When the days start getting shorter and colder, remaining committed to daily winter exercise can be challenging. People tend to get cozy, eat more, and move around less—our hibernation state.
Daily winter exercise helps design the body we want, and this can make us feel better and more confident when summer pool days breeze in. Exercising also helps reduce food cravings. Many of us need as much help as we can get to power through holiday meals, treats, cakes, peppermint lattes, etc.
Here are four reasons why daily winter exercise is one of the best things you can do when the temperature drops.
Daily Winter Exercise and Sunshine
They don’t call it the sunshine vitamin for nothing: vitamin D is hard to absorb through diet alone, and the best way to get it is by exposing your skin to the sun.
Sunshine makes our muscles and bones stronger, keeps our immune system healthy, and is suitable for your skin in small doses. It clears up acne and can make you look healthier. Don’t confuse sun exposure with sun damage, however. Sun damage causes us to age by creating wrinkles, age spots, sagging skin, and dark spots.
Exposure is the primary source of vitamin D, which our bodies need to absorb calcium to support healthy teeth, bones, and gums. All you need is 10-15 minutes of sun exposure daily before applying sunscreen to get your dose of vitamin D.
Plus, sunshine makes us feel happier and more positive!
Beat the Winter Blues with daily winter exercise
Working out daily releases endorphins: feel-good brain chemicals that help you de-stress and feel less anxious and depressed. After exercising, your brain releases dopamine and serotonin, which play a large part in boosting your mental health and wellbeing.
Runners often refer to this feeling as a runner’s high. But you don’t necessarily have to run to feel an endorphin release. You can enjoy other activities like hiking, walking, skiing, skating, biking, and much more. Any activity that gets your heart pumping is enough to release these valued chemicals.
When it’s too cold outside to work out, you can explore indoor workouts like yoga, pilates, treadmills, elliptical machines, and more. Click here for more indoor workout ideas.
Just working out 45 minutes a day could restore your entire winter!
Boost Your Immunity
Working out regularly strengthens your immune system to better fight back against the common cold or flu. Exercising gets your blood pumping, and immune cells can better circulate through your body to seek out and eliminate the infection. Maintain this immunity boost by exercising regularly.
Avoiding Winter Calories
As we mentioned earlier, it’s almost biological to want to turn to comfort food when it’s cold. These winter treats taste delicious and make you feel better about the weather outside, but they result in an unfortunate condition known as “weight gain.” The average person gains almost 10 pounds during these months.
You can keep your weight down and waist slim by practicing healthy habits like healthy meals and regular exercise—especially if your sugar intake is higher than usual.
Daily winter exercise gets your blood flowing, so you feel warmer and calmer after an excellent workout. It’s not unlike taking a soak in a hot bath or spending time in front of a fire. Plus, being outdoors means fresh air, which is essential any time of year.
After all, indoor air can carry allergens, pollutants, dust, dander, mold, and much more. Letting your lungs detox by breathing in cold winter air daily feels excellent.
