Family Health/ Family Wellness

10 Tips for Being Active In Cold Weather

By Darek Hendrych

With the cold weather upon us, finding the motivation to stay active may be a bit more difficult. Health professionals say adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week. While fitness can be treated as a science, for most of us, it doesn’t have to be. Here are 10 simple tips to keep you and your family on the right path.

  1. Consider coming up with a fun monthly challenge for you and the kids. It could be as simple as 5 pushups every day for 30 days or as fun as playing tag at least once a week.
  2. Be creative about how you can stay active indoors. Do some simple squats or lunges while waiting around at the mall. Take the stairs instead of the escalator. Maybe practice some new dance moves with your friend or partner. Dig deep and get creative.
  3. Resist feeling judged for finding fun and silly ways to stay playful and active. It’s about you and your family’s health. Lots of movement and playfulness is key.
  4. Going on vacation this winter? Sprinkle in some physical activities like hiking, walks on the beach, or swimming.
  5. If you’re on social media, find and follow trainers or fitness-related groups to give you a daily dose of inspiration.
  6. Workout ideas are at your fingertips. Use Youtube or Google to find great workouts or challenges to do at home or the gym.
  7. Prioritize. 10 minutes on Instagram or 10 minutes of a workout video you can play on your phone and do at home? Choose wisely.
  8. Don’t dwell on your failures. Every day is another opportunity to come up with ways to move and play. Use it.
  9. Change your environment when you’re feeling lazy or tired or cold. Often times, just walking into a different place can spark the motivation to be more playful and active. Visit a friend’s house. Go get groceries. Go on a quick trip.
  10. Find your fight song (or video, memory, picture, whatever). For when all hope is lost, use it to get out of your funk and get you and your family back on track.

Darek Hendrych is the director of Urban Ninja Project, a space for kids and adults to enjoy an active lifestyle all year round.