FitView: Winterizing Your Fitness
By Efren Martinez
Winter work out in some ways like going from night to day instantly. As winter starts to set in our entire workout regiment can start to change as does our internal clock. Go with the flow and don’t kick all of your fitness to the curb just because it’s too cold or dark outside. Things are much different now from our summer workouts. If you’re like me, you wake up early only to get your run in before the sun starts to bake you by 9 am.
As winter sets upon us so does the effects of losing the daylight and also the hour we lose from daylight savings time. This makes it so easy for many of us to put our healthy lifestyle in the backseat through the colder months. Don’t! The colder months are actually the best time to ramp things up when it comes to our fitness.
First off let’s break our mindset that we can only work out in the mornings. This is the key to making your outdoor fitness workouts transition into the winter months. So let’s start with running and having an open mind about getting your run/walk later in the day verses at the break of dawn. In the winter afternoons, the temperatures warm up significantly in contrast to the near-freezing temps early in the morning. Plan your route accordingly so that you can double back to home base to un-layer. As I start off my runs, I run a mile loop layered up near my home, remove my layers at home base and then continue the rest of my 8-13 mile run. Once your in full stride your own momentum of fitness will keep your body temperature comfortably regulated. In fact, you might even experience the cooler weather to be in your favor.
Other things to remember are keeping your head and feet warm which are essential to any kind of outdoor winter activities. This is where we lose the most heat from our bodies. Another great tip is that before you start, take a hot shower to make sure your core is nice and warm. If you start working out when your cold, you will be even colder when you head out. Keep in mind it’s all about being able to continuously change up the norm when it comes to exercising during the different seasons of the year.
You got this! Don’t give up! Changing the norm is something that we’ve all had to master in 2020 so don’t be discouraged. Just go with the flow because your continued healthy lifestyle is part of who you are. Staying healthy isn’t just a hobby or a fad it’s a lifestyle.
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