I loathe cold weather, but here are some tricks I use to get out a little more:
- Alternate going in and out. Start your workout inside with a nice long warm up, then head out for a 3-5 minute walk or run. Come back for another 5-10 minutes until you're warm again and then continue alternating for a dynamic workout.
- Go half and half. Another option is to do half your workout outside and then finish up inside. The great thing about this is that you get inside before you really start sweating - sweating when it's cold is not only uncomfortable, it could lead to hypothermia if you're out for long periods of time.
- End your workout outside. A great way to burn extra calories and add something new to your winter workouts is to save 5 minutes at the end of your workout for an outdoor sprint. Head out and walk or run as fast as you can for 5 minutes.
- Shovel some snow. If you're staring out at several inches or feet of snow, exercising may not be safe. Shoveling snow is an excellent whole body workout and a great warm up for more structured (and indoor) exercise.
Next: Step 4 - Layer Up
