ChickSpeak

Shorter daylight hours, colder temps and random bugs and flues are all tempting excuses to skip your normal workouts and just stay cozy on the couch this season. While that might sound appealing, the end results of couch potatoness will  leave you feeling less than your best.

With the right strategies, there is no reason not to enjoy working out in the great outdoors. As an added big bonus, physical exercise has been shown to boost our feel-good endorphins, which helps keep the seasonal blues at bay.  

Follow these easy tips for winter workouts:

Warm-Ups Are Key: A proper warm-up is critical, so start your session with 10 minutes of light cardio to ease into your workout. Colder temps can make your muscles tight and more prone to injuries, so it’s important to get them warmed-up prior to engaging in intense physical activity.
 

Wear Layers: Dressing in layers provides the most effective heating method, plus it allows you to remove the top layer if you get too hot. The layer closest to your skin should allow moisture to be wicked away. The top layer should be both wind and water resistant.

Don’t Strip When You Get Inside: While you may be tempted to immediately remove your layers when returning inside, give your body time to adjust. Post exercise hypothermia is possible. This happens when your body rapidly loses its heating stores.

Drink plenty of H2O: It’s just as important to stay hydrated when exercising in winter as it is in summer, even though you might not feel as thirsty.

Enjoy The Sunshine: If possible, it’s best to exercise outdoors during daylight hours.  If you exercise outdoors when it is dark, wear reflective materials to ensure that you can be seen and please consider working out with a friend. The buddy system makes you less of a target for would-be predators and gives you benefit of a road-side cheerleader and supporter.