Has winter sent your outdoor fitness habit into hibernation? Don’t wait until spring to get back outside. It can be tough to head outside on rainy or snowy days. But these 12 tips can help you stay warm and injury-free when working out in cold weather.
Outdoor exercise is good for your body and mind, no matter the time of year. Exercise can help ward off the winter blues, boost energy, and prevent weight gain during the time of year most people add some extra insulation.
Try these cold-weather wellness tips to stay safe, warm, and fit:
1. Dress Warm AND Dry
The quickest way to lose body heat is to get wet. Because water is an efficient heat conductor it moves heat away from your body, getting wet will quickly leave you chilled and miserable. If you're cold and wet you may be more inclined to cut your workout short, and you also increase your risk for hypothermia or, in freezing conditions, for getting frostbite. Skip clothes made from cotton, which soaks up sweat and rain and holds in moisture. Choose synthetic fibers or wool designed to dry quickly. And remember it starts with your feet. Today's cool weather socks are not the scratchy, stinky Army socks we grew up with. They are comfy and even cute. Having a few pairs you love is a great way to inspire yourself to get cozy and get outside.
2. Layer Up
Don’t stop at sweat-wicking clothes. You also need layers to trap warm air next to your body and keep out the elements like rain, snow, and wind. First, put on a thin base layer made of synthetic fabrics (discussed above) to help pull sweat away from your skin. If it’s really cold outside, wear a middle layer, such as polar fleece, for extra warmth. Then, add an outer layer (or shell) to protect you from wind, snow, and rain. Depending on the weather, your outer shell can be a lightweight nylon windbreaker or vest, or a heavyweight, waterproof jacket. Note that the more water-repellent the shell, the less it will allow moisture from the inside (your sweat) to escape, even if you’re wearing the proper base layer so opt for one with vents and zippers you can undo as your activity level heats up.
3. Opt for Bright Colors
Black may be chic, but bright clothes are better for outdoor exercise. Not only is it colder in winter, it’s darker too. Poor visibility from rain, snow, or overcast or dark skies makes it tougher for others to see you. This applies whether you’re sharing the road with motorists or sharing the trail or path with other snow-sports enthusiasts. Wear brightly colored clothing and gear whenever possible and consider purchasing reflective gear or blinking lights. Apart from helping others see you, wearable flashlights are great because they improve visibility for you, too, to help prevent missteps and falls.
4. Protect Your Extremities
Fingers, ears, nose, and toes are affected most by chilly temperatures because blood gathers in the core of the body, leaving less blood, and subsequently less heat, available to hands and feet. Start out wearing a hat or headband and gloves or mittens. You can always take them off and tuck them in a pocket if you get warm. And in addition to socks, if you find your toes getting particularly chilly, consider the design of your shoes. Running shoes are designed to let heat escape, but in chilly weather the cold comes right in. Shoe covers, which you can find at a skiing or hiking retailer, can help lock out the cold. You can also look for shoes that are specially designed to withstand the winter elements.
5. Protect Your Skin
Winter air isn’t just cold, it’s dry. To keep your skin from drying out with it, drink plenty of water (more on that later) and use moisturizing cream or lotion before you think you need it. And think about your mask. While wool and other synthetics are great for breathable moisture wicking for your body, you'll want to be sure your winter masks still have at least a few layers of a more tightly woven material like cotton as well.
And, YES, you can get sunburn in the winter. Even if it’s cloudy, UV rays can reach and damage the skin. What’s more, it’s important to realize that snow reflects up to 80 percent of UV rays, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, so when there’s snow out we are hit by many of the same rays twice. So keep that sunscreen slathered on!
6. Check Your Traction
Winter workouts can get slippery fast and snow covered trails and may have hidden obstacles that could lead to ankle or other injuries. Move slowly and steadily. Taking shorter steps keeps the force down on the slippery surface rather than across it, making it a more stable connection. Also, avoid melting ice and snow which will provide less friction with your feet than a surface that is frozen solid. WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, WADDLE. Consider taking an ice-walking cue from those tuxedoed ice pros: Walk like a penguin. Shuffling helps keep your weight in a straight-down stance, allowing your feet to carry your weight carefully and minimize slipping.
