By Pyc Fitness
©2004-2008
By the time you've located and layered on all the clothing for cold weather exercise, you may find that you've worked up a sweat but the 30 minutes reserved for walking in a winter wonderland are gone.
Although it may be tempting to give it up entirely, head for the comfort food and hibernate when it's cold outside, exercise requirements for health and fitness don't drop just because the temperature does.
"People tend to be less active in the winter months because they are not doing yardwork, washing cars, playing outside," said Gloria Schwartz, Ivy Tech Community College coordinator of health and wellness and chairwoman of the Healthier Evansville initiative.
"Whenever one looks at staying fit, it is important to develop a plan and identify goals. Take a look at what things might get in the way of your success. Set priorities. Schedule a time for exercise."
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least a 30-minute cardio workout five days a week as well as exercising the major muscle groups to improve strength at least twice each week, Schwartz said. Stretching may be done daily.
If you do not already have an exercise program, Schwartz emphasized the importance of consulting a physician before beginning one. If you don't belong to a club or fitness center and want to move an outdoor workout indoors, her suggestions include:
n Walking at the mall.
n Checking out exercise channels on cable or satellite television.
n Borrowing workout DVDs from the library.
n Taking advantage of home exercise equipment, if you're lucky enough to have it.
n Taking the stairs instead of using elevators.
n Cleaning out your closets and doing home improvements.
"If you're turning your house into a fitness gym, make sure you still wear supportive shoes to avoid slipping and support your body," said Summer Sisney, the Bob's Gym instructor who led this year's Healthier Evansville Walk at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden.
Sisney also leads the gym's regular Wednesday walk and workout at the zoo, which will end for the season on Halloween, and is the founder of Mommies & Munchkins, a free walk and workout group meeting twice each week throughout the year.
"One thing I tell my mommies is: 'Don't think of your housework as a chore. Think of it as exercise,'" she said. "With each push of the vacuum, you can lunge down and lunge back."
Vegetable cans, soup cans or milk jugs can be used for resistance while you do exercises such as bicep curls, Sisney said. If your home has stairs, make more trips up, and down and be sure to squeeze your glutes and quads as you go.
Kitchen counters can provide support for push-ups and abdominal work — crunches, for example — can always be done on the floor, Sisney said.
"And your little ones, if they're under 9 months old, usually can lie on your legs," she said.
Toddlers can sit on your feet and help you count as you work your abs, said Sisney, who involves her son, Parker, 21/2, and 5-month-old niece, Delaney Smith, in her exercise routine.
"Just really keep them involved and let them help you so they don't turn into TV junkies over the winter," she said. "That's easy to do because there are not a lot of options."
The Evansville Courier & Press' 2 Minute Toner on the Web — www.courierpress.com — provides video demonstrations of various exercises, Schwartz said.
Many churches offer free exercise classes, she said, and colleges, including Ivy Tech, offer affordable continuing education classes that may include aerobics, yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates.
Individuals interested in purchasing equipment may want to consider hand weights, an exercise ball, jump rope or resistance bands, she said. Those wishing to make a larger investment might be interested in cardio equipment such as a treadmill, elliptical trainer or stationary bike.
A bicycle can be transformed into a stationary bike by removing the front wheel and supporting the frame, Schwartz said. A runner might enjoy the workout provided by a mini trampoline.
"I always tell my students to think back to their childhood and remember what they liked to do when playing — i.e., biking, skating — and I remind them they probably had playmates," she said.
"Having a buddy to exercise with increases the possibility of success."
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