is a great way to wake yourself up in the morning and start your day with a little extra energy.  It can also be especially helpful on cold winter mornings to help wake up your system and loosen up cold stiff muscles.

 
2.  Join a gym or sign up to participate in some indoor activities.  Most areas have a local Recreational Center that offers a variety of indoor activities.  This might be an opportunity to not only stay active during the winter, but also meet new people while learning something new.

3.  Find an indoor form of exercise that you can do regardless of the weather.  One option is to purchase a high quality workout, yoga, palates, etc. DVD.  Normally these are pretty inexpensive and don’t take up much time out of the day.  A more expensive option is purchasing a piece of exercise equipment.  While these cost more, they can also provide the chance to multitask as well as some extra motivation to work out.  For many people it’s easier to fit exercise into their schedule when they have the convenience of a piece of equipment in their own home.

4.  Walk a much as possible when indoors.  Most of us try to avoid long walks in the cold as much as possible.  To make up for it, take every opportunity to walk when you are indoors.  If you normally take the elevator, take the stairs.  Try to do indoor activities that involve walking, for example, going to the mall, visiting a local museum, or simply walking up and down your steps at home a few extra times each day.  

We hope these tips help you to stay active and healthy this winter, and for those of us living in the Mid-Atlantic area, lets hope that we used up all the snow during our never ending blizzards last year!