6. Check Your Traction
Winter workouts can get slippery fast and snow covered trails and may have hidden obstacles that could lead to ankle or other injuries. Move slowly and steadily. Taking shorter steps keeps the force down on the slippery surface rather than across it, making it a more stable connection. Also, avoid melting ice and snow which will provide less friction with your feet than a surface that is frozen solid. WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, WADDLE. Consider taking an ice-walking cue from those tuxedoed ice pros: Walk like a penguin. Shuffling helps keep your weight in a straight-down stance, allowing your feet to carry your weight carefully and minimize slipping.
7. Do a Warm-Up First
There’s no getting around the need for a good warm-up, no matter what the mercury reads. But it’s especially important to prep for cold-weather workouts. Dynamic warm-ups increase blood flow and temperature in the muscles to help decrease the risk of injuries. Think of it as like stretching a cold rubber band. It easily snaps, right? Warm it up, though, and it becomes more pliable and less likely to fray. The best dynamic warm-up for you depends on what type of workout you’re doing. But for all warm-ups, be sure they include low-intensity movements that mimic the exercise you’re about to perform. If you're a runner, for instance, a dynamic warm-up might include bodyweight lunges and squats, arm swings, and core activation work. And be sure not to confuse warming up with static, bend-and-hold stretching. Those stretches are best saved until the end of your workout.
8. Breathe Right
If you’ve gotten your heart rate up when the temperatures start to drop to the freezing point, you know it feels different from when you’re working out in warmer temperatures. It can actually hurt to breathe because of how your body reacts to cold, dry air. In cold weather, airway passages tend to narrow, which makes inhalation more difficult. Breathing in through your nose can help warm and humidify air, but that’s not always feasible when you’re exerting yourself and breathing heavily. Wrapping a bandanna or scarf around your mouth (or another thin fabric layer) can help trap water vapor in when you breathe out to keep air more moist as you continue to breathe.
9. Remove Layers as You Heat Up
Exercising will considerably warm you, and you don’t want to get ridiculously sweaty when you’re in subfreezing temps leaving you at risk of dehydration and frostbite. As soon as you start to feel like your body temp is at about baseline, that’s the time to start discarding layers. Also, keep in mind that your exercise intensity will affect how many layers you need and how soon you need to start removing them. Runners tend to need fewer layers than walkers because they move faster and produce more body heat. The best layering advice ever? Bring more that you think you'll need and be ready to tie it around your waist. You can always shed layers but you can't warm up in a layer you left at home!
10. Drink Up
Some people don’t feel as thirsty during cold-weather workouts as they do during warmer-weather workouts. But you’re still losing fluids through sweat and breathing in lower temperatures. In fact, you may lose more from as a result of your bodies efforts to keep you warm. So you need to replace those fluids by drinking water as well as take in more hydrating fluids overall during colder months. Sip water during your workout and switch to a sports drink with added electrolytes if you’re planning to exercise for 90 minutes or longer and not fueling up with other food.
Not sure how well hydrated you are? Pay attention to your urine. Dark, low volume, and infrequent urination can indicate that you need more fluid while totally clear urine with high volume and frequency may mean you may be hydrating too much. Questions about your personal hydration needs - talk to your health professional about your specific activity level, environment and health history. You might be surprised what a difference proper hydration can make in the way you feel.
11. Head Into the Wind — to Start
The faster you’re moving, the higher the wind-chill factor and your risk for hypothermia. To help reduce the impact and keep you core body temp up, make sure that (if you’re performing an activity in a loop, like running, cycling, or skiing) you head into the wind at the beginning. That ensures that, on your way back, when you’re at your sweatiest and have the greatest risk of losing body heat, you aren’t fighting the wind chill as well, he says. Keep the wind at your back whenever possible and wear a wind-breaking layer (see tip number two). Let it push you forward.
12. Cool Down and Then Change Out of Damp Gear
Once you stop moving after a cold-weather workout, you’ll get chilled fast. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need to cool down. Whatever the weather, a cool-down is important after sustained exercise. It also helps your heart take care of itself. Going straight from strenuous exercise to standing around creates stress for your heart so gradually taper your exercise intensity during the final 5 to 10 minutes. Then, once breathing and heart rate normalize, repeat your warm-up and do some static stretching.
Then it’s time to get out of your damp workout clothes, which can suck away warmth. A warm shower and dry, clean clothes help keep that chill away and getting comfy as quick as possible will also send your brain the message that the whole endeavor wasn't quite so bad, making it much more likely that you'll be ready and willing to get back out there and get moving the next time. A key in making your winter outdoor exercise habit stick.
