Wintery Workouts - Time to Embrace the Cold!

The Holiday season, without a doubt, is everyone’s favourite time to indulge - and for good reason! Sharing decadent treats with friends & family, favourite homemade food, and taking time to lounge about does the soul some good. That being said - making a point to stay as active as possible is important for mental and physical health, and can help balance-out all that hot chocolate & mashed potatoes.

But who wants to lace-up their running shoes when it’s FREEZING outside?! Sure, we may not have to deal with an onslaught of snow like our friends on the East Coast, but braving the outdoors during torrential downpour is brutal in its own right.

Ironically, it’s during the cooler winter months where moving our bodies and releasing mood-boosting endorphins becomes non-negotiable for our overall health and wellbeing. If you’re lacking in motivation, here’s a few proven benefits to working out in the cold - besides being a character-builder, of course ;)

Feel the burn.

As opposed to tepid environments like a gym or yoga studio, it takes a lot more energy to maintain your core temperature while working out in the cold. This means more calories burned, comparatively! While fitness should never be focused solely on this factor, it’s a good motivator to keep in mind.

Like a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively.

Unfettered by the heavy, draining feeling caused by more humid air in warmer weather - working out in the cold can help stimulate a greater release in mood-boosting endorphins. Braving a little bit of discomfort is worth feeling refreshed & energized for hours after returning inside!

Bask in the light!

Okay, so the window of daylight is pretty slight during this time of year, and the near-constant cloud layer doesn’t help. Nevertheless, getting as much natural light as possible will do wonders for mood; helping negate the ill effects of vitamin d deficiency and seasonal affective disorder that plague many of us in this part of the world.

There ya have it! Just don’t forget to layer appropriately, incorporate a thorough warm-up, and come visit us for some post-workout fuel.