How can i stay in shape during the winter months? Tips?

Question

I haven't had a real 'exhilirant' workout since November, and I want to start exerxcising again. Unfortunately, the weather has taken a dip, so it's too cold to go for runs through snow and I don't belong to a gym or have a home workout station. My question is, is anyone have any tips or ideas that will help me stay/get back into shape?

Answer 1

I'm having the same problem as you. But I found a way. Here it is:
There's this DVD i got like a month ago, it's really good. Try it.
If you have an iPod or just iTunes, subscribe to some exercise or yoga thing. I can give you the names I've subscribed to.
Do Pushups, and hands-free exercises.
Most importantly, sleep enough, eat healthy, don't stay hungry, don't smoke and try to avoid drink, take showers regularly, and no matter what - try to walk everyday, it's really good for health.

Answer 2

I always tell people staying in shape is a multi-faceted approach. Regardless if it's winter, summer or seasons in between. If it's weather; than some of the most common things you do indoors may be all the exercise you may need. A combination of resistance training and cardio exercises are the best for maintaining health. For the fun side of things, I'm just going to mention this to anyone who has a significant other/ husband/ wife/ etc. Sex is a really good cardio work out if it lasts for more than 15 minutes. On the most part; an 8 oz can of whatever is what I always tell people to use at home for resistance exercises. Of course most of the people that I tell this to are over the age of 75. Maybe something a little heavier like a gallon of water or so. Yoga/ Pilates indoors is a good way to maintain flexibility/ agility. and Cardio wise; getting an exercise bike or going up and down stairs is also a good way to exercise. On top of that; make sure you eat in moderation. As you noticed; I didn't say eat right or go on a diet. I said "eat in moderation". Don't give up what you eat; just don't eat a whole cake when you should be eating a slice. The last facet is to make sure you stick to it! Don't stop and make sure you keep doing it with plenty of rest in between!

Answer 3

you could:

try some winter sports; skiing skating snowboarding, also a little snowfight can't hurt.take advantage of the winter.

swimming if you can find a heated pool around.

do some group activity: go to dancing classes, take up martial arts, maybe even yoga; you can start at any age and it will be something constructive, what is more: it might be fun and it's less probabile that you will give it up.

maybe go somewhere where you can play ping-pong or tennis if there's a covered place.

sex is also good (burns alot of calories), but you have to do it right :D.

no fastfoods.

you could try getting some things so that you'll work out at home, but then again that would not be so much fun, and you'd have to really have will. also quite boring. so i suggest you do that goup activity, where you have to go at specific hours, and meet people and learn new things.

if you want it to be seen on you, you should go about three times a week and exercise. so i suggest you take up two or three sports to do regularly (for instance go to martial arts 2 times a week and once a week go to tennis or swimming, or skating -- so that there is a base sport, and some things to vary).

hope it helps.

Answer 4

Buy an Ellipitical trainer. Look at Consumer Reports for best ones. Prices are from $400+.. In the long run much cheaper than a Gym. Do it for at least 50 minutes. Use a heart rate monitor. I was a jogger (5-6 miles runs) and these are much better on your joints then jogging and I can get my heart rate close to the same as jogging. 1500 calories per day and 50 minutes on the Ellipitical trainer (4 x’s per week) and you will lose weight and be in shape.

Answer 5

They have specific workouts already made online, and usually all you need is a couple of two 2 to 5 lbs weights. Just type "excercise" or "workout" into any search engine and pick one that you think you can do and/or fits your specific needs at the moment. I know I did one a year ago, and I've done it so many times that eventually I didn't have to look at the instructions and just did it out of habit. I even lost a couple of waist sizes. Usually the workouts take 30 - 45 minutes, but you can extend it to an hour or more if you repeat the whole cycle.

Answer 6

I agree with Gina D!!! Tony Horton offers some of the best workouts I've ever experienced! My husband and I are finishing P90, and we just bought P90X...I can't imagine how hard those workouts are going to be because the higher level P90 tapes are pretty intense! Can't wait to start the next set of videos. This is the perfect way to stay in shape during the winter.

I too have tried to run outside during this freezing weather, and it's just so difficult and uncomfortable. Working out inside makes everything so much more reasonable, and there's no excuse to avoid it!

Answer 7

There are so many workouts that you can do on your own. First there is a drill that involves dedication. Its designed to give stamina and build muscles. If you have access to a gym, or an area about the same size, start in one corner. Sprint around one lap, once you have reached the corner you have started in, do five push ups. When you finish, run another lap. The idea is to increase by fives. However, the pattern is run a lap, do five push ups, run a lap to five sit ups, run a lap do ten push up, run a lap, do then sit ups. The idea is to keep this until you have reached and completed 25 push ups and sit ups. All together it totals 75 push ups and 75 sit ups. Its really not hard at all. Enjoy!

Answer 8

Wow, a ton of answers. The indoor gym is always the best. If you don't have an indoor gym close by, a good workout DVD is great. If you don't even have that, the old but good pushups, situps, squats, and jump rope is a good way to stay fit. Also a healthy diet is very important if your doing less in the gym. Got to stay trimmed.

Answer 9

Not knowing where you live, it's hard to know what you have available. However, since you mentioned 'snow' I'll presume you're in an area that provides you with such exercise movements as ice skating, snow skiing, sledding, horseback riding, cycling, running, jogging, calisthenics, body gymnastic movements such as chin ups, push ups, ab crunches, knee or leg raises and torso twists. All of these activities can make for a good all around fitness 'winter program'. Yes, cold weather can require a bit of special clothing. But, that's no different than with any other sport. As a personal trainer, I encourage my clients to take advantage of the outdoors to cross train with other (indoor) activities. Besides, it will make your training more fun. So, go for it. Strive for Excellence and BE the Miracle! Dennis

Answer 10

As others have suggested, shovel snow. I live in Northern New York, and we just got hit by two big snow storms, so I've been busy shoveling away, it's great exercise. As for indoor exercise, if you are watching TV, exercise during the commercial breaks, the commercial breaks come on frequently and as we all know last quite awhile.You can do push-ups, sit-ups, stretches etc... Think about it, if you exercise during ten commercial breaks and each break is three minutes long, that's a half of an hour of exercise.