How to work out safely during the winter

How to work out safely during the winter


It may be tempting to burrow deep into the covers on February mornings, when the cold weather and longer hours of darkness sap your interest in exercising. But your body needs to move year-round, especially if you’re still trying to burn off those holiday calories or stick to your New Year’s resolution to lose weight.

Experts recommend adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week, and that includes during the winter months. Here are some ways to achieve that goal and have some fun in the process.

First, adjust your workouts for the winter. Colder weather raises the risk of muscle strains or even hypothermia. It’s important to pay more attention to warming up before starting any workout.

If you do venture outside, the easiest exercise is simply walking. You don’t need any fancy equipment, aside from good footwear. Try power walking for 45 minutes to get your heart rate up.

If the weather outside is too frightful, stay indoors and try a 20-minute round of high-intensity interval training. This workout alternates between intense bouts of exercises using your own body weight or dumbbells and rest.

At the other end of the scale is yoga, which is not only a good workout, it can boost your cognitive and emotional wellness. Yoga helps with your flexibility, endurance and strength while lowering stress levels.

Somewhere in between is to just crank up the tunes and dance. It’s not only fun, it can burn hundreds of calories depending on your pace, gender and weight.

During these days when most group activities are still on hold because of the pandemic, go online for videos and workout apps that you can use at home, where it’s nice and warm.

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