Weather and exercise

marsh5224
marsh5224 Posts: 34 Member
edited November 26 in Fitness and Exercise
It has been pouring for 2 days and looks like it will continue a few more! I have been walking daily for the past three months and have been able to work around the rain however with the time change there isn't a lot of daylight. I don't own a treadmill. How do you keep the motivation? What do you do?

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Replies

  • Clarewho
    Clarewho Posts: 494 Member
    I take it you're in the UK! :) yes it's been torrential lately, I just stay aware of the conditions and take my chance for a run whenever I can, dark or light. But of course it depends where you live and what type of place you're walking. I know a lot of people use online resources for exercise videos etc., is that an option for you to use in the home if you don't have gym access?
  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
    I've been known to go to a mall, a shopping center with a covered walkway or a big box store to get in some steps when the weather is bad.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    buy yourself a dog :-) They don't accept rain as a valid excuse to miss a walk :-) I also love running in the rain, I don't think you can really beat it tbh so I would give it a go. Although I have a mad labrador who drags me out, when I walk I wear waterproof overtrousers and a waterproof top so although it is chucking it down I can keep dry inside :-)
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    you can either walk at a mall or a university or a large building with public access.
    me, I waterproof and go out anyways
  • morkiemama
    morkiemama Posts: 894 Member
    There are lots of "walk at home" type workouts/DVDs/youtube videos you could use when the weather is bad :)
  • DarrylSpiers
    DarrylSpiers Posts: 4 Member
    I love to do walk because we can do walk in every kind of weather. I never skip walk and try to do it daily. This is my most favorite exercise that i can also do at home.
  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,893 Member
    morkiemama wrote: »
    There are lots of "walk at home" type workouts/DVDs/youtube videos you could use when the weather is bad :)

    This is what I was going to suggest. There are so many videos on YouTube it will make your head spin.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Buy a rain suit. I have one and have worn it in downpours but stayed dry (make sure you get one with some reflective or bright color bands so you stay visible). No weather keeps me away from my walking except an ice storm, and even then I have two different types of cleats (one for thin ice like black ice and one for thick ice like walking on a frozen lake).
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited December 2015
    morkiemama wrote: »
    There are lots of "walk at home" type workouts/DVDs/youtube videos you could use when the weather is bad :)

    This^

    Indoor "walking" is great. If you don't like Leslie Sansone (Walk at Home) then google Jessica Smith. She has lots of indoor "walks" too. Both of these are on DVD also. Check your local library.

    Snow & ice........no way am I walking my neighborhood when we've had 3'+ of snow during the season. No sidewalks and the plows can't push new snow high enough to clear lanes anymore.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    I cannot get out much because I care for my elderly mom who cannot be left alone. I literally walk over 10 miles a day inside the house. With no treadmill.

    Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. :)
  • jessef593
    jessef593 Posts: 2,272 Member
    I bought an all inclusive year round gym membership for $45 and make sure I go 4-5 days a week.
  • lauralizpiercy
    lauralizpiercy Posts: 3 Member
    It definitely de-motivates me when the weather is bad and its dark a lot. I have a relatively inexpensive gym membership, which does help me. If you're not up for that then I'd recommend investing in some good quality waterproofs and going out anyway! Also, if there's snow/ice, you can get yaktraks (not sure if that's the right spelling) which allow you to grip on ice. You just put them on your normal shoes.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    lauralizwilson wrote: »
    It definitely de-motivates me when the weather is bad and its dark a lot. I have a relatively inexpensive gym membership, which does help me. If you're not up for that then I'd recommend investing in some good quality waterproofs and going out anyway! Also, if there's snow/ice, you can get yaktraks (not sure if that's the right spelling) which allow you to grip on ice. You just put them on your normal shoes.

    Close - yaktrax :)

    My mom and brother got them for the ice last winter.

    I got a cheap gym membership for this winter.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    marsh5224 wrote: »
    It has been pouring for 2 days and looks like it will continue a few more! I have been walking daily for the past three months and have been able to work around the rain however with the time change there isn't a lot of daylight. I don't own a treadmill. How do you keep the motivation? What do you do?

    Do you live near a gym?

    What about exercise videos from You Tube?

    Maybe you have some exercise DVDs hanging around the house you forgot about.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    jessef593 wrote: »
    I bought an all inclusive year round gym membership for $45 and make sure I go 4-5 days a week.

    And I thought I was special with my $99 a year lifetime gym membership. But, $45? That's priceless.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    marsh5224 wrote: »
    It has been pouring for 2 days and looks like it will continue a few more! I have been walking daily for the past three months and have been able to work around the rain however with the time change there isn't a lot of daylight. I don't own a treadmill. How do you keep the motivation? What do you do?

    Do you have a pedometer? That can help motivate you to do indoor walking.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    lauralizwilson wrote: »
    It definitely de-motivates me when the weather is bad and its dark a lot. I have a relatively inexpensive gym membership, which does help me. If you're not up for that then I'd recommend investing in some good quality waterproofs and going out anyway! Also, if there's snow/ice, you can get yaktraks (not sure if that's the right spelling) which allow you to grip on ice. You just put them on your normal shoes.

    Close - yaktrax :)

    My mom and brother got them for the ice last winter.

