The Ultimate Guide To Exercising In Cold Weather

As the temperatures begin to fall, many people want to curl up on the couch to watch television or read a book. They don’t want to think about exercising in cold weather. For some it takes a certain je ne sais quoi to find motivation to workout in cold weather. There are many ways to stay motivated to get in your winter workout. If you enjoy walking, running, or bicycling as exercise, but don’t want to go outdoors when it’s 20 degrees, I understand. You can find the motivation to exercise in cold weather even if you aren’t entirely excited to go outside. When I titled this the ultimate guide to exercising in cold weather I wasn’t kidding. You might want to bookmark this link or pin it so that you have it for future reference. If you’re not busy right now, grab your favorite beverage and dive in. I cover the reasons to continue exercising in the winter along with some science behind why you might not want to. We’ll talk about goal setting, mindset shifts, how to begin a winter workout if you’re just getting started, and even the foods that can help keep you motivated.

Should You Exercise In The Winter?

Think about it from a hunter gatherer perspective. They didn’t have indoor gyms or technologically advanced clothing. In the winter food was scarce, especially in northern climates, so running for the sake of burning calories didn’t make sense. Not only did they not know what a calorie was, they also didn’t know where their next meal was coming from. It’s one of the reasons lions don’t chase mice. That’s a lot of effort for very little return on time and energy.

Back in those days vigorous movements opened up the potential for injury which often resulted in death. At the same time, we all know that exercise benefits the body in a number of ways. While hunter gatherers didn’t burn calories just for the sake of burning calories, they still exercised in the winter. The difference was that they weren’t aware they were exercising. Going on walks to find food, carrying food back, and the occasional reasons to run was their workout routine. It’s also the basis of primal fitness that I teach.

In 1847, the German biologist Carl Bergmann noted that within the same species of animal, leaner animals were found in warmer climates. Larger animals that live in colder climates typically have a smaller surface area relative to their body mass. This makes them inefficient at radiating body heat, meaning it keeps them warm.2 Tall people with slender bodies, and long arms and legs, typically have more difficulty staying warm.

Shorter and stockier people not only have a structural advantage, but the body can do incredible things in order to adapt to the cold. Inuits consume large quantities of high calorie fatty foods which increases their metabolic rate and the amount of body heat they can produce in their cold climate. The Aboriginies of Australia respond to the cold a bit differently. They develop thick fat as insulation around the organs in the chest and abdomen. In addition, their skin cools at night which prevents heat loss because the blood vessels are constricted.2

While I couldn’t find a study saying that humans aren’t built for exercising in the winter, I think what I did find supports my theory. If you live in a colder climate a little weight gain could help keep you warm. Adding a little muscle to your frame will increase the amount of heat your body can produce. For me, I simply opt for the best winter gear. I’m 6′ tall and I get cold easily, especially my hands and feet.

Winter Exercise & Fitness Goals

Energetically speaking the modern world is swimming in an abundance of calories whereas our ancestors survival depended on how well they could hunt and gather. When they did eat, their food was very different than ours. Even the most primal person today eats hybridized plants that didn’t exist during the Paleolithic period. Grain fed animals are served in nearly every restaurant. Most of us don’t maximize nutrient density by eating nose to tail, and we likely take in far more sugar or sweeteners than they did.

The calories we consume versus what they consumed are not the same. It’s also why you may feel a need to burn a bunch of calories with winter exercise. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, if you’re not careful, can become one long holiday filled with sugary treats. The thing is, if weight loss is your exercise motivation it’s not an efficient way to lose weight. 80% of your body composition is determined by the food you eat, exercise is only responsible for 10%, and sleep the other 10%.

If your ultimate goal is to run a 26-mile marathon, it is unreasonable to think you’d be able to achieve that goal on the first day. It will take many, many weeks, possibly months, to work up to that goal. Instead of trying to run 26 miles on your first outing, begin with something reasonable. If you’ve never run before it might take some time to strengthen your body to be able to run everyday. It’s important to balance exercise with rest so that you don’t develop a stress injury. No worries though, before long, you’ll be running further and further each day.

