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Ice Rink

7 Options For Working Out In the Cold

By: Amber George

I don’t know about you, but I hate cold weather. It makes me a little cranky. With the cold weather tends to come gray skies and dark days, which can make it really easy to skip workouts. So, what are some cold weather workout options?

 

I’ve been getting emails asking for options for workouts during cold weather because, like it or not, the cold weather is here, and having a plan for these days is super important for keeping you on track with your fitness goals.

 

In the spirit of being totally transparent, I would rather work out in the heat than the cold. When I’m working out during the cold, I have layers, which makes me hot and sweaty, but I’m also freezing. It’s a very confusing time for my body quite frankly and it’s too much for my brain to process. Now that we have my personal thoughts and opinions out of the way regarding cold weather, let’s talk about options for working out during these chilly months.

 

Try A Kickboxing Class 

If you struggle with winter blues as I do, then a kickboxing class is a great way to get in an awesome workout while also getting out some of that ‘blue’ feeling. Let’s face it, kicking and punching the crap out of something sometimes just makes us feel better, doesn’t it? This really can make a difference in your disposition and even help with cabin fever because we don’t have the opportunity to get outside as much during the wintertime.

Bundle Up and Go For A Hike

I get super bad cabin fever during the winter. Being inside all of the time really gets to me and it does my son as well. He’s in school now three days a week and they do have outside playtime, which is great. While he’s at school, I’m working either with clients or on the online part of the business, so I REALLY need that outdoor time!

Dance Class

Now, this is one that I really want to do with my husband. We’ve been married almost ten years and we’ve talked about it for as long as I can remember, but for some reason we just haven’t pulled the trigger to go do it. I used to dance growing up and then took a ballroom class in college and I absolutely loved it. It was a fantastic way to get a solid workout in, plus you get to bond with your spouse. My husband is very tall (6’6”) and he was concerned about our height difference, but he’s very agile and handles his height super well, so I really need to work on finding us a class to dive into together.

 

Hot Yoga

If you’re like me and you’re cold all the time, hot yoga is a great way to get a solid workout in and maybe even pretend that you’re on the beach. I’ve done hot yoga several times but haven’t taught it yet, although I would like to get a hot yoga class going at some point… but that’s another story. My first time in hot yoga I was not prepared for the fact that they legit meant HOT yoga. They crank the heat up past 80 degrees and… you’re in there sweating like crazy. This is not the time to look cute You’re going to look like a drowned cat. I mean, it just is what it is, right? So embrace your drowned cat look.

Indoor Rock Climbing

This one is super fun and also something you can do with the kiddos. There are some areas that even have rock climbing classes for kids and families. Definitely something to check out and make sure that they have the proper safety harnesses and procedures in place!

Ice/Roller Skating

This is another one that would be fun with your kids. Remember when we were kids and if you had roller blades, you were the cool kid on the block? I meeeaaaannnnnnn…..I thought I was the bee’s knees, know what I’m saying? Here's the deal, I probably wasn't. I probably looked a lot worse than what I’m picturing in my head, but I had a great time and I loved to skate. To be honest, if I picked it up again, I’d be nervous at first, but I’m sure I’d get the hang of it. Can you see it now? Elbow pads, knee pads, and helmet? Let’s be honest, it’d be tragic, but probably super fun.

Stick With Your Gym Routine 

Above all, stick with your gym routine, especially if you have those specific fitness goals that you want to meet, such as weight loss, getting stronger, etc. There truly isn’t a replacement for working through your own program to reach those goals. If you don’t have a gym routine or your gym routine is totally boring, I have 30-day instant downloads that you can grab on my website. They are high-calorie burning and specifically designed for mamas that have been cleared by their doctor and are wanting to lose weight.

Winter is a tough time because it’s easier to stay huddled up in the house. Like it or not, winter will come and if we find ourselves in the midst of a tough time of year without a plan, then we’ll have a harder time getting out of that muddy creek. Sometimes it even has to do with feeling overwhelmed by our calendar, which I can help with that. If you are feeling overwhelmed by what is on your calendar and feel like you can’t reach your goals because there is just WAY too much to do, then visit my website and subscribe to my emails.

About the Author

Amber George is the founder, certified trainer, and coach at Amber George Fitness and Lifestyle®. Amber has made it her mission to remove the guesswork for fitness and healthy living by empowering overwhelmed mothers with quality coaching services and common sense education through her website: coachambergeorge.com Coach Amber’s website is packed with over 200 blog posts on fitness, healthy eating, and how to stop being obsessed with the scale. 

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