Creative Ways to Get Exercise in the Colder Months
A Healthier Michigan
| 3 min read
More than half of Americans get less physical activity during the winter months. Whether it’s because of colder weather, schedule changes, travel or holiday celebrations, it can be harder to stay active during the winter. Colder weather may leave you wanting to stay curled up indoors rather than exercising. Here are some creative ideas to get enough physical exercise during the winter months:
Find indoor tracks or places to walk or run
If counting steps is your main aim for exercise, you don’t have to give up walking or running in winter. Find a facility nearby that has an indoor track or join a mall walking group. If the weather is cold and not inclement, outdoor walking and hiking can be invigorating in the winter.
Join a team sport or exercise class
It can be easier to exercise or workout in a group setting, and group exercise can help symptoms of anxiety or the winter blues. There are a wide range of indoor and outdoor classes. You could learn a new sport or revisit an old favorite. Good indoor workout options include yoga, Pilates, dance classes, aerobics and tai chi.
Take up lap swimming
Swimming is a great indoor, low-impact workout available in the winter months. Many local sports clubs or gyms have lap swimming pools available and even swimming instruction to help you learn to swim or improve your skills.
Take up birding
Birding, or birdwatching, is a fun way to spend time outdoors and stay active in the winter. Michigan hosts majestic birds in the winter months, including snow buntings, Northern finches, horned larks, snowy owls and great gray owls.
Try a new outdoor sport like cross-country skiing or ice skating
Some sports are only available in winter, so now is the time to try them out. These include snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing. These are also both ways to see gorgeous Michigan winter landscapes and spend time outdoors. Ice skating is also a popular option that can help build strength and balance as well as provides a cardio workout.
Shovel snow for neighbors and the elderly
If you can shovel snow comfortably, it can be an invigorating workout and productive exercise. Find those in your neighborhood, community or personal network who are unable to shovel their own snow and do it for them. Helping other people can release feel-good chemicals in your brain and improve your mood. Find active volunteer opportunities
There are other active volunteer opportunities you could find. Helping transport residents in wheelchairs around a nursing home or care center, volunteering as a crosswalk guard or helping decorate community spaces for the holidays are some ideas to get active in the colder months.
Get the right outdoor gear
However you decide to be active in winter, make sure you are properly prepared with the right outdoor gear and clothes. Wear multiple layers to be prepared for temperature changes and adjust layers as a workout gets intense. Exercising in the winter can be fun and invigorating, and it can improve your mood and prevent seasonal depression.
