When snow falls and winter sticks around, many of us say goodbye to staying active altogether. It’s hard to get outdoors and exercise when it’s fr-fr-fr-freezing out. However, it is important to keep our bodies moving in the winter, for the sake of our heart, lungs, and even our mental health. Here’s a cornucopia of fun activities to stay mobile during winter.
Bundle Up
Staying active can be hard to do when you’re surrounded by snowbanks and icicles. But with the right equipment and a good attitude, you can be outside in the cool air—getting that blood flowing! Here’s a list of winter activities that are a terrific way to get some sunshine and exercise:
- Shovel snow.
- Go walking or running (wear ice cleats, please).
- Go for a hike (seriously, get some ice cleats).
- Try snowshoeing (like the image above). You can buy snowshoes at your local sporting goods store.
- Build a gigantic snowman. You’ll get good exercise pushing around a 50-lb. ball of snow.
These are all activities that require minimal experience and get your heart pumping. While you’re outside, it’s important to stay warm and make sure not to develop frostbite. Put on that snow gear and keep those toes toasty!
If you have children who are bouncing off the walls and need to release some energy, challenge them to a snowball fight. Making snow forts, throwing snowballs, and running for cover will certainly tire them out (and maybe you, too).
Try Something New
Although winter is chilly and sometimes uncomfortable, that doesn’t mean you should let it get you down. Instead, bring some excitement into your snow globe and give winter sports a try. There are many to choose from, and all of them will require you to learn new skills, if you haven’t tried them already. Here are some winter activities we recommend trying:
- Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Ice skating
- Hockey
- Cross-country skiing
- Fat-tire biking (or regular tires, but you’ll need chains)
- Ice climbing
- Jump roping (as long as you have ice cleats, you can do this in the winter; we suggest doing it near the softer snow, just in case you slip)
If some of these activities interest you, then you’ll really get a kick out of this additional list. Some of these are not exercises but are still sure to raise your heart rate. Not everyone is built to handle the cold weather, and many of us would prefer to keep our workouts indoors.
No More Snow
When it’s too cold outside and dressing up with your warmest layers just isn’t enough, there are plenty of indoor activities to get moving. If you can go to the gym, then simply stick to your routine. But if the roads are too dangerous or you just don’t want to leave, these at-home workouts can get the job done:
- Push-ups
- Crunches or sit-ups
- Squats
- Shadowboxing
- Calf raises
- Planks
- Lunges
Here are some more body-weight workouts that you can do at home to get all of your muscles activated.
With some great body-weight exercises in mind and tons of fun options to be active outdoors, you don’t have any excuses. These activities are more than enough to last you through the winter. After you finish an exercise, inside or outside, take a hot shower and relax. Then, curl up under a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate, watch the snow fall, and imagine the moment that you’ll be able to take the ice cleats off your running shoes.
During the winter, a good number of us have trouble staying self-motivated. This can really put a hold on exercise and other productivity, so check out this blog on how to beat the winter blues!