Weight lifting is a great exercise but lifting 100 pounds as a short-term goal is unreasonable and could be dangerous. If you’ve never lifted weights before and try to lift 100 pounds on your first day, you could easily injure yourself. Start with smaller goals. Try 50% less than what you believe you can lift and do a few repetitions with that amount. Using the correct form and moving through the exercises slowly not only maximizes the benefits, but it also helps prevent injury. After you’ve warmed up your muscles it’s ok to bump up the weight a bit if you feel that you need to. It may take you a couple of weeks to reach your goal of lifting 100 pounds but working up to it will reduce the chance of injury.

When it comes to reaching any goal focus on your WHY. Why do you want to workout? What happens if you reach your goal -vs- what happens if you don’t? Most people these days have a weight loss goal but that on its own isn’t very compelling. If that’s your goal why is it your goal? There’s usually a bigger WHY hidden underneath. Maybe your goal is to gain X pounds of muscle? Why? For some people vanity is enough of a reason. Others may want to increase bone strength, stamina, and maintain their activity level as they age. Whatever your WHY is make sure it’s a good one. It should be something that instills a bit of worry if you don’t make the attempt.

Ideas For Exercising In Cold Weather

Is your chosen form of exercise something you can easily do during the winter months? Suppose you love rowing a boat during the warmer months of the year. Is it reasonable to continue rowing on the lake for your winter workout? If you started taking water skiing lessons during the summer, certainly you won’t want to continue getting out onto the water in a swimsuit when it’s cold outside. Perhaps you might want to try snowboarding, cross country, or downhill skiing. You may be able to cycle outside on clear days, or use a stationary bike indoors. If you enjoy hiking in the summer maybe try snowshoeing for your winter workout?

Think of some winter exercises you’ve always wanted to learn. Perhaps you ice skated as a child. Even if you haven’t laced up a pair of skates in years, now would be the perfect time to begin skating again. Have you ever wanted to try snowmobiling? You may discover that you’ve found a new favorite winter activity!

A Fitness Mindset Shift

Instead of telling yourself that you “have” to workout in cold weather, remind yourself that you “get” to enjoy this activity. You’re healthy and able to move and everyone can’t say that. Take advantage of the fact that you can exercise in the winter. Many people would love to be able to take a walk outside or glide across an ice skating rink. The most important way to stay motivated for your winter workout is to find an activity that you enjoy and set reasonable goals for yourself. After you have your mind made up exercise in cold weather, workout goals are easy to reach, and have chosen the winter exercise activity that will keep you moving and warm, you may find that motivation isn’t as difficult to find as you thought.

Some people struggle with seasonal affective disorder and they feel a bit down during the winter months. Exercise is one of the many ways you can give yourself a boost of feel good hormones. Regularly being active, regardless of the activity, can improve your mood because of the endorphins that exercise releases. Exercising in a group or with a friend further adds to the endorphins your body will generate.

How To Find The Right Winter Exercise For You

The same cold weather exercise that is right for your friends, your family, or your partner is not necessarily going to be the right exercise for you. How do you find the right exercise? Below are some questions you can ask yourself which may help you find the exercise program thatís right for you.

• Have you determined what your winter workout goals are? If not, consider this question: what is it that you want to achieve with your exercise program? Do you want to feel great and look good in your own skin? Has your doctor told you that you need to become more active? Do you want to find a winter exercise program you won’t hate? The above three questions will help you express your fitness goals. Remember, you can get healthier by exercising consistently 30 minutes a day than you can by exercising for two hours once a week. Find a form of winter exercise that is easy to incorporate into your day and you’ll be most likely to stick to it.

• What cold weather workout fits best with your schedule? If you’re a busy person you may feel like you don’t have time to exercise in the winter. Since general daily movement should make up the majority of your winter workout there’s really very little time you need to dedicate outside of that. Can you find 30 minutes 2-3 times a week for some weight training or bodyweight exercises? If you don’t belong to a gym you can do these exercises at home. Whether you take them outside is up to you. If you hate to exercise alone, ask a friend or family member to exercise with you. Remember, sensible exercise that you enjoy can contribute to your overall stress reduction. If you need to make incorporating winter exercise easier, choose something you can do without having to leave your home.

