Winter is coming: how to stay fit in the face of cold weather

Of all the activities that people love to do during the winter months, staying fit is not likely to be high on the agenda. There are so many other things that you want to spend this time doing, such as heading out to parties and snuggling up in front of the fire with a good book. With temperatures in the winter plummeting to way below their spring and summer equivalents in many parts of the US, it’s easy to lose the will to get up and go out for a run or do some other form of exercise. 

There are ways around this problem though. Gyms are built inside for a reason – and you can use this to your advantage by taking out a timely subscription. Getting the right clothes for your needs is also wise, while finding creative ways to integrate your exercise into your winter plans can be a godsend. This article will explore these tips, and more, to help you get on track. 

Go to the gym

Sometimes, it’s worth just facing up to the reality of the situation. If you’re an outside runner or an open-water swimmer for most of the year, then it’s going to be pretty unpleasant to head out and do your normal routine. It could even be dangerous: if you run on sidewalks that regularly get icy, for example, you may end up falling over and getting injured.

Heading to an indoor gym, then, could be the only way to save your fitness routine. This may be an added cost, and it could be something that feels like a cop out given that a gym session is sometimes not quite as demanding as a good pound of the streets or the park. But fitness it important, and you shouldn’t make it harder than it has to be. 

Get good gear

What you wear is also vitally important for defending yourself against problems while exercising in the winter. Staying warm is vital, and for that reason some tight-fitting shorts and tops are smart. You may want to invest in a waterproof jacket too, both for heat retention and for protection against rainfall. 

Shopping online is a great way to approach the conundrum of what to wear in the winter. That’s because there may well be some useful items of apparel that you didn’t know you needed until you saw them. Compression clothing, for example, can help keep heat in while also improving your blood flow – a development that is certainly useful when you’re feeling a winter chill. Tommie Copper’s latest range is available over on the Tommie Copper Facebook page, and now might be a good time to check it out before the winter rush begins. 

Don’t lose heart

The winter months can be a difficult, and indulgent, time of year. From Thanksgiving to Christmas, there are plenty of opportunities for your fitness regime to be derailed – and if it’s cold where you are, the last thing you might want to do is to step out of the house. However, in order to avoid those January blues and stay on track, it’s best to give yourself a strong mindset and ensure that you don’t miss opportunities to stay in shape. A routine is handy here: why not promise yourself that you’ll get your exercise done in the mornings, even if that’s just push-ups at home on a rainy day?

You could also consider integrating exercise into your fun winter activities. Say you have a spare day after Thanksgiving to spend with your family: why not arrange a hike in some local countryside for this day in order to give yourself a chance to reconnect with nature after gorging on turkey? If you’re having a good time with a bunch of your loved ones, you won’t even notice that it’s exercise – and you could well be surprised at how many others in your party might need a similar break. 

As it starts to get colder, staying fit and adhering to a fitness routine is something that is likely to be on many people’s minds. The usual activities, such as going to the park for a run or heading up a hill for a hike, can be harder to do once the winter is here. That’s no reason to lose heart though: by instituting a policy of always doing your exercise no matter what, you’ll be able to stay on track. And by buying up the right sort of gear, you’ll be able to ensure that you don’t make things harder than they have to be.