Winterize Your Body
Whether you're someone who embraces winter's charm or you're counting down the days until spring, one thing happens to nearly all of us during the cold months - we move a lot less - and let's be honest, it makes perfect sense.
Our favorite outdoor activities become less appealing when we're battling the cold, and bringing them indoors isn't always practical. So we often find ourselves either pressing pause until spring or letting these activities fade away entirely. While reducing our movement during winter is completely understandable - it's almost impossible not to, to some extent - there's a catch: if you don't move during the winter months, you won't be able to move as easily when the warmer weather returns.
How Winter Leads to Deconditioning
Our bodies adapt surprisingly quickly to how much (or how little) we move. Even a short break from regular activity can lead to noticeable changes.
In fact, your cardiovascular fitness can decline by nearly 5% in just two weeks of reduced training, and if you're really inactive, leg strength can decrease by up to 32% after two months.
When we reduce our movement, several things start happening:
Our muscles begin to lose their strength and size, especially those stabilizing muscles we need for balance and support
Our joints get stiffer because they're not getting the movement they need to stay lubricated and flexible
Our heart and lung capacity starts to decline, making activity feel more challenging when we try to get back to it
Our overall mobility and stability decrease, making us more prone to those "How did I even do that?" injuries"
The combination of moving less and spending more time curled up on the couch can create real problems. The muscles that keep you standing tall? They start to weaken when you're sitting more often leading to that nagging back pain that often creeps in during winter.
Your joints get stiffer, especially if you already deal with conditions like arthritis and let's not forget how the cold itself makes our muscles tighten up, reducing circulation and making everything feel a bit more... creaky.
Luckily it doesn’t have to be this way.
Create Your Winter Game Plan:
Here are five quality walking pads under $300 for use with a standing desk:
UREVO SP1 Lite Under Desk Treadmill
Price: $217.99
Store: Best Buy
Urevo E4S Under Desk Smart Walking Pad
Price: $149.99
Store: Academy Sports + Outdoors
Euroco 300lbs Walking Pad
Price: $78.00
Store: Walmart
Urevo Spacewalk E4 Treadmill
Price: $199.99
Store: Target
Comhoma 2.5HP Walking Pad
Price: $93.00
Store: Walmart
Find a winter routine that actually works for you (emphasis on 'actually') - maybe it's a quick morning strength session or an evening walk on a treadmill (which have gotten reasonably affordable) while catching up on your favorite shows.
Try some winter-friendly activities that don't make you hate the cold - indoor walking, yoga, or even dancing in your living room counts
Keep those joints happy with regular movement - think of it as your body's daily maintenance - 10 or 15 minutes of nightly movement can do wonders for how your body feels. Here’s a link to an easy movement routine.
Bundle Up - Not everyone wants to bundle up and go for a run, but with the right gear those winter walks and runs can actually be quite pleasant
The Hidden Perks of Staying Active
Keeping up with some form of movement during winter doesn't just prevent you from getting weaker. It's also:
A natural mood booster when those winter blues try to creep in
A way to keep your immune system stronger during cold and flu season
An easy way to fight winter fatigue that makes you want to hibernate
The Bottom Line
Think of winter movement as an investment in your spring and summer self. You don't have to maintain your peak summer activity levels - that's probably not realistic for most of us. But finding ways to keep your body moving, even a little bit, during the cold months means you'll be ready to jump back into your favorite activities when the weather warms up.
Remember, it's not about being perfect - it's about staying mobile enough to enjoy life year-round. Your body is designed to move, and while winter might change how we move, it doesn't have to stop us completely. Find what works for you, keep it simple, and stay consistent. Your spring self will thank you for it.