Cardio in the Cold
November 13, 2023
Cardio in the Cold
Whether we are ready for it or not, it is already mid-November and the cold weather is
coming! If you’re like me, this is the time of year I begin giving myself a pep talk on
how I am not going to let this cold weather slow me down. As the saying goes, “It is
never the wrong weather, just the wrong clothing.”
Although it is tempting to cozy up in your warm home on a cold winter day, getting
some activity outside is actually very beneficial for you. Doing cardiovascular
exercises, such as walking, jogging, hiking or biking will actually burn more calories
than doing the same activity in warm weather. This is because your body is working
hard to keep your core temperature where it is, while also burning the calories from
doing physical activity.
Along with burning more calories, your heart will also get stronger from exercising in
the cold. If your heart is healthy, the cold weather will constrict your blood vessels and
force your heart to work a little harder than it would in the warmth. This will result in
making your healthy heart even stronger.
I’m sure it will be very hard to motivate yourself to bundle up and get outside when it is
cold. But, if you can do that for even just 20 minutes at a time, two days per week, you
will feel better and be glad that you did.
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