Winter is coming...

And I need to catch up on Game of Thrones.

But GoT aside, I'm worried about the coming winter.

I live in NYC and this spring, summer and into fall, I've been walking everywhere, including to the gym (6 blocks away) and Whole Foods (15 blocks away). I get to places I need to go and I get my steps in.

I'm afraid that come winter, I'm going to lose motivation to walk everywhere because of the cold and the amount of effort needed to bundle up to get out. Luckily, I clock 5000 steps on weekdays getting to and from subways for work and whatever walking I do in the building.

Does anyone else have this problem? Do your habits change in the winter? Or do you bundle up and keep going?

Replies

  • ABabilonia
    ABabilonia Posts: 622 Member
    edited September 2017
    I feel you. I live in Chicago and I have started running outside consistently since May. I'm afraid that winter may ruin my routine a bit, but I will try to keep up at least some of my running. I think that I'll bundle up and keep going. Buy special clothes and just try to run. I think that I should be able to keep up with the cold, but not so much with snow :(
  • Gaia85
    Gaia85 Posts: 190 Member
    Chicago is tough too! I've been a couple of times but never in the winter. I don't know if we can outrun the snow. I need to invest in some warm footwear in for the winter. My feet, hands, face and ears always feel the worst in the cold.
  • ABabilonia
    ABabilonia Posts: 622 Member
    Chicago is tough during winter, but mainly because of the wind. I agree with you, investing in warm footwear seems like a good idea. The downside of that is that I sometimes like to take short walks before work, and most likely warm clothes will make me sweat. I guess that's not that bad though :D
  • lrob87
    lrob87 Posts: 20 Member
    I am also worried about winter. I live in Atlantic Canada and have 2 toddlers that I'll have to bundle up as well every time I go out. We've gotten a ridiculous amount of snow the past 2 years, so I'm expecting the same this year. I've been biking a lot to get to places (our stroller converts to a bike trailer), and I'm hoping to get a mountain bike with studded winter tires so we can continue to cycle through the winter. I'm also investing in some really warm, less-bulky clothing & footwear for all of us. Hopefully my love of biking will keep us motivated - I'll really struggle to stay active if I know that going out will mean slogging through drifts while pushing 100lbs of stroller + toddlers.
  • stacief82
    stacief82 Posts: 109 Member
    I am farther south (St. Louis suburb) but I imagine my exercise routine will suffer a bit in the winter. I already got a bit lax on it when August hit and it was 110 degree heat index. My parents have a treadmill, I am contemplating just visiting them frequently when it is really cold.
  • ktown247365
    ktown247365 Posts: 1 Member
    I find that the Bosu ball is the best low cost, small space, cardio & strength workout tool. So many different exercises you can get real creative, burn a ton of calories and use all muscles. YouTube it if you don't know about it. It is a total game changer. I don't have your problem because I live in the country and cross country ski every day @ lunch for 45 mins then again when I get home from work in the dark with a headlamp. I always actually loose weight in the winter from skiing.
  • LeLoupVit
    LeLoupVit Posts: 18 Member
    I hear y'all, though I don't mind bundling up for a run during winters in NYC. What's really tricky for me is when it snows, because the road gets slippery and I become very cautious to the point that I might not get a run in for two weeks after it snows. During such times, I do more longer indoor calisthenics exercises (e.g., squats, heel raisers, push ups/planks, pull ups) and I get my cardio in by using public transportation to go to work, where I usually stand and walk around a lot.

    In any case, I wish I could go down south for the winter. I bet you Cersei Lannister gets in her morning jogs there uninterrupted all year long.
  • MTmimi
    MTmimi Posts: 38 Member
    I live on Ottawa, Canada. The coldest capital of the world. Our winter is loooooong. And in Feb the cold is actually painful. We bundle up here though. I wear either down or sheep skin coats and lots of layers. The clothes matter. Plus I ski, skate, and do lots of other winter activities. We're really into hot tubs and fire places in this city too. Hot chocolate any one?
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
    I live further South, so our winters are milder, but I actually run/jog a lot more in the winter because I prefer to bundle up and be extra active so I don't freeze when I'm outside, if that makes sense. But I'm talking about around 25-50 degrees Farenheit, not teens or negative temps, and I know it gets much colder up North!

