Try indoor workouts to boost winter wellness

Are you tempted to skip working out when the days are wet, cold and short?

Try challenging yourself to get the 150 minutes of recommended moderate exercise every week, right where you are, no matter what the weather or season. 

Indoor exercises you can do anywhere

Here are activities you can try at home (or almost anywhere):

• Walking in place. You could also pace or trot up and down your longest hallway.  
• Going up and down the stairs. Even if you have just one step in your home or garage, you can step up and down to boost your heart rate.
• Doing a series of calisthenic exercises, such as:
  • Push-ups
  • Sit-ups
  • Squats
  • Jumping jacks

Equipment to enhance indoor exercise

For more variety, you might look into buying (new or secondhand), renting or borrowing home fitness equipment or tools, such as:

Tools to get your heart rate up:

• Treadmill
• Stationary bike
• Rebounder (mini trampoline)
• Jump rope

Tools to build muscle tone:

• Medicine ball
• BOSU (both sides up) ball (flat on one side, rounded on the other)
• Resistance bands
• Kettle bell or weights

Other options for exercising indoors

If you get bored with an indoor routine at home or the office, consider other options that might take some planning or investment. These include:

• Walking at a shopping mall or large store. These are well-lit places where you can stay warm, safe and dry. And they don’t cost anything, except the ride or drive to get there.
• A gym or fitness center offering:  
  • Classes or individual training sessions.
  • A wider variety of professional equipment.
  • Opportunities to use a swimming pool, spa or sauna.

Tips on exercising, regardless of where you do it

Wherever you choose to work out, here are some things to keep in mind: 

• If you’re not already active, talk with your doctor. Your medical team can advise you on the best kind of activities for your current condition or situation.
• Set a goal and commit to it. Getting 150 minutes per week equals about 30 minutes per day for 5 days. If that’s a stretch for you, decide what’s do-able now and work up.
• Make an appointment with yourself.  If you have a tight schedule, pencil in your workout time. It can be a good reminder to get up and move.
• Find a fitness buddy. Maybe a friend, neighbor or family member wants to get more active too. Together, you can keep each other on track.
• Mega vs. mini. Pick an approach that works for you. Would you rather exercise for an hour twice a week or chunk your routines into 5- or10-minute sessions a few times a day?
• Sneak in movement. When you’re watching tv, maybe stand up and walk in place during commercials.  If you’re putting away groceries or laundry, split the loads up and make extra trips on purpose.

You’ll thank yourself for keeping up a fitness routine so when the season changes for the better, you'll be ready to get back out there.