As the weather gets colder, many of our favorite outdoor activities will have to wait until spring arrives. Gardening, going on long walks, tennis, and more may be difficult if not impossible to do depending on where you live. Here are our best tips for maintaining your fitness levels during the winter – so you can hit the ground running in spring!
Find Ways To Walk More
Your favorite walking trail may be iced over, or it may just be too cold to stay outdoors that long. But there are other ways you can get some additional steps in. Take the stairs at work, park a little bit further away from the grocery store, and on mild days, make sure you get out and walk a bit.
Consider using a gym membership to achieve 20 minutes of walking on a treadmill a few times a week. Humans really just need to walk a few times each week and work on muscle strength a couple times a week for optimal wellness. Walking is often overlooked, but is one of the best ways to stay healthy.
Aerobic exercise can help you stay warm – so you may be able to spend more time outdoors during the winter than you think. Make sure you bundle up though! Layering is the best way to approach dressing for exercise in the winter.
A great option to help you keep track of your steps is using a fitness tracker that measures your heart rate, how many steps you’ve taken, and reminds you of your fitness goals.
Join A Class At Your Local Gym
Yes, the gym is going to start getting packed around the time the New Year’s Resolutions crowd arrives.
However, fitness classes have limited spaces – so if you sign up early enough, you can avoid the New Year rush! Try out a class you haven’t taken before, or even take multiple classes to mix things up week-to-week.
Give A Yoga Routine A Try
Yoga is a fantastic way of building strength, improving flexibility and mobility, and can even help improve your emotional and mental health. There are many free Youtube videos you can follow along at home. We recommend starting off with a gentle flow, nothing too strenuous. The best way to engage in yoga is with a knowledgeable yogi.
It may not feel like much, but the more often you practice, you’ll get more flexible and will build muscle around your joints – helping to improve stability. This is a great benefit for those suffering from any kind of arthritic condition.
