Skip to main content

Cold-Weather Workouts

Alright, I’ll admit it. It’s cold outside. School is closed. The gym is closed, too. The sky is overcast and I am really tempted to stay inside by the fire with a warm cup of tea and a good book in my lap. However, my little girl reminds me that heading out the door for some cold-weather workouts will reap great rewards (mainly my sanity from having to handle a two year old that has a mild case of cabin fever).
So, I feel confident that all will be well for a brisk outdoor walk as long as we take care to stay warm and safe.
Dress Right.
You might not be tethered to a toddler, so running (rather than walking) may be an option for you. However, running and playing in the cold requires you to be very thoughtful about your wardrobe. Obviously, you can't take off in a t-shirt and shorts.
Instead, you'll want to wear layers of clothing. As you begin to sweat, remove a layer to keep your sweat from causing you to get cold later. Then put your outermost layers back on when you begin to grow cold. For best warmth, the layer against your body should be polypropylene or another synthetic material, followed by fleece and then something waterproof and breathable on top.
Work the Wind.
So it is literally freezing outside, and the wind can make it feel even colder. Blowing, freezing wind is one of the hardest parts to overcome if you're trying to force yourself to work out in the cold. Keep the wind beneath your wings by facing the blowing breeze during the beginning of your run or bicycle ride. This way, you'll be running with the wind on your way back home, making the return trip much more pleasant and making you more likely to want to do it again the next day.
Think Hot.
Becoming dehydrated may seem to be a concern only valid during the hot summer months, but you need plenty of liquids in your system year round to keep your system well watered. To avoid dehydration, drink plenty of water before, during, and after your workout - even if you don't feel thirsty yet. Because once you feel thirsty, your body is already dehydrated.
Get Back InFor the most part, you can exercise in the cold and reap only benefits from your routine. Sometimes, however, exercising in the cold isn't a good idea. If you exercise outside when you shouldn't, the results can be bone-chillingly bad. When should you get back inside? The following are signs that you need to get inside and stay there:
* The temperature is below 0 degrees Fahrenheit (or –17.8 degrees Celsius). At these temperatures, you're at risk for lowering your body temperature, which can have horrid results.
* You experience frostbite or hypothermia. The initial signs of frostbite include numbness, loss of feeling, paleness, or stinging in the fingers, face, and toes. Hypothermia is recognized by unstoppable shivering, fatigue, loss of coordination, and slurred speech. If these symptoms are present, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
As for me and Lexi (my daughter), we’ll be bundled up and waddling through the neighborhood to a nearby park for some much needed activity. Maybe we’ll see you out?
Until next time – Live Life Well,
John Aaron Villarreal
www.johnaaron-massage.com
www.facebook.com/johnaaronwellness

The content and information on this site is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease. Please consult your physician prior to starting any exercise or diet program.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When Should I Get a Massage and How Often?

This is a question I get often… Let’s face it, if it were up to massage therapists we’d say that you should get a massage every day, but in reality – very few people ever have the means or time to make this scenario play out in their lives. So technically speaking, your frequency should depend on how much you like massage, how often you experience chronic pain, and your budget. If you’re able to afford it, getting a monthly or weekly massage works best at helping prevent injuries by catching tight areas before they become problematic. With my more athletic clients (runners, weightlifters, gymnasts), I usually recommend timing their massage to coincide with the times they are training their hardest. For example, runners can develop tight hamstrings and hips, gymnasts and weight-lifters can get tight shoulders. These tight muscle groups can elicit injuries over time if they aren't treated by massage. If you are physically active, I recommend getting a massage within 24 hours ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Coffee Has Health Benefits

Anyone who knows me knows I love my Joe…. err, “cup of joe” that is. In fact, I’m enjoying a cup as I write this post. However, as a wellness professional that little admission of guilt has gotten me a few sneers and looks of condescension. Caffeine is BAD for you, they say! Well, perhaps abusing caffeine may be “bad” for you, but ‘caffeine’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘coffee.’ Despite this fact, coffee has gotten a bad rep over the years after a few health experts linked it (or rather, linked caffeine abuse) to several diseases. But is coffee actually that bad? Probably not; new research shows that drinking coffee in moderation provides numerous health benefits. Antidepressant It might seem a little odd to find that coffee could help with depression, but new research has shown that it does just that. Now, don’t go throwing out your prescriptions or quit counseling just yet though, coffee is not a cure for depression. Rather, the caffeine in coffee helps regulate your mood trans...
2 comments
Read more

What To Do When You’re Chronically Stressed

Of all the modern-day ailments that seem to affect us, none is more pervasive than stress. Everywhere you turn, there are factors lurking to redirect you from your peaceful pursuit of happiness and lock you in the clutches of “stress.” What exactly is stress—and what more insidious effects does it cause? The dictionary defines stress as “great pressure or force; strain.” In today’s world, we think of stress as the result of too much pressure laid upon us by life, causing mental worry or anguish. This, in turn, manifests itself in tight neck and shoulders, headaches, nervous stomach, etc. But these physical and mental conditions are really only the beginning. Studies show that stressful situations can develop into more threatening health conditions. For instance: A sudden or unexpected stressor can activate your adrenal glands, which sends adrenaline and other hormones into your bloodstream. This brings about an increase in your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and blood f...
Post a Comment
Read more