• What if you found a winter exercise program that has more than one benefit associated with it? People who practice Tai Chi understand that the activity trains their joints as well as encourages balance. Those who practice Yoga realize it helps train the body and the mind simultaneously. Anyone who enjoys CrossFit understands that they are increasing strength and agility at the same time. If can find an activity that accomplishes more than one thing at a time, give it a try. You may find you enjoy the varied benefits.

• Will your winter workout program carry over into your every day life? If your job requires you to move heavy items, a weight lifting program might be best for you. The goal is to find an exercise that you will enjoy doing, and that is important to you, for now and into the future. The more important it is for you, personally, the more likely you will continue it.

• Are some physical activities difficult for you or has your doctor suggested you avoid them? If you have had heart surgery, it is unlikely the doctor is going to suggest that you start training for a marathon. If you’ve had knee surgery, rowing a boat will likely cause stress or injury to your knees. Walking is one of the least jarring exercises and it is something you do throughout your day. Plus, walking is a great exercise for fat loss as long as you walk at a sensible pace. Adding a short walk in the evening might be a good option for you if you have health issues.

• If you’re a social person, it is unlikely that you will enjoy winter exercises that keep you away from other people. Taking an exercise class with a friend will help you be social as well as help you continue to exercise. If you’d rather be alone after a long, hard day at work, a crowded exercise class probably isn’t going to work for you. You may prefer a quiet exercise like swimming or yoga where it is quiet and there aren’t a lot of people around.

How Do You Set Your Winter Exercise Goals?

Some people don’t plan when it comes to exercising. This may be part of the reason they don’t continue exercising when winter comes. They have failed to plan, haven’t set any goals, and simply stop. If you’re serious about your health it is important to exercise all year round even if you change the type of exercise you do.

The process of setting winter workout goals isn’t any different than decluttering your house or starting a business. There is an acronym that you can use for creating goals. It’s useful for anything you are setting goals for S.M.A.R.T.

The S In The acronym Is For Specific.

A general goal would be, “I plan to exercise during the winter months”. A specific goal states that, “Mary and I will get together three times a week during the winter months. We’ll meet at my apartment to exercise with a video for an hour each time. Our goal is to lose weight and get healthy for our high school reunion in June.” You can see that each of the questions was answered. Perhaps your winter exercise goal isn’t spelled out in that much detail. However, you still want to be specific about what you will be doing, for how long, and what you hope to accomplish.

The M In The Acronym Is For Measurable.

You want to establish concrete ways to measure whether you’re making progress toward your winter workout goal. In the case of exercise, a measurable goal would be taking physical measurements of your body once a week. Many people use weight as the gold standard but it’s actually not an indicator of health. Considering that one liter of water weighs 2.2 lbs. You eat, drink, and use the bathroom daily. The scale goes up and down and most of it means nothing. Besides, you don’t want to lose muscle mass, bone density, connective tissue, hydration, or organ mass. Better indicators of winter workout success are non-scale victories. Since you began exercising in cold weather has your sleep improved? Do your clothes fit differently? Has your joint pain reduced or been eliminated? What does your mood look like? You could also take other measurements like blood glucose or blood ketones to get a better idea of what’s going on inside.

Using a measurable winter workout goal will help you document your progress and help you move closer to your goals. You can determine if a goal is measurable by asking how much or how many?

The A In The Acronym Is For Attainable.

When you decide to workout in cold weather, the goals you set should be reasonable for you. If your goal is too big you’ll likely get frustrated. Successful people reach big goals by moving their way through smaller goals first. Have you identified what is most important to you? Maybe your goal for winter exercise is to simply enjoy time outdoors with friends. Think about where you want to be in a month or 3 months. What cold weather workout can you do regularly to help yourself reach that goal? Also think about the things that can potentially hinder your winter workout goals and what you’ll do to minimize them.

Set smaller goals that you will be able to reach. Staying motivated to exercise in cold weather can feel easier when you consider that winter generally lasts about three months. You don’t have to plan for an entire year’s worth of winter workouts. Plan your cold weather workout carefully and you will likely be able to reach your goals. Write your goals out and put them in a place where you can see them everyday.

The R In The Acronym Is For Realistic.

