How to: Stay Active This Winter

Stay Active This Winter!

Article submitted by Christina Johnson

When the winter winds roll around and you are stuck indoors, it is too easy to start giving the gym a miss. The cold encourages us to be less than active, but the truth of the matter is that there are plenty of ways to stay on your toes no matter how cold it gets outside. Even if you have kids and a busy schedule, think about a few fun ways to stay active this winter.

First, start dancing! When people think about dance, they often think about things like ballet and tap. The truth of the matter is that there is no right way to dance. Think about the last time you heard a song that you loved on the radio and think about how your foot started tapping and how you started to move. All dancing is making the most of the motions. If you feel embarrassed, do it alone, or better yet, get your kids in on it with you.

Bundle up and head outside.  While it feels like a pain to get your coat and boots and gloves on for a walk, you’ll be happy that you did. Getting some sunlight on your eyes immediately improves your mood, and you’ll find that just getting to stretch your legs can help you feel better. Plus, you’ll burn more calories in the cold than you will in the warm areas, so even a short walk can make a big difference to the way that you feel.

Go sledding. If you have kids, this is a great way to stay active and at little cost. If you have a sled, or even a large plastic trash can lid, you’ll find that this can help your kids have their own fun. This gets them and you out of the house, and you can bet that you are burning plenty of calories as you march up that hill over and over again.

Remember that not all exercise has to be intense and aerobic. Check online for free yoga instructional videos. Yoga allows you to stretch your body and to subtly strengthen it, and you’ll find that it is a great way for you to get more flexibility into your day-to-day routine. This is a fantastic thing to do with kids, as you can help them keep their natural flexibility. Online videos in general are a great resource for people who want to stay fit while indoors; they can teach you to do yoga, to stretch and to dance!

Remember that winter is not something that you can hibernate through. Take the time to consider how you are going to stay active this winter and how you can get your kids in on the act.

Christina Johnson who works remotely for Elliman Prudential in the NYC Apartments and Rentals market.  She is using her journalism major to combine what she loves most, writing and her career. Her specialties include home decor design and DIY home improvement projects.