1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Exercise

How to Make Winter Exercise Easier

By Paige Waehner, About.com

Updated July 16, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

4 of 8

Get Outside

If you're utterly against exercise in cold temperatures (as I am), you can still get outside occasionally for quick workouts without being too miserable. If you stay inside all winter, you'll eventually get bored and forget that there really is a world out there, even if it's cold. Getting out, even if it's just for a few minutes, can be rejuvenating and refreshing - just what you need to keep going until spring.

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.
Explore Exercise
About.com Special Features

Learn how you can reduce your your numbers with these nutrition and exercise tips. More >

Keep yourself, and your family, happy and healthy this fall with these tips. More >

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Exercise
  4. Exercise & Health
  5. How to Make Winter Exercise Easier - Get Outside

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.