If you choose a winter workout goal that is not realistic such as, “I will lift 250 pounds after my first week lifting weights,” it is likely you will not be willing or able to reach it. To find success in your cold weather workout choose a goal that you can actually reach, “I will lift 5 or 10 pounds of weight for my first week of weightlifting.” That is a simple goal for most people. You also want to consider whether your winter workout goal is too easy. If you have never lifted weights before, lifting 5 or 10 pounds may seem difficult. But if you have lifted weights in the past and stopped, lifting 5 or 10 pounds may seem simple. You want to be sure that your cold weather workout goals are that moves you forward.

The T In The S.M.A.R.T. Acronym Stands For Timely.

Each goal you set should have a time frame surrounding it. If you don’t give yourself a time frame to reach your goal, you may not have the self-determination to continue. For instance, if you want to lose 15 pounds but don’t make a deadline to reach your goal, you likely won’t be as motivated to lose the weight. Giving yourself a deadline and measuring your winter workout progress can help keep you motivated.

The Letter T In The Acronym Could Also Stand For Tangible.

A tangible goal is one that you experience with one or more of your senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, or taste. Having a tangible winter workout goal will also be easier to make the goal specific and measurable, increasing your chance of success.

Deciding to workout in cold weather consider your goals and choose ones that use one or more of the S.M.A.R.T. letters. Write your winter workout goals down and review them weekly. I find that it helps to journal or write a little note in my daily planner. Remind yourself of your goal and note your progress. You may also want to ask a friend or family member to help hold you accountable. Friendly encouragement combined with specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely goals can be a powerful tool to help you achieve your fitness goals during the winter months. As the winter ticks by you can maintain or gain your health and fitness.

Foods That Motivate You To Exercise:

You may be surprised to learn that some foods actually CAN help motivate you to workout in cold or warm weather. The foods you eat, whether healthy and wholesome or processed and chemical-laden, can make a difference in your motivation, particularly if you are trying to become healthier. An added benefit to eating the foods in the list below, besides helping to motivate or keep you motivated, is that they also help you control stress, fight anxiety and depression, and increase your ability to focus.

Wild Caught TUNA: This fish can help you fight depression during the colder months because it provides vitamin B6. Since it’s unlikely you’ll feel much like doing anything when you’re depressed, increasing how much tuna you eat, particularly during the colder months, can help combat depression. According to many research reports, Tuna has 69% of your daily requirement of vitamin B6. Some research also indicates that you can also treat, and possibly prevent, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with vitamin B6 which can affect being able to focus or stay on task.

SPINACH: Harvard Medical School research indicates that spinach, or other leafy green vegetables, reduces the rate of cognitive decline or the speed at which the brain functions. Eating spinach can support the ability to learn and a motor skill functions.

BLUEBERRIES: Not only can blueberries help improve focus and engagement, but they can also help motivate you to lose weight. A recent study showed that people eating a cup of blueberries each day for two weeks scored higher on classroom tests over those who didn’t eat them. It is believed the reason for the improvement is because brain cells in the hippocampus region of the brain increased while eating the blueberries.

PECANS: Choline, found in pecans, can assist with memory, depression, and fatigue following a winter working out. It can also improve brain development. Recent studies show that taking 2.8 grams of choline before a race helped athletes run faster when compared to not taking choline.

SUNFLOWER SEEDS: Not being able to sleep and depression are major roadblocks to becoming or remaining motivated. Eating a handful of sunflower seeds can help fight both of these issues. The seeds contain tryptophan which is converted to the feel good hormone serotonin.

GREEK YOGURT: The brain uses neurotransmitters to mobilize the brain and ready the body for action. Yogurt contains the compound tyrosine which is an amino acid producing both noradrenalin and dopamine. Greek yogurt supports muscle growth and contains calcium which helps nerves function better. If you’re not sure about whether to consume dairy it depends on your genetics.

FLAXSEED: Flaxseeds contain alpha-linolenic acid which is a healthy fat used for improving how the cerebral cortex functions. The cerebral cortex processes sensory information.

