Our Story Home

Organic Lifestyle Our Podcast OFB Brand Champioins OFB Everyday Heroes OFB Apparel OFB Newsletter Relevant Research

Winter Workout Solutions

Experts reveal how to overcome winter workout obstacles – weather, stress, travel and fatigue – so you can stay on track through the season.

Ah, the delights of the holiday season: the crisp weather, the cozy fires, the family festivities and the sumptuous feasts. But, with all the merriment come special challenges – to our waistlines. “The holiday season is an extremely busy time, and exercise often is reduced or diminished completely,” says Jennifer Schumm, a certified personal trainer and lifestyle and weight management consultant from Denver, Colorado. “Yet, with the extra calories being consumed, this is not the time to minimize exercise. If anything, exercise should be maximized and prioritized.” But when simply surviving the holidays can be a supreme physical test, how can you be expected to squeeze in workouts on top of it all? Rest assured, it can be done. Here’s how to maintain your shape over the holidays – no matter what the situation – so you can hit the ground running, rather than waddling, come January 1.

Problem: Weather Woes
Solutions:

Layer up. Winter weather can deter even the most devoted exercisers. But, dressing smarter can make workouts safer and more comfortable. “By dressing correctly, you can create a micro-environment of comfort and protection around your body,” says David Musnick, M.D., co-author of Conditioning for Outdoor Fitness (The Mountaineers, 1999). The secret is to wear one item of clothing over another. Several thin layers regulate heat and moisture better than one thick layer, and you can peel them off as you heat up. The layer closest to your skin should be thin and made from a “wicking” material, such as CoolMax, that “pulls” moisture away from your skin so it can evaporate at the surface. The outer layer should shield you from the wind, rain or snow.
Adjust the duration and location. Running on a hushed winter morning can be cathartic, but working out in the cold for too long can be counter-productive, because of the stress it places on the body. Follow this rule: When it’s cold or wet outside, keep workouts under 40 minutes; when it’s cold and wet, keep workout indoors.

Problem: Stress and a Hectic Schedule
Solutions:

Be proactive. To win the battle of the bulge during the holidays, you must prepare a battle plan – and it’s easy to do. For each week in December, enter four workouts of 30-45 minutes each into your personal organizer, and tag them as “high priority” appointments. Schedule those workouts as early in the day as possible; less minutiae tends to get in the way of morning exercise.
Streamline your routine. The more barriers that exist between you and your workout, the less likely you are to do it, particularly over the holidays. Make moves now that will make exercise easier to do later, such as shifting gym workouts to your home or opting for “lower maintenance” activities such as running, walking or hiking.
Go for high-reward workouts. “Interval training (on machines, jump rope, running, aerobics) is extremely time-efficient, because it burns a lot of calories in a shorter amount of time,” says Miami, Florida-based Minna Lessig, fitness correspondent for the CBS Morning Show. By alternating bursts of high- and low-intensity cardio, a 145-pound woman can burn 200-250 calories in just 20 minutes. Just be judicious with interval training: Perform these workouts no more than three times per week, and be sure to monitor your heart rate (see below).

Problem: On the Road Again
Solutions:

Get packing. A little pre-trip planning can go a long way to maintaining your shape while traveling. “Pack workout attire and equipment such as resistance bands and even an exercise video,” suggests Schumm. If you’ve gone to the effort to haul them, chances are you’ll make the effort to use them.
Set the bar a little lower. While you should always strive for a better body, trying to follow your regular exercise regimen while traveling may not be realistic. So, tell yourself you’ll simply maintain things. “You don’t have to do your full workout while on the road; 20 minutes, even gentle exercise, will keep you from being a complete bag of desiccated muscles when you get back on your regular schedule at home,” says Princeton, New Jersey-based Ed Hewitt, Features Editor for The Independent Traveler, an online travel guide.

Problem: Exhaustion
Solutions:

Make your move. Have you ever experienced a workout that was a struggle to start, but a breeze to finish? Sometimes, our bodies aren’t tired; our minds convince us that we are. When you’re feeling too weary to work out, the trick is to free yourself from time restrictions. Just begin moving, and let your body determine the duration and the intensity.
Monitor your heart rate. When time and energy are in short supply—such as over the holidays—exercise should perk you up rather than wear you down. A little technology can help guide the way. “Using a heart rate monitor to exercise in appropriate ‘intensity zones,’ will ensure that you don’t overdo it,” says Kim Mulvihill, M.D., resident medical reporter for KRON-4 News in San Francisco, California. According to Phil Maffetone, M.D., an internationally-renowned authority on human performance based in Boulder, Colorado, a simple way to calculate your “aerobic maximum heart rate” is to subtract your age from 180. Work out below that number in heart beats per minute, and you will burn fat without burning out, which is the sine qua non of maintaining your shape – and your sanity – over the holidays.

Lifestyle

ORGANIC FOOD BAR is more than a bar, it’s a lifestyle.

Eating ORGANIC FOOD BARS will enhance your health and help redefine your relationship with food. Understanding how food affects our health and making smarter, more instinctual food choices for yourself and your family each day are two essential steps to living your best life.

We founded ORGANIC FOOD BAR to help you look, feel and live healthier. It’s that simple. It’s why we’ve created the world’s healthiest food bar. It’s why we form partnerships with worthy health organizations here and aboard. It’s why we provide “official energy support” at events each year. It’s why we present the RAISE THE BAR podcast to you each week. And, it’s why we’ve created this “Live the lifestyle” section of the website.

Each week, we will post a new column here with one goal: to help you live your best life. If you have a topic you’d like us to cover, just let us know!