How to stay active in the winter months
We all know that exercise has many benefits. The benefits include physical health benefits. It reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and strokes[1]. Exercise also impacts our mental health. Studies show that exercise can reduce the impacts of mental health concerns including depression[2]. It can also enhance sleep, reduce stress, and increase energy levels. However, we also know that exercising during winter can be more challenging. Please note that if you have any health concerns or have not exercised in a long time it is always recommended that you speak to your doctor or health care professional before beginning any form of exercise. Read on to discover my top tips for staying active in the winter months.
Embrace the cold
From short walks to day hikes to winter sports to a gentle jog, there are many benefits from exercising outside even in winter. For example, it means you make the most of the natural light. This can help with your natural circadian rhythm. It can also boost your immune system, as your body becomes more able to adapt to changing temperatures.
If you are planning on embracing the cold, be prepared. Make sure you wrap up warmly, lots of layers are best, that you can remove or replace as and when you need to. Make sure to warm up properly also. Cold muscles are more prone to injury. Also, take time to cool down gradually. Be seen, as days are shorter if you are exercising before or after work, if you are outdoors there is a good chance that you are exercising in the dark. Bright clothing and a head torch can make all the difference. Also, think about your footwear. Is this appropriate for the exercise you are doing, roads, footpaths, and trails can all be much more muddy, icy, or wet in the winter months. Have you looked at the bottom of your shoes lately? Is the grip good enough for the changing conditions? This links to check the weather, if it is extreme weather then you may want to try an alternative. See below.
Exercise inside
If the weather outside is frightful and you would rather stay inside nice and warm, well that’s okay. Read on to discover tips to keep exercising without braving the cold. One way to do this is home exercise. There are numerous DVDs out there, which means you can exercise without leaving your home. If you are on a budget there are loads and loads of free stuff on YouTube, from yoga to Pilates, to HIIT to strength training. Whatever your fitness goals or your starting point there is something for everyone. Personally, exercising at home using YouTube and online programs, with jogging is my favourite way to exercise, but I am not a fan of the gym.
Another way to exercise inside is to join a gym. This one is great if you are new to exercise or have had a gap. Most gyms even the cheaper end of the market will do inductions and show you how to use the equipment safely. Most will also put together a program suitable for you. To be honest this is how I re-established my exercise routine. Then once I had a good routine, I knew I could continue it at home, so gave up my gym membership which also saved me money.
A final way to exercise indoors is through classes. These can be at a gym or most local village halls or community centres will have something going on. Whether it be tai chi, yoga, or Zumba fitness through to Karate and martial arts you can usually find classes locally, which have the added benefits of meeting new people.
Stay active at work
Most of us spend a lot of time at work. Even with the standard 9-5 that is still 8 hours a day at work. If most of that day is spent sedentary sitting at your desk you would probably benefit from increasing your activity at work. One way to do this is through exercise snacking. Exercise snacking involves breaking up your daily physical activity into shorter, more manageable sessions throughout the day, rather than doing one longer workout. Research has shown that exercise snacks showed significant benefits on cardiorespiratory fitness, including decreased total cholesterol, increased oxygen consumption, and overall cardiovascular function[3]
. Exercising snacking at work can easily incorporate cardio (think a minute of jumping jacks, mountain climbers, or burpees), strength (think squats, wall squats, push-ups, or tricep dips), or stretching and is a great way to build activity into your day to day.
To help with the exercise snacking you might consider desk exercises. These are simple exercises that you can perform at your desk and again there is a variety on YouTube. My favourites include yoga with Adrienne or Tom Morrison.
Another way to boost activity at work, and this only works if all your co-workers are involved is having walking meetings. It is a great way to add some physical movement to your day. However, if your workplace is anything like mine, this probably only works on nicer days.
Lunchtime workouts are another good way to increase activity at work. You can coordinate these with colleagues and perhaps do some lunchtime yoga together. Find a quiet space or free meeting room.
A final tip to increasing your activity at work is to think about your commute. Can you add exercise there? If you get public transport can you get off a stop early? For me, I love to walk around the local park before work. I was surprised at how quickly and how easily this became an essential part of my well-being. It is not a long walk, only about 20 minutes, but it makes a huge difference to my day, especially during the winter months when my overall feeling is to hibernate.
Keep it fun
How ever you choose to keep active in the winter months my final tip is to keep it fun. If you hate jogging and decide that is what you are going to do, you are setting yourself up to fail. Whatever it is you decide you want to do, do something you enjoy, start small, and make small sustainable changes.
Staying active during the winter months is essential for our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It aids stress reduction, boosts immunity, and helps us relax. By trying some of the tips and ideas discussed and committing to staying active you will begin to see and feel a noticeable difference, making the grey, cold months healthier and happier.
[1] https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-health-benefits/
[2] https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj-2023-075847
[3] https://longevity.stanford.edu/lifestyle/2024/07/02/what-are-exercise-snacks-and-why-are-they-important/#:~:text=What%20Are%20the%20Benefits%20of,it%20simple%20with%20exercise%20snacks.%E2%80%9D
