Don't give up sports in winter!
Low temperatures and shorter days in the cold season can lower our motivation to do sports, especially if we were used to training outdoors.
Mobilization and perseverance to do sports in winter are generally more difficult to achieve and maintain than at other times of the year. If in summer the main purpose of training is to be fit and look good, when winter comes this goal loses its intensity. That is why it is important to set new goals that motivate us more.
More information on how to motivate ourselves to do sports can be found here.
The benefits of physical activity in winter
The benefits of playing sports outside are also valid in winter, moreover, if the humidity and high temperatures tire you faster in summer, the cold winter air brings some extra advantages.
Exposed to the cold, the body regulates its temperature to heat and humidify the air you breathe, processes that involve burning a few extra calories compared to training at normal temperatures, their number varying depending on body weight and temperature.
Switching to the cold season can lead to mood swings. Lack of natural light can lower serotonin levels, which leads to such negative states, and lack of physical activity can contribute to them. Outdoor movement gives us the opportunity to be exposed to natural light, which is much more limited during the winter than during the warm season. Because the body works more intensely, and the production of endorphins is higher, which induces a state of well-being.
Last but not least, physical activity in the cold season helps us stay fit during this period when we tend to have a higher caloric intake.
Recommendations for outdoor movement in winter
- Protect yourself from the cold, paying special attention to the extremities (hands, feet, nose, ears), because blood flow is concentrated to the central area of the body, making the extremities more vulnerable to wind, humidity, low temperatures.
- Don't wear very thick clothes, because you will warm up quickly, but rather wear layered clothes, so that you can remove some of them when you start sweating and put them back when you start to get cold.
- Avoid wearing cotton clothes, because when you sweat, the cotton absorbs perspiration and retains moisture. Instead, it wears synthetic materials in the first layer, over which it wears fleece or wool clothes, for the thermal insulation effect. He is wearing a waterproof jacket.
- To protect your upper respiratory tract from cold air, cover your mouth with a scarf or scarf.
- Alternative exercises, in which you are very demanding, followed by lighter exercises (for example, speed running, wet walking) are not indicated, because they make you more vulnerable to the cold - you sweat and then you get cold.
- Use sunscreen on sun-exposed areas (especially the face). The harmful effects of ultraviolet rays are also felt in winter, and the snow amplifies the sun's rays by up to 80%. If you practice winter sports, exposure to UV rays increases by 4-5% every 300 meters altitude.
- Don't forget to hydrate! Fluid intake is just as important as when you train in the summer, even if you don't necessarily feel thirsty. In contrast, dehydration is more difficult to observe in the cold season.
- If you can, run or face the wind, then finish the workout with the wind behind you. This way you avoid cold bursts directly in front of you after sweating.
If you suffer from conditions such as asthma, heart disease, Raynaud's syndrome, it is advisable to be careful with exposure to low temperatures and consult a doctor before you start training outside.
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