How to Stay Fit in Freezing Weather

This is the time of year when many of us are resolving to exercise more, yet studies show January is usually when people work out the least.

Experts say this is largely because of weather.

Trudging through the snow on a sub-zero day is not how most people want to burn their holiday calories away.

The good news is there are a lot of exercises you can do without leaving your heated home.

“Empty a bleach bottle or something and fill them with water or sand and do some light weights, until you say wow this is really hard work,” advises Dr. Stephen Kopecky, a professor of medicine with the Mayo Clinic.

Or you can add new meaning to the word “work” while at the office.

“Every office building in the world has a great exercise facility that none of us ever use, called stairs,” Dr. Kopecky says.

Dr. Kopecky is no stranger to the cold.

He works at the Mayo Clinic in snowy Rochester, Minnesota.

He says vigorous exercise for 10 minutes at least three times a week will significantly lower your risk for heart attack.

That adds up to only 30 minutes a week, but Dr. Kopecky says that half hour isn’t meant to be a walk in the park.

“That means like intervals, where you go hard for a couple of minutes, hard enough where you say wow I’m going to give out if I don’t back off .. then you back off, don’t give out, get your breath back and do it again,” he explains.

If you choose to brave the winter weather and exercise outdoors, experts recommend wearing lots of layers.

Shield your extremities with heavy socks, gloves and caps, and stay hydrated.

Eating a small snack a half hour to hour before your workout could generate a little more heat while you exercise as well, since your body is also working on digestion.