Exercising outdoors during the winter will keep you fit and trim all winter long. There are many ways to incorporate exercise into a winter fitness regime. Utilize the snow, and those howling winter winds to your best advantage. A winter weather workout is an adrenaline pumping exercise that will make you feel great. You will be working harder to stay warm , thus burning more calories. With all those positive endorphins coursing through your veins, you will feel refreshed, and ready to battle whatever Mother Nature throws at you.
Here are TEN ways to exercise during the winter.
1. Shovel your driveway and the surrounding sidewalk, back patio, or deck to get some exercise in. Depending on how much snow you get, you might not have to go anywhere from your own home to work out. When it snows every day, there's more opportunity to shovel and more of a winter weather workout to be had!
2. Take the kids outside, and show them how to make a real snowma. Start with a ball, roll it around in the snow on the lawn will work up a sweat worthy of any great workout. Throw snowballs at an outdoor target, and make snow angels. It's outdoor exercise and a lot of winter fun!
3. Trek over to a local beach or park where you can snowshoe. Snowshoeing is a great form of exercise that will have not only your legs fit and trim, but you entire body longing to go outside and snowshoe again and again!
4. Walking on a beach, in a park or your own neighborhood when it isn't super windy and the temperature is above 20 degrees is another way to get that blood pumping. Dress in layers, and wear warm boots with several layers of socks. And you will feel the adrenaline rush of a cold weather workout. Your face will be ruby-red, and you may get wind burned, but you will feel invigorated.
5. Go ice skating outside. Many local parks now have ice skating rinks outside. Many times they are free for you to use. Skate for at least a half hour to an hour to get a terrific workout in.
6. Do something completely different. Take a large inner tube or a sled and slide down the slopes at any nearby park. You will get tons of exercise due to walking back up the slope each time you come down. Run back up the slope for even more exercise. Take the kids and spend an entire day having stellar winter fun that is great exercise too!
7. You're going to love this one. For many years when I was completely bored with being copped up all winter long, I would get dressed in layers and go outside in the backyard, and run through the snow. Start out by walking through the yard to see how deep the snow is. Then run through it for as long as you can. Alternate with walking and running. This works off a lot of calories.
8. If you have never skied before, why not try skiing this winter? Skiing works off a lot of calories and develops a toned, fit body. Try cross country skiing on decent days through the woods. Dress in layers, bring water, a snack and your cellphone with you just in case.
9. Go outside and do your calisthentics. Do some jumping jacks, jog in place, lift light weights. Do these exercsies outside to get your heart rate up outdoors in the winter. Shovel the area you will be working at, such as the back deck or the back patio, and put rock salt down so there aren't any accidents.
10. Ride a bike in the snow. You will need wider wheels to accomplish this task. You will also want to ride the bike at a park in a more wooded area. Wear a hat and a helmet and knee and elbow pads. You may fall due to the icy conditions. But the workout is tougher than being inside, and a lot more exhilarating.
During the winter you are fighting the snow, the wind and cold temperatures while you are working out. It is more of a challenge against nature to see if you are going to get the workout in and not get frostbitten in the procedure. Once you have gotten your workout in, you will feel invigorated, and stimulated, and kind of like you have beaten the odds. Exercising outside during the winter will also help fight the wintertime blues, and you will very happy and refreshed all winter long.