Don’t Let Winter Undo Your Progress
A patient told me the other day, “As soon as November hits, I just… stop. The trails are dark, the air hurts my face, and suddenly my summer running habit feels impossible.”
I get it, I’ve been there too. But but what happens after months of slowing down?
By February or March, everything feels harder. That first warm-day jog leaves us winded and sore in ways it never did before. The back tightens up more easily. Even getting up off the couch feels creaky.
This isn’t just “being out of shape.” It’s deconditioning and with our long Ohio winters, it’s a backslide almost all of us experience.
The surprising part? It happens faster than most people realize.
Here’s what we see in the office:
Going up the stairs gets harder. Recent studies on trained individuals show VO₂max — your engine size — can drop noticeably in just 2–4 weeks of true inactivity, sometimes 4–12 % in the first two weeks alone.
Spring cleaning leads to more soreness and pain. Muscle strength, especially in the legs and core, starts declining in the same window and can fall 20–35 % over 8–12 weeks if movement really drops to near zero.
Movements that were finally getting easy in the summer are harder by the spring. Joints get stiffer partly because they aren’t being moved through their full range, and partly because cold temperatures themselves reduce circulation and make tissues less pliable.
The shorter days and freezing air make staying active harder, and that combination quietly undoes a lot of the progress we built during the warmer months.
But here’s the good news and what I told that patient.
You don’t have to keep your July mileage or intensity to prevent most of this. Research on reduced-training programs shows that keeping just 50–70% of your usual activity or simply staying somewhat consistent preserves the vast majority of your strength and cardio gains.
A few realistic ways to do that when it’s dark and cold:
Short home strength sessions (15–20 minutes, 2–3 times a week)
Indoor walking — treadmill, mall, or marching in place during TV commercials
10–15 minutes of simple mobility work most evenings
Bundle up and get outside when you can, a few layers make a 30-minute brisk walk surprisingly comfortable
The Best Part of Staying Active through Winter
Beyond preventing the backslide, consistent movement gives us a few things we especially need this time of year:
It’s one of the most reliable ways to keep the winter blues at bay. Multiple reviews show moderate exercise can be as effective as medication for mild-to-moderate seasonal mood dips
Regular movers catch fewer colds and, when they do get sick, symptoms are usually milder and shorter
It fights that 3 pm “I need to hibernate” feeling better than another cup of coffee
Keep Moving
You don’t have to match your summer self. You just have to avoid going to zero.
Think of it as paying the minimum balance on your fitness account — enough to keep the interest from destroying you in April.
A little movement, most days, is usually all it takes. Your spring self will feel the difference and so will your mood, your immune system, and those creaky joints.
If you’re not sure where to start or something specific is holding you back, we’re here to help figure out what actually works for your body and your schedule. Click here for a complimentary consultation.
Stay warm and keep moving, even if it's just a little.