5 Fitness Hacks To Keep Active This Winter
Staying active and maintaining a fitness routine just seems easier in the warmer weather. No need for creativity or any special gear — just lace up your running shoes and head out to any park or school track for a walk or jog. Or getting yourself to the gym for a spin class or Zumba is just not that daunting when the sun is shining and the weather is smiling down. But what about in these cold, dark, dreary winter months ahead? How do you plan to keep active until those first buds start blossoming again in the Spring?
Here are 5 simple fitness hacks to try out this Winter:
1) Mall Walk — Head to the largest indoor shopping mall with a friend and start walking, the bigger the better, and go early in the day or later in the evening when it is less likely to be crowded. Put on your sneakers and get walking. Start walking laps on the 1st floor, then make your way to the upper level for a change of scenery. Having a buddy to walk and talk with makes the time pass more quickly, plus a little window shopping along the way is also a nice distraction. But leave the wallet and credit cards at home so your time is really spent moving, not shopping!
2) 15 Minute Fitness – No need to commit to an hour or more of intense workouts. If your goal is to simply keep your heart rate up and burn some calories, then check out YouTube for a plethora of awesome 15-minute fitness videos. You can find yoga, HIIT, walk and jog, resistance training and more. These are great options to add a few minutes of movement into your days, and plenty of ways to change things up with each workout so it doesn’t get boring.
3) Take the Stairs — if you live somewhere with a nice big flight of stairs, walk them, daily, a few times. If you work in an office building with an elevator and a stairwell, head for the stairs and spend 10-20 minutes walking up and down a few flights. When you are no longer feeling winded on the stairs, then you’re ready for the next level challenge…stairwell sprints.
4) Free Trial Class — many of the bigger health club franchises (and even some of the smaller local fitness studios) will offer free passes to drum up new members. If you’ve got a friend or family member that already has a membership somewhere that interests you, ask them about getting you a trial membership or free class pass. This is also a great way to try out a new type of workout class without a long-term commitment.
5) Dive In — Swimming is by far one of the best forms of overall fitness. Great cardio, no impact on the joints, tones your muscles and builds endurance. It’s like a magic elixir for your body. There are indoor pools in many apartment and condominium complexes, local YMCA and community centers and even plenty of office complexes that have fitness centers on the premises. It’s well worth inquiring what the fees are for day passes, or short-term memberships that can be paid month to month just for the winter months. The prices are usually not too hefty, let’s face it, investing a little in our health and well-being is definitely money well spent.
So, during these frigid months to follow Autumn…keep moving, keep smiling, and keep looking ahead because Spring is really only 4 months away.