As winter’s chill sets in, the allure of a warm bed often triumphs over the intention to exercise. However, experts emphasize that maintaining physical activity during the colder months offers significant health advantages that far outweigh the temporary discomfort of braving the cold or darkness. Reframing the purpose of exercise and adopting flexible strategies like ‘exercise snacking’ can be key to staying on track.
Rethinking Your Winter Exercise Motivation
Associate Professor Shelley Keating, a clinical exercise physiologist at the University of Queensland, suggests that a fundamental shift in perspective is crucial. Many people view winter as a time to pause their fitness routines, planning to resume in warmer weather. Keating likens this approach to intermittently taking medication for a health condition, which would be ill-advised. She advocates for viewing exercise not as a seasonal activity but as a vital component of overall health and well-being, akin to essential medicine.
Keating stresses that the primary goal of exercise should be “health gain” rather than solely focusing on weight loss. The profound impact on mental health, particularly during winter, is a significant benefit. “Even just the impact on mood during winter, it can make you feel so invigorated and great,” she notes, highlighting exercise’s role in combating seasonal affective disorder and boosting overall mood.
The Physiological Case for Doubling Down in Winter
Exercise physiologist and dietitian Cam McDonald explains that specific physiological changes occur during winter, making consistent movement particularly important. These changes can include a tendency towards weight gain, increased insulin resistance, elevated cholesterol levels, and higher blood pressure.
McDonald points out that regular physical activity directly counteracts these winter-specific challenges. “Doing exercise that suits your body improves glucose regulation; it improves the type of cholesterol that’s being produced, or at least how it’s being used,” he states. Furthermore, exercise positively impacts blood pressure and strengthens the immune system. “So even just going for a walk will improve your immune function,” he adds.
He warns that neglecting exercise during winter can lead to a more rapid decline in fitness compared to other times of the year. “The physiological changes that you’re going through might accelerate a decline in health a little bit faster at this time, than you might see other times of year,” McDonald explains. Consequently, he advises that winter is an opportune moment to “double down rather than to take the foot off the gas” regarding physical activity.
‘Exercise Snacking’ and Adapting Your Schedule
The reduced daylight hours and busy schedules of winter present significant hurdles to maintaining an exercise routine. Dr. Keating suggests a proactive approach: assess your daily schedule to identify pockets of time where exercise can be integrated. Prioritizing these short bursts is essential.
“Whether you can just switch the hours up, maybe do it in your lunch break if you’ve got the capacity,” Keating advises. For those who struggle with early mornings, McDonald notes that while some individuals perform best in the morning, research indicates many people are at their peak physical performance later in the day, typically from around 11 am onwards. “If you’ve got this natural tendency to not want to get out of bed first thing in the morning and you actually feel better in the afternoon, you should definitely follow your body with that,” he recommends.
What is Exercise Snacking?
A particularly effective strategy for fitting in activity is “exercise snacking,” which involves breaking down exercise into brief, manageable sessions throughout the day. Keating clarifies that the goal isn’t to complete strenuous, long workouts daily. Instead, it’s about incorporating short bursts of activity.
“You don’t need to be running a marathon every day,” she says. “You can think about it like ‘every hour I’m going to get up and do, maybe 10 to 15 minutes of squats, some calf raises, some push-ups.'” She offers a practical example: “I work in a building where I’ve got five flights of stairs, so I might go up and down the stairs and that gets my heart rate up.” These mini-workouts can effectively elevate heart rate and engage muscles without requiring a significant time commitment.
Making Exercise More Appealing and Accessible
To make exercise feel less like a chore, Keating suggests shifting some activities indoors or to more convenient locations. Bringing exercise equipment out of a cold garage and setting it up in a comfortable space, like in front of the television, can make it more inviting.
McDonald also endorses indoor workouts, such as those at a gym. He highlights the benefits of a gym environment, which offers variety and support. “A gym gives you a whole lot of variety to, if you don’t feel really [motivated], you can go for a walk or a cross train.” For individuals new to exercise, a gym can provide guidance, making it a safer and more encouraging place to start. “If you are starting out exercise, you’re going to get some sort of help there that’s going to make it safer for you to engage,” he adds.
Transforming exercise into a social activity is another powerful tool for maintaining consistency and accountability. Personal trainer Erin Wait, who leads outdoor group training sessions, emphasizes the importance of community. “The number one thing is community… you’re essentially showing up for others,” she states, explaining that exercising with others fosters a sense of shared commitment.
Reducing Barriers and Managing Expectations
Wait advises minimizing obstacles to exercise, especially for morning sessions, by preparing in advance. “A lot of our clients, they’ll get all their clothes out the night before, some actually even sleep in their clothes,” she shares. “They pre-book their sessions in, so when you wake up in the morning and it is dark and cold, you’ve already removed all those little opportunities of excuses and all you have to do now is go.” This proactive preparation eliminates common reasons for skipping a workout.
Keating echoes this sentiment, recommending that individuals lay out their workout clothes and pack their gym bag the night before. Dressing in layers and performing a warm-up at home before venturing out can also ease the transition into exercise on cold mornings.
To alleviate pressure during winter, Wait introduces the concept of “high and low seasons” for exercise. Spring and summer are considered “high seasons” with fewer barriers and often more intense training. In contrast, winter becomes a “low season.” Instead of aiming for personal bests or training multiple times a week, Wait suggests lowering expectations. “Maybe you’re going to train twice a week over the next two months and you’re just there to move your body,” she proposes, emphasizing the importance of simply staying active.
Finding Joy in Movement for Long-Term Adherence
Ultimately, the most effective exercise is one that an individual genuinely enjoys, as this fosters long-term adherence. Keating highlights that personal preference is paramount. “For some people that might be Bollywood dancing, for others that might be hiking, some people love going to the gym, others don’t,” she says. The key is to choose activities that bring pleasure and are sustainable. “Don’t try something you know you’re not going to like because it’s not going to be sustainable,” she concludes.
This article provides general information and does not constitute professional medical advice. Consult with a healthcare provider for personalized guidance.
