Tips For Working Out In The Cold

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Working out in the cold doesn’t have to be something you drag your feet to do – it can be fun, sweaty, and a great way to burn extra calories!

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The weather has officially changed here in Ohio. Gone are the morning so hot we could play outside by 7am and the days where they are so chilly that I cringe whenever Oliver needs to be let outside have replaced them. I’m not running as much because whenever it gets down to 30ish and below I feel really bad bundling Blake up in the stroller. I replace those runs with HIIT workouts, which truly are awesome for busy mamas! However, I make it my priority to be working out in the cold as much as I possibly can because it’s good for all of us to get outdoors and have a break from being cooped up in the house.

Tips For Working Out In The Cold

I’m not a pro athlete at all, by any means. Just a mama over here trying to get her sweat on while multitasking and getting Blake and the dog outside all at the same time. But these tips for working out in the cold have helped me push through chilly days in weather that is less than inviting.

1. Dress for it.

I know that because temperatures are dropping outside it makes you want to really bundle up whenever you are heading outside for a workout, but you will heat up quickly! Don’t get me wrong: you still want to dress warm. Just make sure you have all the moisture wicking fabrics going on and the general rule of thumb when working out in the cold is to dress as if the temperature was 20 degrees warmer – especially if you’re doing cardio thats more on the intense side. And I always try to stay on the safe side and dress in layers so that I can shed off whatever I need to so that I’m most comfortable during the workout.

2. Have water and food handy.

The thing that can be a little scary about working out in the cold is that because of the drop in temperature, you sometimes don’t realize how thirsty or hungry you actually might be. If I am going on an especially long run, for instance, I make sure in the winter to have a bottle of water sitting in the stroller waiting for me. Sometimes I have to force myself to drink because, again, I don’t feel it because of the cold, but I know that if I can feel myself sweating that it’s probably time to drink some fluids.

This is just as important whenever it comes to eating healthy foods, too. For me, the perfect pick-me-up after a workout of any kind is Health Warrior chia seed bars. At only 100 calories each, they are packed with everything nutritious to fulfill your bodies needs after an outdoor workout in the chilly weather. During the fall and winter months, apple cinnamon just seems to be the flavors that are most fitting for the season, so I always have the apple cinnamon chia bar handy.

3. Start with a warm-up.

Your body needs to ease into going from the warms temperature of your house or car to being outside when there is snow or even ice on the ground. I always try to fully stretch my body indoors so that my muscles are moving and starting to get prepared and then as soon as I set foot outside I start to move my body slowly before I build up any sort of speed. I usually do something simple like walking in pace (no matter how silly it makes me look) because i can control the pace and slowly transition my body to the colder weather.

4. Protect your skin.

As I’ve gotten older, this one has been growing in importance to me. I think as a whole, we tend to forget that even though the weather has gotten colder that we will need to protect our skin from the sun’s rays – but we really, really do. Make sure that you are applying sunscreen to your extremities. I often will mix my sunscreen with my moisturizer (if it’s not already a part of the formula) before I go outside. In addition to the sun, it’s important to take the wind into consideration so throwing on a scarf or even using Vaseline in certain areas will help keep your skin safe.

5. Make sure your shoes have enough traction.

I can’t recommend this anymore! Winter means that the ground is slippery and there can be lots of black ice. You never know what you will step on, so make sure that you are not only wearing the appropriate sneakers, but that they have proper traction on their soles.

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So, who all is working out in the cold this year? I hope you feel prepared and inspired after reading this and are ready to get outside and get sweaty!

XOXO,

Allison