    Even better are the Kahtoola nanospikes. They don't make the funny springy sound like yaktrax do when walking (fit better on your shoes too) http://kahtoola.com/product/nanospikes/

    I like the Stabilicers for thicker ice http://smile.amazon.com/STABILicers-Stabilicers-Cleats-Orange-7-5-10/dp/B003UYYR0C/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1448987284&sr=8-9&keywords=kahtoola
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    if the weather is too nasty for me to get out and ride, i resign myself to going to the gym for cardio work. generally i only use the gym for the weight room, but weather can often be an issue when you ride a road bike.

    fortunately, i live in the high desert here in NM...it does get bone chilling cold here in winter, but we don't get a ton of precipitation outside of the mountains so i'm usually able to put on my winter riding gear and go...but we do get the occasional snow storm. i have more issues with rain in the summer when the monsoon season gets underway.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    I walk in the rain. I walk in the snow. I don't walk when it ices. It's worked pretty well so far.
  • chelsea7162
    chelsea7162 Posts: 97 Member
    I already have a gym membership and I go everyday or every other day, but if you don't have access to that you can always try getting something to do inside. Perhaps buy a jump rope if you have the space to jump rope in your house and try out HIIT training
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I will run outside in most any weather, including rain. Super cold or extremely slick conditions I won't; I'm a member of a gym in part to give me more options during the winter, as well as because it's the best option for weights. Last year I was a little wimpy about winter weather and ended up doing a lot of weight oriented workouts, as well as classes and spinning and some treadmill stuff for cardio. I also swim indoors all year 'round.

    A great deal of my walking is what's required for commuting or errands, so I do that regardless of the weather. (I'm in Chicago so I suppose it could be worse, but we have our share of not so nice weather.)
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Outside in all weather people, do any of you wear glasses? The last time I tried running in the rain, I got to a point where I couldn't see well enough and it was distracting. Otherwise, I didn't mind it so much.
  • MaryQueenofWalking
    MaryQueenofWalking Posts: 15 Member
    Peachy Carol - I wear a baseball cap under neath the hood of my waterproof jacket. It helps when it is drizzling...if it is pouring... not so much.
  • marsh5224
    marsh5224 Posts: 34 Member
    Thanks everyone! Who knew there are walking videos??? I will definitely check those out. Love the idea of a dog but don't think that is gonna fly anytime soon with the hubby.

    It hit me this morning that I was just making an excuse because it was dark, rainy and I was just feeling blah from the days of darkness. I will camp in the rain and why won't I walk in the rain??? That is the old thinking that I have got to remove from my brain!

    Asking for rain gear for Christmas...you guys are the best!
  • Dariasen
    Dariasen Posts: 145 Member
    davert123 wrote: »
    buy yourself a dog :-) They don't accept rain as a valid excuse to miss a walk :-) I also love running in the rain, I don't think you can really beat it tbh so I would give it a go. Although I have a mad labrador who drags me out, when I walk I wear waterproof overtrousers and a waterproof top so although it is chucking it down I can keep dry inside :-)

    My dogs are such whimps, I have to drag them out when it's raining.

    I do a lot of walking in my house. I have certain shows that I don't allow myself to watch sitting down. I can get about 2 miles in just slowly walking in place watching an hour long show.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    Our prairie winters are another story. Tough to get out when it is -33C and windy. So cold our school system shuts down. Have to take it indoors and hope the weather snaps. Definitely can get depressing and irritating when your routine gets interrupted by factors out of your control.
    Your will, will enable you to find a solution that best works for you. For me I had to invest in a decent elliptical machine and can use it on days when it is just unsafe to get out.
  • successgal1
    successgal1 Posts: 996 Member
    Well my dogs definitely want a walk in the rain today. We're in day 3 of some weird tropical wetness with more to come. Weird because Florida doesn't normally get 5 day soakers without it being a named storm/hurricane, and because this is the dry season. I should be planting tomatoes right now but its far too wet. And we had an abnormally dry summer. 5 weeks without rain when it normally should be raining at 3pm daily. No such thing as climate change though. Oh nooo. Haven't seen a normal weather pattern since 2008, working on my ark. Anyway, sorry doggies! I also am nursing a rib I dislocated last week and don't need them pulling on me. Normally between 5 dogs one person can get a 4 mile walk, I have no interest in running. Mostly I cycle but 2 miles of my ride is currently mud. Unless I rework my route. Most likely I'll drag out my step box and Jane Fonda's low impact step aerobics video (circa 1992 and I think its on YouTube) , that I can do without the arm movements that would irritate my still sore rib cage. It a video I've used on and off since 1992. May not seem challenging to those who are very very fit, but it will work just fine for me! And hopefully changing my routine a bit will shake some fat off! Haha!
  • kuroshii
    kuroshii Posts: 168 Member
    Give a nod to your "inner child" and buy a colorful pair of Wellies and a big, bright brolly (so you can be seen)...and stomp in a few puddles while you're out there!
  • fayecheshire
    fayecheshire Posts: 12 Member
    Join a gym and walk on the treadmill or get a win. I love the snowballing and hula hooping and you can so step on it too. I walk in the rain in my waterproofs if it's not too heavy. Faye x
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    There is no bad weather.....only inappropriate clothing. (well......short of a monsoon or ice storm)
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