Winter is in the air and the weather is cooling down! With the holiday season right around the corner, maintaining your workout regimen can become difficult, especially as family gatherings, dinner parties, and holiday prep work are starting to take priority. Not only do the holidays have a tendency to put a hitch in your workout routine, but in some areas, the weather can take a toll on exercising as well.
If you live in the valley of the sun, fall and winter are the best times of the year! You can expect perfect 60-70 degrees with the sun shining on most days! Mornings and evenings are brisk, and the afternoons are perfect for a gorgeous run or hike.
In order to keep you on your workout routine in whatever weather you might be facing, we have come up with the five best winter workouts: three for warm weather and two for cold weather! These exercises include:
1. Hiking
2. Running
3. Outdoor yoga
4. Hot yoga
5. Indoor cycling
In addition to these workouts, we will give you tips on how to stay motivated to work out during the holidays and how you can bundle up and stay safe when working out in colder climates.
Warm Weather Workouts
If you are fortunate enough to live in Arizona and enjoy our beautiful winter weather, why not go out and take advantage of it? Whether you are a fitness addict or you occasionally dabble in exercising from time to time, this season is too good to miss out on by sitting on the couch!
Here in Phoenix, we have endless options when it comes to perfect areas to go running, hiking, or practicing yoga.
1. Hiking
With seven summits readily available to us at all times, Phoenicians might be considered a bit spoiled when it comes to hiking. Anything from a strenuous hike to a brisk morning walk can be accomplished, not to mention that they are all accompanied by beautiful views.
Be sure to take a look at the best spots to hike in phoenix this winter, and get out there!
2. Running
Run, walk or jog in the great outdoors this holiday season at any of the beautiful spots Phoenix has to offer! If you are training for a marathon or if you are a first-time runner, there are endless options when it comes to running trails in the valley. Anything from a hardcore training run to a light afternoon jog can be accomplished on these trails, so be sure to check out the best places to go for a run in phoenix!
3. Outdoor Yoga
Nothing calms the mind and strengthens the body like a good yoga session. With serenity being the primary focus, there is no better way to accomplish that than in the presence of nature. With the extensive yogi network that phoenix has and the yoga junkies who are always looking for a great flow class, there are no shortage of options when it comes to places to do outdoor yoga in Phoenix!
Cold Weather Workouts
When the temperatures are down, all you want to do is curl up and warm up! It’s natural to want to go into hibernation mode during the winter months, but it is best for you—both mentally and physically–to summon up the courage to exercise when you can. With gyms and indoor workout studios available, not all workouts have to take place in the freezing cold.
There are plenty of great options when it comes to indoor workouts. Whether you want to give cycling or yoga a try, or if you just want to stick with a good old fashioned gym routine, burning calories can be made comfortable when the temperatures outside are brutal.
4. Hot Yoga
What could possibly feel better than warming up and sweating it out when the snow is falling outside? Hot yoga is not only a great workout option year-round, but it’s a great way to stay in shape in the winter. When motivation is at an all-time low and the thought of exercising in the cold air makes you want to give up, hot yoga is the perfect solution! It will warm you up, calm you down and keep your body in shape.
Take a look at a few helpful tips on how to master the art of yoga this holiday season!
5. Indoor Cycling
It’s difficult to get amped up about a workout when you know you have to make that treacherous walk from your house to the car in frigid temperatures. Having to bundle yourself up and trek through the snow is never an ideal situation. However, once you get into the cycling studio and see how high energy it is, that walk to your car will no longer be a problem!
Indoor cycling studios are the definition of adrenalin and excitement. With music pumping, lights flashing and a motivational instructor coaching you through the moves, this workout will get you out of any winter bind you might be facing.
Staying Warm
Sometimes having to run in the cold weather is unavoidable. If you don’t have the budget for a gym membership and the weather in your area is brutal as ever, you just have to suck it up and get out there!
If you are one of the brave souls who face the cold of winter to burn some calories, be sure to take the proper steps to keep your body safe in such harsh conditions. Before going out for your run, be sure to take the following precautions:
• Warm up
• Stretch it out
• Layer up
• Hydrate
Warming up your body with stretches and various warm-up exercises is of the utmost importance. In cold weather, your body has an extremely difficult time loosening up its muscles. By combining hydration, stretching and warm-up exercises, you can reduce the chance of suffering an injury.
In addition to those checklist items, be sure you have the right gear that will adequately protect you from the elements. If you live in an area where the temperatures are particularly cold, simply wearing a hoodie isn’t going to cut it. Be sure to do some research and find the best warm, dry-fit clothing you can. Investing in dry-fit clothing will help keep you warm at all times during your work out and will allow you to avoid the possibility of your sweat soaking your clothing, therefore making your body even colder, rather than warmer.
If your running trail has the potential for icy or slippery turf, be sure to invest in a pair of shoes that has great traction, or invest in gear that can be attached to the bottoms of your shoes to help you avoid slipping or falling.
Staying Motivated
Those winter months are by far the most difficult months to maintain motivation. With so many variables working against you, it’s easy to let the opportunity to exercise slip away from you. After you have made the decision to dedicate yourself to a certain practice during the winter months, and you have taken the proper steps to protect your body during those workouts, be sure to take these few motivational tips into consideration to keep pushing through the snow, ice and cold!
If you ever feel yourself struggling to work up the energy to work out during the winter months, or during any time of the year, take a look at the option of B-12 injections and see if this vitamin boost will help to get you out of your winter slump. Schedule a consultation with Dreambody to explore your options today!
