Photo credit: bhssolutions.com
Everybody knows that daily exercise is critical to good health – it promotes good circulation, prevents weight gain, protects against a host of illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, and improves sleep quality and mood. During the winter months, everyone is tempted to stay indoors. Fortunately, physical activity just requires a little creativity during the winter months. Exercise does not have to be grueling, nor does it have to be in the form of a so-called “workout.” It can be a beneficial side effect of a fun activity or a productive task. As long as you dress for the weather (see tips for staying warm), you can exercise outside all winter long almost anywhere. Here are a few fun and kid-friendly ways to stay active during this cold season. Just make sure to dress for the weather!
1. Take a walk or go on a nature hike. You can bring your dog, binoculars, or do a scavenger hunt with the little ones.
2. Rake leaves or shovel snow. It may seem like another tedious task on your to-do list, but you get to mark it off twice: chore + workout in one!
3. Winter activities such as ice skating, skiing, snowboarding, or ice hockey are great ways to get exercise and have fun at the same time. Find out what you have access to in your area, and start playing.
- Go sledding, build a snowman, or have a snowball fight. These are particularly fun activities for kids.
- Go snowshoeing. With this activity, you can easily get the cardiovascular benefits of running without the high impact on your joints.
4. Finally, if it just gets too frigid to exercise outside, exercise inside!
- Joining a gym or take a class that appeals to you, such as yoga, dance, or kickboxing, at a local community center. It is a great way to beat the cold and get your heartbeat up too.
- See these 10 best indoor at home exercises and workouts
- Check out great indoor exercise videos at Fitness Blender and YouTube
- Turn on your favorite dance music and dance
- See 20 awesome indoor workouts
Don’t let cold weather slow you down. Make a cold weather exercise plan. And when the weather gets cold, get out, get moving, and warm up with some of these fun winter activities.
cb
