Don’t let cold weather freeze your workout routine

Exercising and body movement is key for winter fitness

The days are shorter, the nights are longer and the temperatures are plunging. Makes it tempting to stay under the covers for a while, doesn’t it? Who wants to exercise when you can sit on the couch and binge watch your favorite show under a comforter with a hot cup of Joe.

Stop.

Don’t reach for your remote.

Put the coffee down and kick Jack Frost in the heinie.

It might be a challenge to exercise this time of year, but don’t let Old Man Winter keep you down.

MESSA Health Promotion Consultant Rhonda Jones demonstrates easy and effective exercises you can do at home.

Almost half of Americans delay physical exercise in the winter, using poor weather as an excuse to stay indoors, according to the Journal of Sport and Health Science.

Rhonda Jones, MESSA’s health promotion consultant, has a cure for that: Phone a friend.

“Grab a buddy and make sure they hold you accountable,” Jones said. “Winter is challenging and a social support system is real. You make sure you have people in your circle that are going to help you when you are less than motivated because it’s going to happen. It happens to the best of us.”

When you work out with a friend, you talk to each other and share laughs together. That motivates you to get through a strenuous workout faster and easier in the darker, colder months.

Indoor group exercise sessions, such as Zumba, Pilates or yoga are great ways to increase the heart rate and burn calories, Jones said. Not to mention the peer pressure and camaraderie that inspires you to go back again.

“In a group exercise, you can’t just walk out,” Jones said. “Your friends are going to look at you like, ‘Where are you going?’ They’re going to hold you accountable, and your own pride is not going to let you leave that class until you’re finished.”

You can find many of these activities at your local gym or YMCA. You can even invite your workout buddy over, search for fitness videos on YouTube and work out together in your own living room.

If you’re willing to brave the cold weather, you’re in luck because exercising in a colder environment requires more energy to warm your body, which burns more calories, Jones said. Ice skating, skiing and sledding (not so much the downhill ride, but that walk uphill can be a beast) are just some of the many activities you can do to strengthen your muscles, your core, your lungs and your joints.

“If you’ve ever put on some boots and run through the snow, that’s a workout in itself,” Jones said. “All of those winter activities are good for the body and fun for the whole family.”

Let’s say you don’t want to leave the house — at all. There’s plenty for you to do at home to maintain good body movement. You can find a plethora of exercise routines through various apps, social media channels or YouTube. There are many other ways to get creative at home.

• Water jugs are great for arm curls and other strength training. As you get stronger, you can add more water. Shoot for three sets of 8-10 reps of arm curls.
• Hang a pull-up bar over a door and do pull ups or leg raises. Aim for three sets of 5-10 reps.
• Don’t forget about old reliable calisthenics, which include jumping jacks or jogging in place. For beginners, aim for 10-20 jumping jacks. As for jogging in place, start off with a low time. Build up your time as you get stronger.
• Instead of laying on the couch, anchor your feet under it and do sit-ups. Four sets of 12-15 reps should be sufficient.
• Set a timer and walk up and down the stairs in 45-second intervals. Aim for three sets.

If you’re ever stuck and not sure what to do or where to begin, rely on the basics.

“Walk,” Jones said. “If nothing else, walk around the house, walk around the block. Keep your body moving.”