But It’s Cold Outside: Tips to Keep You Fit When You’re Stuck Inside
Posted: January 31, 2020
Getting enough exercise and staying fit is one of those things that sends positive shockwaves throughout the rest of your life. It improves your physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. Science has backed this up for years. So, when it’s cold outside and we slack off, we tend to have a higher risk of health problems, depression, seasonal disorders, and more.
Here are some tips for staying on course even when you’re stuck inside.
Put on a Video
If you’re used to running outside or heading to the gym for your workouts, for instance, you may feel lost when you’re stuck inside your home. How do you match the intensity and efficacy of your normal workout from the confines of your living room?
Luckily, others have figured this out and you can easily follow their lead. Yoga and pilates, for example, are great contained workouts and there are plenty of videos available on YouTube. You can also find some indoor total body and cardio workouts for free on YouTube as well.
Build a Cheap Home Gym
Though you certainly don’t need a lot of exercise equipment to see results (you can use your own bodyweight effectively for most muscle groups), it doesn’t hurt to have a little bit of help. Of course, we’re not talking about bulky home gym systems, treadmills, or ellipticals. For less than $100, you can outfit your living room with some effective workout tools. Resistance bands are at the top of this list. They can be used in hundreds of creative ways, cost less than $30, and are easily stored when not in use. Start here for a good, total body resistance band workout.
Get Creative
Many of us have an old-fashioned view on exercise - it’s running, weight lifting, sit-ups, etc. We discount activity if it’s not specifically workout activity. When you’re stuck inside during the cold months, any physical activity is good for you. Don’t discriminate, and get creative. Use the stairs in your home to your advantage. Put on some music — and maybe pick up some wireless earphones that can handle a little sweat — and give yourself an intense dance workout. Cleaning the house? Try doing it at twice the normal pace.
Use this mentality while at work too. Take the stairs instead of the elevator all winter long. Have a meeting? Suggest a walking meeting, where you walk around the office and talk instead of sit around a table. Like we said before, any physical activity is worth it.
Head to the Mall
What’s the largest, fully-enclosed, climate-controlled building in most cities? That’s right, it’s the mall. Most physical exercise regimens suggest at least 30 minutes of brisk activity every day. Walking at a quick pace (or power walking) counts. And most malls are large enough that two full rotations around it should give you enough walking to fill your daily quota. If you feel silly walking around the mall for exercise, note that most towns have mall walking clubs you can join!
There are no true barriers to staying fit and healthy when it’s cold outside - only excuses. If you think you can’t get a tough workout without leaving the indoors, try an hour of yoga or a full resistance band workout. You’ll change your mind pretty quickly.
