5 Ways to Stay Active During Winter

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Whether you’re trying to motivate yourself to stick with a new fitness resolution, or struggle with being active during cold weather in general (winter blues is definitely a thing!), then this post is for you!

It’s easy to remain active in warm weather, but when it gets cold, lacing up your sneakers or throwing on sweats to go to the gym can be painfully hard. I’ve found that switching up my fitness goals is the key to maintaining an active lifestyle in the winter. Here’s some fun activities I like to do during winter to change things up!

1. Hiking – and I mean, legit hiking. Not the flat Billy Goat trail, but an actual hike that leaves your glutes sore for days. There are some big mountains in MD that will do that to you, you’ve just gotta be willing to drive a little further. Mount Catoctin near Frederick has some great trails and Harpers Ferry is good too. I love hiking in the winter (as long as it’s not ten degrees) because I can get some fresh air and also clear my head – there’s something about following one trail and only focusing on where you step that puts me in my zen.
2. Yoga – I did yoga for a brief period when I was in school, and I remember my muscles always feeling so good after each session. Yoga is a great way to stretch your overused muscles that you probably don’t think to regularly stretch. You can find some good videos on youtube, join a gym that offers yoga classes, go to an actual yoga studio, or join a county yoga class. I just signed up for a 12 week program through Montgomery County MD that was very reasonably priced. I just had my first class and I can’t wait for the next one! I know it’s something I’m gonna look forward to every week!
3. Winter Running –  I know, I just said that running in the winter can be hard, but it can also be SO rewarding when you do push through and finish a run in tough conditions. It truly is a confidence booster. Going with a friend somewhere scenic (like the C&O canal, or alongside the Washington Monuments) can be a lot of fun. A snow run is even more fun – just have extra socks handy!
4. Lifting – I typically choose the winter to focus on strength training by pumping out more Kayla workouts since I don’t belong to a gym. Lifting is great because it gives you a killer workout without leaving you totally exhausted like a long stretch of cardio would. I find that it’s also easier to maintain a consistent schedule because I can’t use the cold weather excuse since it’s all indoors!
5. Cycling – I love riding my bike when I want to switch things up. It’s a great cardio workout, plus you have the ability to explore places you wouldn’t be able to make it to on foot. My dad is a big mountain biker and has taken me on some pretty fun trails. He and his buddies ride downtown a lot, and let me tell you, riding a bike is by far the best way to get around the chaotic streets of DC. I just went on my first snow ride with pops over the weekend and it was an awesome experience!

I hope this post was helpful for those of you who need fresh workout ideas. If you need some new workout fear to get started, then I totally recommend Outdoor Voices! I absolutely love this set I got for Christmas, and I’ve been wearing it nonstop. I love this whole monochrome trend and I’ll for sure be sporting this look year round!

• Crop Top & Leggings: Outdoor Voices
• Jacket: Patagonia
• Beanie: Brixton
• Shoes: Adidas (similar here)

What’s your favorite winter activity? Leave a comment below if you love any on this list!