Adapting Your Training To Colder Weather

Cold weather training presents different challenges than hot weather training. The body loses heat quickly through convective heat transfer from your skin, and it becomes difficult to maintain the temperature of your internal organs. You may feel sluggish and demotivated to train during cold weather, but below are some tips you can use when training during winter.

Hydration levels impacts on your performance both mentally and physically. However, during winter, you may not feel thirsty as you usually do during summer exercises. You may tend to go for longer training hours without water, not realizing that your body loses a lot of fluids when you breathe cold, dry air. Additionally, in winter, you may not sweat a lot because sweat turns into vapor, and it does not appear directly to your skin. Keep in mind that your body’s need for water is the same all year round. To stay hydrated during cold weather, drink plenty of warm water and warm noncaffeinated drinks. Stay away from drinks such as alcohol, hot caffeinated drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, and carbonated drinks because they will dehydrate your body.

A warm-up helps in improving performance and reducing the risk of injury. The main reason for warming up is to elevate your core temperature, which is difficult to maintain in cold weather. The warm-up creates energy for your training by circulating blood, delivering oxygen to the body cells, and producing energy in the form of ATP for your upcoming exercise. It also prepares you physically and mentally, especially through the physical movements and music that stimulate your body.

During your warm-up session, you can use dynamic stretches such as spot jogs, leg kickbacks, or brisk walking. The intensity of your training should determine the intensity of the warm-up. If you plan for a high-intensity workout, you can try activities such as strides. If you are to train outdoors, warm-up indoors before heading out. You should also wear dry clothes to minimize the risk of hypothermia or frostbites. Dress warmly by adding a base layer, insulating layer, and a wind-breaking layer, then make sure that your hands and feet are warm. You can always remove the layers as you get warm.

We often associate summertime with getting lean and winter with bulking. But that’s because we typically eat more in the winter to help stay warm but with a few tweaks you can actually lose weight while everyone else is getting fat and sluggish on the holiday cookies. Simply training outside in the cold can help you burn more calories. The main priority of your body is to maintain the proper temperature of your organs when exercising in cold weather.

Workouts produce heat, which your body must labor to stabilize. When exercising, you will burn more calories to regulate your normal body temperature. You can lose weight if you maintain the same diet you ate during summer or outdoor training can offset some holiday party dietary indiscretions as long as you don’t go overboard on a regular basis.

A healthy diet is not only crucial for keeping you nourished, but it can also help you lose weight. However, during this period, people tend to overeat and consume unhealthy diets. In most cases, those who are less active, end up filling that gap by eating. Besides, if they are suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), they could be tempted to seek comfort from calorie-dense foods. If you are cold, it is recommended to take foods such as vegetables or broth-based soups because they have less calories. You can also consider tracking your snacks and foods or be more active in the gym if you have winter blues.

Some of the ways you can stay motivated are: • Finding a workout partner to hold you accountable • Investing in warm and stylish gym wear • Create a winter playlist of your favorite workout songs. Maybe even check out some of the motivational videos on YouTube. There’s nothing like seeing Rocky running in snow to fire you up to train!

Schedule your workouts in a planner then set digital reminders. If you work out in the mornings, set one alarm and get up immediately. You can put the alarm or your phone across the room to ensure you wake up. You can also use an old-fashioned calendar to mark each day you work out. By using the plan, you will systematically see progress which in itself can motivate you to train.