Desi Today Magazine
By Dhiraj Khatri
Exercises to keep you fit, this Winter
Say bye-bye to shiny Summers and welcome to winters. The days are now getting shorter and darker, so the option to go out and walk or jog or do some physical activity is less. It becomes hard to maintain optimal fitness routine in this harsh season. Exercise should be an important part of life regardless of any season .It is optimal to exercise 30 minutes a day and minimum thrice a week to be in shape and maintain health .
Why is exercise much more important in winters?
Answer is the demand of body increase in winters to maintain its thermostat (temperature) so we consume more calories which is stored as layer of adipose tissue which helps us to fight against the cold and leads to gain weight. But we are not caveman anymore so as to store food for winters, hence we should workout and stay fit .
It’s a big hurdle to exercise in winters as temperature doesn’t allow us to go in open ,so the indoor workout are the best way to keep your spirits high. We have many good gyms in our locality where we can enjoy our winter workout sessions, and yes they are available any time for us .
Winter exercise tips
Warm Up : In winters you should do adequate warm ups as body takes more time to increase temperature also muscles get tighten in winters .The warm up should be started with light cardio followed by some active stretches toincrease the mobility of your joints .So a good warm up makes you ready for a fantastic workout .
Cardio or Strength training?: Both are the different forms of exercises and have significant benefits. Strength training helps you to increase your muscle mass which ultimately increases your BMR (Basal metabolic rate) and doing circuit training twice a week helps you to tone up your body.
Cardio or cardio respiratory exercises help to make your heart healthy as well as burn those extra consumed calories during the day. A session which burns minimum 250 calories helps you to maintain a healthy weight and active body.
I prefer full body conditioning like circuit trainings or HIIT for those who have time constraint also it’s a good approach to give a metabolic stimulus to body to meet the caloric demand for the winters. Also a quick session will allow you to reach back home on time as the short days are demotivating and everybody wants to go back to their cozy homes as soon as possible.
Here is an example of a quick full body workout :
Warm up :
5 mins of cycling or brisk walk
Butt kicks 15 rep each leg
Stationary lunges 10 reps each leg
Quadruped thoracic rotations 15 reps each side
Cobra extension 10 times
Workout : (2-3 rounds )
Overhead dumbbell press 10 reps
Front Kettlebell Squats / bodyweight squats 10 reps
Full push up or knee push up 10 reps
Plank hold 30-50 secs
Kettle bell Hip thrust / floor hip bridges 10 reps
Side to side run 20-30 steps
Cool down : (hold each pose for 20-30 sec and breathe deep )
5 -10 min of slow steady walk or cycling
Child pose
Pigeon stretch
Downward Dog
Wear proper clothing: If you workout outdoor it is necessary to wear proper clothing or should wear different layers of clothes to maintain body temperature as well as save your body from hypothermia.
Adequate Nutrition: According to the American College of Sports Medicine, drinking an adequate amount of fluid and fueling your body is as important in the winter as it is during the summer. In the winter, the cold weather “blunts the thirst mechanism,” and you may not notice that you are thirsty. Carry a small amount of food and water with you when you exercise, so you will have some nourishment if you need it. Exercising in the cold increases your appetite as your body temperature drops so your pre-workout meal is very important. A combination of carb-protein like a slice of whole wheat bread and two eggs or 1 cup oat with yoghurt 1 hour before the workout will be good to fuel you for your workout. Eating and digesting food warms your body.
So get the entry in your neighborhood gym, gear up and start your workout to stay fit.
