Tips For Exercising In Cold Weather

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By Elizabeth Keest Sedrel

On a December night, a three-cheese lasagna sounds much more appealing than a 3-mile walk. But exercise is still crucial to your health at this chilly time of year.

Cold drives many of us to eat more, and we crave fattier foods. “You don’t really want to eat a salad in winter, do you?” asks Lynne Robinson, a Pilates instructor and author who is based in London and teaches all over the world. “You naturally want more warming foods,” she says. At the same time, winter holidays bring a tasty array of treats to tempt us. That’s fine as long as we work off the extra calories, but here’s the catch: The same weather that boosts our appetites can keep us from our usual workouts.

Some people accept seasonal weight gain as an annual inevitability, especially when bulky sweaters easily hide a few extra pounds. But that expanding waistline poses a problem, and not just squeezing into your jeans. Along with higher fat intake and lower levels of activity, research implicates weight fluctuation as a risk factor for heart disease.

So we need to keep working out, even if we live in areas where snow piles way, way up and temperatures dip way, way down. Here are some tips to keep you motivated, keep you moving, and keep you safe.