Stay Active Despite the Cold

Wednesday, 12. 23. 2009  –  Category: Heart Health

Cold weather can be a real killer when it comes to your physical activity.  I can spend all summer on the run, keeping fit and active, but once it dips down into the 40′s or lower, I stagnate.

It’s no fun to go for long walks or to work in your yard when it’s cold and yucky out.  That’s why it’s a good idea to look into your other options.

1. Treadmill or other indoor workout machines.  I love our treadmill.  Why?  Well, I can easily watch a pay-per-view movie while I chug along at a steady pace.  I entertain myself, and I get plenty of exercise.  In fact, I found I actually walked/jogged/ran for longer while watching a movie than I did outside.  I did need to make sure I covered up the time/mileage until after I was done, though.  Those numbers in front of me are very distracting.  Plus, seeing how long/far I’d gone would give me more of an excuse to stop prematurely.
2. Mall!  When I was younger, I’d go to the mall and always be frustrated by all the mall-walkers that were clogging things up.  Now, I definitely see the reasoning behind it.  The mall is big, with plenty of room for walking.  Following the perimeter of your mall is a great way to get a good walk in (although, they frown upon joggers or runners).  Try not to get too distracted by sales, though, because you could turn a positive (exercise) into a negative (spending money you might not have wanted to spend).
3. Fitness Centers.  They may cost money, but there are usually a ton of resources you can enjoy.  Workout machines, assistants, personal trainers, advisers…fitness centers or health clubs are a great way to gather more information on how to get and stay fit.  Maybe there’s someone you know who would really enjoy a trial membership as a holiday gift!
4. Public gymnasiums.  These aren’t as common as things like malls or fitness clubs, but some places to have them.  The small town I live in is pretty open about their school gyms.  I know, that’s a rare case, but a lot of these places will have a walking track around the outside of the playing courts.  If you can find one of these to walk/run around, you’re incredibly lucky!
5. Workout tapes and DVD’s.  I know, I know, these are cheesy.  However, there are tapes for just about every age group, fitness level, and type of exercise.  I’ve seen and done so many different ones that I can’t remember which was which.  The great thing about these is that you generally only need limited space, and you can do the exercise without leaving the comfort of your home.  Search around, find a tape that matches the type of workout you’d like to do.

There’s no excuse to get lazy just because it’s a bit chilly out!  I’ve said it plenty of times, and I’ll keep saying it:  get up, get moving!  It’s good for your heart.

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