6 Ways to keep Active this winter

​Sooo I don’t know about you, but it’s getting cooler here in the NY area. We are officially in fall and nature is showing itself. This will be my second cold season while I’m on my healthy living journey of increased activity. Last winter my trainer G-Strong (found him on Facebook) held virtual sessions with me a couple days a week to keep me moving (see what I did there...lol). This winter I will be attending classes at my gym so I’m covered. BUT I know and have already noticed that once the weather starts to get cooler many people don’t have the motivation anymore to continue exercising or being active. Everything is all good when it’s warm outside so the parks are full and the people are walking in their neighborhood, but once that cooler air hits things shift and suddenly stop. So this post is here to remind us that increased activity and exercise shouldn’t just stop because the weather is colder. Our health issues don’t stop because it’s colder. The weight logged on the scale doesn’t just go down because it’s colder. We have to put in the work. So let’s figure out some options you have to keep the activity going when it gets colder shall we...

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Virtual Training
Like I mentioned above, my trainer last year would do virtual sessions with me so I wouldn’t lose the progress I had made from the summer. He would FaceTime me into the classes. He was a Blessing for sure doing that for me. So you can ask your current trainer or find one that will do live virtual sessions with you at home. Virtual training was great for me, but I loved going to G’s group sessions in person more.

Online Training
Online training is a bit different. With online training a trainer will send you preset workouts for you to do for the week on your own and they usually check in with you throughout the month to discuss progress. Some trainers even include nutrition plans and meal plans. With online training you have to know yourself and know you’re disciplined enough to do the workout on your own. As for me, I knew myself enough and I couldn’t do that. If I tried it now though I think I would do better with online training, but I like the interaction of having a live person there encouraging me. 

YouTube Videos/Subscription Services
With this option you can take classes online, but with YouTube its Free dollars and with subscription based services there is a monthly fee involved. Last winter I joined Beach Body subscription service after watching how a friend of mine was killing it with her at home workouts. Well it wasn’t the same for me and I wasn’t really honest with myself. I did a 3 month package and only did like a week of classes. Again...for me, I thrive in the live interaction of a trainer or class format. It was a no go for me, but may be right for you. 

Me doing a class on Beach Body work out platform.

Gym
Of course you can join a gym to keep your activity going this winter. I found gyms to be intimidating in the past. Like many people, I would sign up and not go after a while. I preferred classes, but I didn’t like having to squeeze my way into a space in a class. Also the gyms I experienced were very “cold” to me. If you didn’t go with a friend there was no one friendly to interact with. So I had sworn off gyms, but when my schedule changed earlier this year I couldn’t go back to G-Strong. I knew I had to do something because I’d come too far to just stop. So I turned to Facebook again and found my current gym Killer Body Fitness. KBF is a small growing gym new in establishment. When I went to my first class I liked the atmosphere. It felt intimate. The owner and class instructors were so welcoming and the ladies welcomed me in. I loved that feeling. We now refer to each other as having a gym family and welcome the next gym sister in the same way I was welcomed in. 
So I advise you to research the gyms in your area. Look online, look on social media, speak to other people, and take trial classes. Don’t commit somewhere where you won’t be happy or where you won’t thrive which in the end will hinder your progression. 

Set up for bootcamp class at Killer Body Fitness gym.

Mall
Another option I have heard people try in the winter is walking in the mall. It makes sense since the temperature is controlled. In the summer it has air condition and in the winter it has heat. There are no issues of cracked side walks or uneven flooring or icy slick streets. It's a perfect option to consider. 

Outdoors 
Now the last option is that you can just continue working out outdoors till it becomes too cold where you are. Just layer up with extra warm clothes and accessories and keep going. Fall in NYC arear isn’t bad. As I type this article, it’s was sunny and 67 degrees today. You can get away to keep outdoors till around early winter, but once that frost hits it is definitely harder to get outside with the elements. 

Me at my favorite park around late October 2018. I had 2-3 layers on.

 ​Okay so I just gave you 6 options to help keep you active this winter. Now it’s up to you as to what you decide to do. You may choose one of the options or use a couple of the options listed, but it’s important you do something. I can’t choose for you so take the time to think what would work best for you and be honest with yourself. Remember the goal is progression not perfection. Let me know what you decide. DM me or email me and let's chat!