GREEN TEA: Maintaining an outlook that is positive, enhancing your memory, boosting your ability to focus, and combating mental fatigue can help you stay focused on your winter workout goals. Green tea can help you focus on your goals when it is time to do so, as well as help you to step back and regroup. The catechins in green tea allow you to chill out mentally.

GRASS-FED PASTURE RAISED BEEF: Having a healthy iron helps people perform better on mental tasks as well as complete them faster. Grass-fed pasture raised beef is rich in bioavailable iron and healthy omega 3 fats.

KALE: Manganese is an important mineral found in kale. It increases the brain’s function as well as increases concentration. You’ll also find the amino acids necessary for better alertness and mood in kale. Kale contains 1180% of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin K1 which is necessary to reduce mental decline.

WALNUTS: Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, provide fuel for the brain, and help increase the feel good hormone serotonin. Appetites and mood are controlled by serotonin. Eating walnuts regularly can help you make healthier food choices. Serotonin is a precursor to melatonin which helps you fall asleep at night. Walnuts can help you sleep better by supporting your body’s ability to produce melatonin. When you get a good night’s sleep it’s easier to make good food choices the next day. Also, sleep is just as important to weight loss as exercise.

PUMPKIN SEEDS: Even though they are small, pumpkin seeds contain your full day’s requirement of zinc. Zinc is helpful for the memory and keeping thinking skills healthy. When you’re alert, you can handle whatever life throws at you. Zinc in combination with Vitamin C are key nutrients for supporting a healthy immune system.

COFFEE: Although coffee contains caffeine, it also increases the amount of dopamine in your brain. Dopamine allows you to plan ahead, as well as resist any unhealthy impulses which could keep you from reaching your goals.

DARK CHOCOLATE: Most people like chocolate, but dark chocolate (bars that are 75% or more cacao) is actually healthy for you. It can reduce the chance of developing cancer as well as promote weight loss. Chocolate improves the production of endorphins and serotonin in the brain. Joining the feel good party, dopamine is released when you eat chocolate. Dopamine makes you feel good as it increases focus and concentration. What’s even more surprising is that you don’t need to eat an entire bar of chocolate. A small square is all you need. To get a wide range of nutrients try melting some dark chocolate and adding the nuts from this list to make your own deliciously healthy treat.

WATER: If you’re dehydrated, it is difficult to function properly. Since the body is more than 73% water, it’s important to drink enough fluids. Being dehydrated can impair your ability to gain knowledge or understand. It can also cause you to become lethargic, distracted, and irritable.

Foods That Make You Not Want To Work Out

Eating healthy foods can do much in the way of building up motivation for continuing to workout in cold weather. In the same way, not eating healthy foods can adversely affect your motivation to exercise in cold weather. Everyone knows that eating junk food can make you feel tired. When you feel fatigued, you’re not likely to get up and workout, especially in cold weather. Stay away from processed foods and eat more foods as close to nature as you can. This doesn’t mean you have to become 100% perfect with your diet, but you do want to increase the amount of fresh foods even during the colder months.

Eating too many sweets and processed foods can lead to lethargy. When you’re lethargic, the last thing you want to do is exercise. That is partly why people gain so much weight during the colder months. Remember how Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, and New Years can seem like one long sugar filled festival? Be mindful of that. The downward slide begins around the end of October and continues until the first of the year. That’s when people realize they’ve let themselves go and decide to make a New Year’s resolutions to get into shape and lose weight.

Unfortunately, after several months of eating all of the holiday goodies, you may find that your motivation to workout in cold weather, or to workout at all has disappeared. Finding it again can be challenging for some. When you come to think about it wouldn’t it be better to learn how to find balance. That is, make healthy choices as often as you can, but also don’t be afraid to enjoy the moment. Your only goal is to determine which moments are worth it.

For me, some decisions are simple. A friend or family member’s homemade pie will always win over a store bought pie that’s filled with nonsense ingredients. You might not eat carb heavy things like pancakes, cinnamon rolls, or pasta, but if your great aunt brings her homemade mac and cheese to a holiday dinner I fully expect you to have some if you want it. Maybe you and your friends go out to brunch during the holidays. Some people will want to stick to their paleo-keto breakfast choices whereas others might want to throw the rules out the window for the moment. Rather than being 100% perfection or 100% off the wagon why not find a balance that works for you? Learn how to choose your moments. At home the easiest way to stick to your goals is to simply not bring as many treats into your house.

