Something we all have in common as adults is the need to exercise and the continual search for that “perfect routine” you actually enjoy and look forward to. I, like many of you, have been re-evaluating my routines this last week, with the start of a new year. We all know we need to be getting 20-30 minutes of cardio everyday- not just to fit into those skinny jeans, but for our heart health. I heard recently that if your mind moves at a pace that is not matched by your body, you will feel off balance. Makes sense to me.
My challenge as of late has been the answer to this question: How do I get my 30 minutes of cardio accomplished now that it’s bitterly cold? My favorite form of cardio is walking outside. Getting a treadmill wouldn’t work because I enjoy the scenery, which is a major part of the experience for me. However, in Wisconsin winters, I just hate how my toes, legs, face and fingers get so cold. I miss my walks, but can’t get myself to fight this crazy weather.
You may be familiar with Occam’s Razor (a principle attributed to the 14th-century English logician and Franciscan friar William of Ockham), which says that the simplest solution is the best.
I finally decided to follow Occam’s Razor for the solution to this problem. Drum roll please…
Walk outside in the cold.
Bundle up and get over it.
Period.
The windchill this morning was 17 degrees. (Not the coldest day, but still not spring.) I bundled up reminiscent of Randy from The Christmas Story and headed out, with two pairs of socks, three pairs of pants and a scarf covering most of my face. (Check out this Randy action figure! Or see what Randy looks like all grown-up.) A surprising thing happened… I really enjoyed it! Sure, by the end my nose was chilly, but I lived. Not only did it feel invigorating to move and get my heart beating, it was fun to get an up-close peak at all of the neighbor’s front yards, filled with evidence of fun that was had over the holiday break- snowmen, forts, countless footprints, and even occasional spots of yellow snow along the way. It all made me smile and by the end I felt great.
What challenge are you struggling to figure out right now? Tackle it the quick and dirty way with Occam’s Razor. Most of the time you know the answer, but just need to resurrect that childlike honesty within yourself to get to the next step.
[tags]honesty, The Christmas Story, Randy, cold, winter, exercise, heart health, Occam’s Razor, William of Ockham, skinny jeans[/tags]
I live in Texas and still have this problem. But that wind makes popsicles of my poor ears! I’ve started jump-roping inside during cold days. It reminds me of childhood contests.
I feel your pain – I have to walk my dog at 5:30 am in the morning. I’m like you though, I bundle up, walk out and get over it. Molly needs to be walked whether it’s sunny and 70 degrees or cloudy and negative 5 degrees. We both seem to walk a little faster, though, when it’s colder. The only time I’m really careful is when it’s icy or right after we’ve had a snow. Not everyone scoops their walks!
I love walking. I’d do it in the winter this year, if there were sidewalks in my neighborhood. Instead the rural road is a sheet of packed down snow and ice and it would probably be hazardous to my life to attempt it. Lately Patrick and I have been rocking out to some favorite music. Aerobic a la Bon Jovi style!
Ciao!
Okay, I admit I don’t have to face what you face (our daily average in the winter is low- to mid-60’s).
When I first started working out outside, it was because a trainer I was working with encouraged me to come down to the community college track and “do” the stadium stairs. By “do” I don’t mean run, by the way.
I’m an indoor girl. I like gyms, I like my house. I really didn’t want to work out in the great outdoors.
But then I started to enjoy it. Even when the weather isn’t great, the track is right across the street from the beach. You really can’t go wrong when you can see and smell the ocean as you’re walking around the track.
Also, I’ve gotten used to the “regulars” who are there a couple times a week, like I am. Some amaze me as they race up and down all ten rows of stairs. Others plod along the track, doing the best they can.
I really miss it now when I can’t go, and I’m so glad my trainer talked me into trying it.
Kim,
I just love coming to your site. You guys make me smile every time. Can you believe I have those Christmas story figures? They are so cute! One of my favorite movies.
I’m proud that you could go out there in the cold. I can’t do it – so I alter my exercise. Some days I dance to music, other days I lift weights, sometimes I walk, etc. I like the variety – but I do include some winter walks – for the very reasons you mentioned. I love to look around. You never know who or what you’ll see – and that’s half of the fun.
Great ideas… walking the dog, “doing” the stairs, aerobics to the 80’s, jumping rope.
Do you remember those fun little jump rope rhymes when you were little? (Cinderella, dressed in yellow, went upstairs to kiss a fellow, made a mistake and kissed a snake, how many doctors did it take?…1…2…3…)
It’s fun to hear how you tackle your exercise in the colder weather! Thanks for sharing!