Hello blog land, Laura here! Colder temps, the presence of boots over flip flops and Christmas tunes on the radio mean one thing – Winter is officially here! Although this has many of us sighing and preparing ourselves for the stresses of the upcoming months, it’s important to remember one thing that tends to fall by the wayside when the white stuff falls – exercise.
I’ll be the first to admit that I am terrible about this. When it’s warm and sunny, you’d be hard pressed to find me indoors. But on a cold, dark Winter night, I want nothing more than to curl up on my couch with some hot tea, a blanket and a good movie. I’m always on the lookout for some new exercise routines that I can do in the comfort of my own home. Here are a few I find enjoyable:
Wii Fit – I recently won a Wii Fit in a raffle. I tried it for the first time a few nights ago and did about 30 minutes of exercise. I don’t really understand how some of the activities make you more fit, but there were a few I liked. The hula hoop in particular really got my obliques working – to the point that I was sore afterward! And maybe it’s the competitor in me, but I kept playing trying to beat my previous score. Plus, I wouldn’t want to shortchange my neighbors their nightly entertainment and opportunity to point and laugh profusely as I swirled my hips around like crazy in front of the open blinds. I was also a fan of the strength exercises and could really feel them working my thighs. That is, until my cat thought my being on the floor meant playtime and started biting my ankles. A friendly tip for you who choose to do Wii Fit: Your score will drastically decrease if there is a 17lb feline clinging to your leg.
Kettlebells – I went to Target and bought a GoFit Kettlebell DVD set. It included a pretty pink 7lb kettlebell, DVD and a booklet of the exercises. I read that starting with a 7lb kettlebell is a good start, but they range in size so pick the one you’re most comfortable with. As you start to improve, you can always do more reps to get the same result (and it’s better to start too light than too heavy!) I popped in the DVD and though it was a bit 80’s, I found the instructor easy to follow and motivational. I consider myself a fairly fit person to begin with, but I quickly discovered I have NOTHING on kettlebells. They plum wore me out. 30 minutes of the DVD and I was sore and exhausted – definitely pleased with the workout. It really got my heart rate going and I could feel every muscle screaming. After 1 workout, I was a convert. If you’re short on time or get easily bored, give kettlebells a shot. A week later I was still wincing as I walked down stairs.
Clean your house – Yep. Vacuuming, mopping, scrubbing and dusting can be quite the workout. While cleaning isn’t necessarily at the top of anyone’s “super fun activities” list, it is necessary and helps burn off the calories. I like to clean when no one else is home because I can crank up the tunes and dance around Mrs. Doubtfire-style with the vacuum or sing into the broom handle. I’m beginning to realize I should have given my neighbors a disclaimer when I moved in…
Dancing – Speaking of cranking the tunes, dancing is a great way to not only burn calories but improve your mental state. It’s easy to get the Winter blues thanks to less sunshine and more cold. So dance. Even if you have two left feet or zero rhythm. Rock out with the dog, your husband or just yourself. You’ll be glad you did!
What are some Winter exercise routines that you like?
Filed under: Fitness by admin
No Comments »