I’m someone who takes my workouts outside every chance I get. I’d much rather be outside riding my bike, going for a hike, or doing yoga in the backyard than being inside on the treadmill or going to the gym. Unfortunately I live in a pretty cold climate 6 months out of the year, so it’s not all that realistic for me during the winter, so I thought I’d share my top 4 tips for staying fit over the winter.
Embrace the cold and snow. There’s nothing I can do about the winters, so I just have to deal with them. Every once in awhile it’s fun to get outside, even if it is cold. The last few times I went tobogganing I was amazed at how much work it was to get back up to the hill after sledding down. My legs and butt were burning by the time I was done sledding.
I live pretty close to the mountains where I like to go hiking during the summer. In the winter many of those same hiking trails are open for cross country skiiers. Although I haven’t cross country skiied since high school, I’d like to rent some skis and get out there at some point this winter. I bet the mountains would be beautiful with the snow on them.
Take it inside. Sometimes it’s just not safe to be outside for extended periods of time when the wind-chill makes it even colder or it’s icy. On days like those it’s a great idea to avoid being outside and instead head over to the gym or your living room for a workout DVD. I find that having an assortment of DVD’s to pick from really helps. The best part of working out from your living room is that the commute is really short.
Make a date with a friend. The days get shorter and the nights get longer during the winter. Sometimes it’s tough for me to get up in the morning when it’s still dark out to workout. Or I leave work when it’s still dark out and I don’t want to go to the gym. I find that having workout plans with a friend gets me out of bed when I’d normally talk myself into turning off the alarm and staying in my nice warm bed. Knowing that a friend is counting on me to show up gives me the motivation I need to get up and out the door.
Sign up for a class. The yoga studio I go to allows me to sign up for a spot in a class online ahead of time. Once I’ve added my name to the list for the class I’m more likely to actually go because I know I’ll have to pay even if I don’t show up. Sometimes that’s the motivation I need to get changed and drive over even when I don’t feel like going. Once I’m there and the class has started I’m always glad I went. Even if yoga isn’t for you, there’s lots of classes to choose from – spin, Pilates, barre, or zumba. Lots of studios have great offers for new students so you can try something new out for a reasonable cost.
Do you have any winter workout tips? Leave me a comment telling me about one.