    Usually when it's icy, snowy & crazy cold, I walk at the indoor mall like my dad and tons of other very old people do.

    I do understand your concern because I had about a month this summer when I barely got any exercise as it was in the 100s, and I just couldn't bring myself to go on a hike or walk further than the supermarket (1.5 mile round trip)!
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    I don't live in a city where I can just walk places but I do find I still go out for walks and stuff in the winter time just as well. I don't really mind it, I just bundle up
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I live in Canada and I still make fitness a year-long priority.

    As long as it's not storming, very cold or icy I bundle up and get my walks and runs in.

    I taught myself how to ice skate so that is a great workout I can get in on the ice.

    I take my workouts indoors. I do Leslie Sansone videos to help get my miles in and I set myself up with a nice home gym space with equipment, fitness dvd's and other little workout gadgets like a TRX strap and a mini-stepper.

    They say summer bodies are made in the winter, so get it done! :)
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,122 Member
    I started my weight loss in the winter, it's really not any harder to stay fit you just might need to change up what you're doing, during the Spring and Summer I walk and jog a lot, but in the Winter although I still get out for a walk (just got to wrap up warm and get out there) I tend to focus more on video work outs, I can highly recommend HASFIT and The BodyCoach TV both free channels on Youtube.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    I walk outside year round, just more layers of clothes for winter time...but I'm in VA, so it's not anywhere near as cold as where you are...pretty sure the key is still dressing for the weather...
  • bebeisfit
    bebeisfit Posts: 951 Member
    Chicago girl here. Check out some cycling gear. Bikers wear a hood type thing called a balaclava. It is a game changer! When it's super cold, the wind is whipping around, I wear it along with a cute hat and it makes the cold manageable. Beware, your hair style will suffer. I also have what I call 'wind pants'. They slip over your regular clothes and aren't as think and bulky as snow pants, but cut the wind and add a layer of warmth and can be put on and taken off over your shoes. Proper shoes and socks are also essential. Runner's tights might be a good base layer under your regular pants too.

    Fashion usually has to take a back seat to winter outerwear.. but at least you'll be warm and active. And you get some pretty good bragging rights too.
  • Gaia85
    Gaia85 Posts: 190 Member
    Some great advice everyone! I'lll have to invest in some winter gear and beef up my at-home workouts.

    Hello to the fellow Canadians on here! Canadian living in NYC. I'm definitely used to winters...just not so much the staying active outdoors in the winter!
  • cenafan
    cenafan Posts: 398 Member
    I live in southern Ontario and have two very active dogs. Zero choice about going out in winter. I bundle up and we do our minimum 5km a day.
  • theowlbox
    theowlbox Posts: 912 Member
    I live in Portland (OR) and it's rainy and gross from October to March or so. We are lucky that we have skybridges and tunnels, but we also just end up wet. We get used to it and on the way home, we typically put up with it. But to avoid it, having a gym solution is great. I also am a fan of walking in malls or grocery stores. I have killed 30 mins before by walking around with my map my walk app on just to get some exercise. I think the key is to look for every opportunity once your weather changes. Sprint around target, take the stairs, look at everything as exercise and increase it. You will do great!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    That problem is exactly why I chose my username. We have a farm and 2 big gardens. Spring planting, Summer harvest and preserving, Fall planting and putting the beds not being planted to bed for the winter, plus a lot of weed eating, cutting up downed trees and splitting firewood, etc. in addition to hiking (my greatest stress reliever) keep my plenty active. But in winter work slows down. Splitting firewood a few times a week and shoveling out the chicken coop every so often are about it.

    So in winter I have to do purposeful exercise (exercise for the sake of getting exercise). Last year I bought myself a a Total Gym for Christmas and I liked it pretty well. When it was time for Spring planting and yard work this was the first year I wasn't moaning and groaning because my muscles hadn't been used much in a while.
  • sofchak
    sofchak Posts: 862 Member
    Living in Jersey, I get it. I was worried about this last winter - what I found was that so long as I had the right gear (mainly good shoes and snow pants), I wouldn't give myself the excuse to fall out of my newly established good habits like walking to the grocery store. For exercising, I found a YMCA and signed up for a month to month membership - I brought a book and used their treadmill to get my steps in on the colder days. It's easy to find excuses... don't give in to them! Have plans for how to work around bad weather so when it comes, you're prepared.