If you spend a lot of time outside in the summer, staying fit can include a lot of variety. Swimming, playing golf, tennis, pickleball, and walking can all be easy to schedule when you’ve got plenty of sun and warm weather. As daylight and temperatures drop, you may need to change up your workouts to maintain fitness.
Staying in shape while it’s cooling down outside
Pay attention to your clothing choices as the temperature drops. You may love to go out for a bike ride with your children on the weekend or after school, but cooler temps mean cooler breezes. Cold air can chap the skin on your cheeks. It will also make you tense up, which means taking a tumble off your bike is more likely and will be much more dangerous.
Work with your children to layer properly. Start with a cotton tee against your skin to wick away any perspiration. Cover that with a fleece garment to hold heat against your body. As you shop for fleece garments, make sure you keep your neck and head warm. Test fit your bicycle helmet or any other safety gear over your layer of fleece. If the wind is very cold, you can cover these garments with a windbreaker or lightweight rain jacket to keep out stiff breezes.
Tips for being active during the fall/winter
Consider combining food and workouts. You and your family might enjoy a trip to an apple orchard, or you may want to join a gleaning group. People with large gardens may be overloaded with cucumbers, zucchini, and other produce. Gleaners are often invited in to take away as much food as they can harvest.
If you’ve been considering putting in a garden on your property, cool weather will make the hard work of turning over soil easier. Lay out your garden and spend part of each day digging out or turning over the sod so you can start to amend the soil for spring. You may have older family members who have a history of gardening. You can spend time together and rely on their expertise as you teach your children this useful activity.
Why bringing a friend or family member with you during workouts can be beneficial
Making a date to meet at the gym is one of the best ways to make sure you show up. You and your exercise partner may choose to make a game of who shows up most consistently or add a small wager if that suits your personality. You can also enjoy a walk with a family member digitally; schedule a workout together and enjoy a conversation together as you walk or jog.
To make sure that you’re still moving, lifting, and stretching your cool-weather workout may need to happen in the dark. There are many reflective products you can add to a jacket, helmet, or even to your shoes. If you can create a morning workout habit and check that off your to-do list first thing, your exercise plan has a better chance of lasting until the weather warms up.
Published by: Martin De Juan