For Halloween you can give out non-candy items, dark chocolate, or organic suckers with Vitamin C added. At Thanksgiving you could host the dinner and make paleo recipes or use my tips to help you navigate eating at someone else’s house. Be mindful of countless holiday parties, your alcohol consumption, and the potential for an endless supply of sugary treats.

Try to find non-food activities to celebrate the season. Many of them fall under the category of a cold weather workout. Go for a walk in the woods and appreciate the colors of the fall leaves. Play a game of touch football. Ask someone to join you for a post meal stroll to catch the sunset. Build a snowman with the kids. There are countless ways to enjoy the cooler months without making food the main event.

What Do You Do If You Fall Off The Winter Exercise Wagon?

You have been consistent with your exercise routine for months, and then the temperatures plummet, there are wind chills making the temperatures feel like it’s well below zero, and there’s a combination of rain, sleet, and snow expected for two to three months. To make matters worse, you’ve got a cold and you really don’t want to workout in cold weather. It’s too cold outside. While I wouldn’t tell anyone to go for a hard winter workout when they’re not feeling their best the trick is finding your motivation again when you do feel better. For many, they might not exercise for a day, then two days, then a week. Before long, they fall completely off the fitness wagon. Even if it has been a week or more since you last exercised, not all hope is lost. You have a choice to make:

1. Simply stop exercising and lose all benefits that you had gained from your previous work.
2. Accept the fact that you’re not perfect (no one is) and decide to get back on track?
   

What Happens If You Stop Exercising?

I’m a firm believer that quality is more important than quantity when it comes to your winter workout. Would you rather spend your time exercising without your best effort, or would you rather wait until you’re feeling up to it? The issue for some is that they put it down and then they struggle to find their motivation to workout in cold weather. This is one of the reasons why finding an exercise you genuinely enjoy is so important. I genuinely love downhill skiing. It doesn’t feel like a workout even though I often have to drag my legs back to the car because I’ve skied until I can’t ski anymore. The same is true for me and hiking. I simply love a good walkabout.

If you’ve taken a break and you’re struggling to get back into it learn to have patience with yourself and your body. Recognize the reason you took a break. Were you ill? Did life get in the way? Were you on quarantine lockdown? Take a look at what happened and learn from it. We learn the most from our mistakes, not our successes.

Simply Begin Again

Start with short workouts if you haven’t exercised in awhile. Not only will you be moving toward your goals again.

Tell a friend you trust that you need some accountability or encouragement to get back on the exercise track. Be specific about what you’d like to accomplish. Confiding in a friend can help you be honest with yourself and will make you feel better. See if your friend wants to join you. Like almost everything in life, exercising is more fun with someone you enjoy being with. They can encourage you and can encourage them. It’s a win-win arrangement.

Simple Ideas To Increase Your General Daily Movement

• Take a hike or a walk around the block even if it is colder outside. As a kid we’d take a walk through the snow to look at holiday lights. There’s a special peacefulness when the world is covered in a snow blanket. You don’t have to run or drive to a gym if it seems to difficult. Simply getting outdoors and walking can be some of the best exercise for colder months.
• Instead of taking the elevator at work, take the stairs. If you can’t walk up multiple flights of stairs your first day, take one flight and then ride the elevator the remainder of the way up.
• Act like a child and play! Children don’t think of playing as exercise, they simply see it as having fun. You can do the same thing. Try to find fun things you can do that will also get you moving. There are many activities and sports you can try that will bring fun back to getting fit.
• Find some energetic music that makes you want to move. Did you know that simply dancing around your home counts as exercise?
• Block out your exercise time on your calendar and guard that time. Turn your phone off so you won’t be interrupted by alerts.

Dress warmly and go outside to exercise. You don’t have to freeze while exercising in colder weather. Today’s exercise wear is so versatile today and there is so much to choose from. Get the gear that you will need for whatever weather your area experiences during the winter.

1. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050504225732.htm
2. https://www2.palomar.edu/anthro/adapt/adapt_2.htm

Originally posted on September 7, 2021 @ 13:21

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