Staying active in the winter

As the daylight hours decrease and the weather turns frosty, it is easy to let activity levels decrease as well. Many people switch seamlessly from summer hobbies to winter hobbies with no issues, while other people struggle to stay active without their usual summer routine.

For those who would rather hibernate until summer, here are some cosiderations.

• As we age, it gets more difficult to maintain fitness with prolonged breaks (ie winter). This means that returning to sport (golf, baseball, etc) after a period of inactivity can predisposed the participant to an overuse injury or strain

• Increased sedentary time (prolonged sitting / low energy activity) poorly impacts blood pressure, blood sugars, weight, and mental health

Winter is a great time to engage in cross-training activities to maintain fitness levels throughout winter and promote good health. Some of my favorite winter actives include:

• Hot yoga

• Snow shoeing

• Snowmobiling

• Horse back riding

• Group fitness classes

• Snowboarding

• Hunting

• Hiking

I run on the treadmill before work when I am less inspired to be out in the cold. I save my long run for the weekend. When I am feeling brave I participate in an evening group run. The traction spikes and headlamp used during an evening run makes it feel more like an adventure than a “workout.” I enjoy the group atmosphere because it helps me push myself more than I would on my own.

I try to change up my weekly activities so that I don’t get stuck in a rut. This provides cross-training opportunities and gives me something to look forward to outside of the usual routine. Staying active and strong means less trips to the local physiotherapy clinic.