Winter Decline in Physical Activity Among Two-Thirds of Women - 9 Straightforward Strategies to Maintain Fitness Regimen
Staying Active in Cold Weather: A Guide for Women
Women in the UK still face more barriers when it comes to participating in sports, according to recent data. However, this shouldn't deter women from staying active, especially during the colder months. Here are some tips to help you exercise safely and maintain motivation in cold weather.
Safety First
- Dress Appropriately: Layer up! Wear moisture-wicking and insulating materials like wool or polyester to keep warm. Avoid cotton as it retains moisture and can lead to cold feet or blisters.
- Protect Extremities: Keep your hands, head, and feet warm with gloves, hats, and thick socks. Insulating areas near major arteries can help maintain warmth during outdoor activities.
- Stay Hydrated: Even in cold weather, hydration is crucial. Use insulated water bottles to prevent water from freezing and to keep warm drinks handy.
- Warm Up and Cool Down: Prepare your muscles for the cold by warming up indoors or with dynamic stretches before going outside, then cool down gradually afterward.
- Be Aware of Risks: Limit exposure to extreme cold, watch for signs like numbness, tingling, or pale skin, and stop exercising if you feel light-headed, dizzy, or unusually weak.
Motivation and Safety
- Exercise Where You Feel Safe: If cold weather dampens your motivation, focus on the rewards from exercising (like better mood and health). Set realistic goals and consider indoor alternatives.
- Use Proper Footwear: Choose well-fitted, cushioned shoes with good traction to prevent slips on icy or wet surfaces.
- Listen to Your Body: Stop exercising if you experience pain, chest pressure, confusion, or severe discomfort.
- Stay Visible: Wear high viz gear and carry a phone during exercise in the dark to enhance safety.
- Train with a Buddy: Exercising with a friend can provide accountability and safety.
Equipment Essentials
Investing in the right exercise kit is essential for exercising in cold weather to avoid getting ill. A basic cold-weather exercise kit includes a base layer, a gilet or raincoat, warm and reflective workout leggings, gloves, thick socks, and an ear warmer. Brands like Adanola offer leggings suitable for year-round running, being light for summer and insulating for cold winter runs.
Staying Motivated
Setting performance goals instead of outcome goals can be more motivating. For example, aim to increase your steps weekly, up the weight you lift, or train for a marathon. Setting an alarm to take a lunchtime walk around the block can help get steps in when it's cold outside.
Additional Tips
- Listening to music during exercise can provide additional motivation.
- Paying attention to your menstrual cycle is important as it affects performance.
- Being realistic with your time and commitments is key to maintaining a consistent exercise routine.
- Wearing the Sweaty Betty bra is a good investment for any workout, offering support with a hook-eye clasp detail.
- Sticking to well-lit streets after dark can enhance safety during outdoor exercise.
- Training with a mate can help with accountability and safety.
- For women, fashionable and warm health-and-wellness gear like moisture-wicking, insulating materials can be essential for exercising safely in cold weather.
- Celebrities often prioritize fitness-and-exercise and travel to different places to stay active, even in chilly environments.
- Science reveals that staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle not only promotes beauty but also fights off common cold symptoms in women.
- Style and function intertwine in exercises like yoga, which subjectively enhance fitness, beauty, and even provide calmness and mental health benefits amidst cold weather.
- Traveling to luxury wellness retreats during colder months allows one to combine celebrity-like fitness routines, health-and-wellness practices, and beauty treatments, satisfying all aspects of well-being.
