Winter has arrived, bringing with it snow, ice, and freezing temperatures that make staying under a warm blanket tempting. But for some, the season also unlocks unique opportunities for activity that aren’t available during the rest of the year. Whether you love or loathe the cold, winter is here to stay.
For those who enjoy being active but aren’t fans of the chill, staying in motion during winter can be a challenge. If snow isn’t your thing but you still want to keep moving, consider embracing winter sports, exploring outdoor hobbies, adapting summer activities, or finding ways to stay active indoors.
Start by thinking about what you enjoy in the summer. If hiking, canoeing, or swimming are your go-tos, try winter alternatives like snowshoeing, skiing, or ice skating. These activities not only keep you fit but also help break the winter monotony and make the cold more enjoyable.
Instead of cranking up the heat and going into hibernation mode, try a new sport that keeps you engaged with the outdoors and your body moving. While some winter activities are intense, others offer gentle exercise that still gets you outside. Making snow angels, building snowmen, sledding, or even metal detecting in the snow can be fun, low-impact ways to stay active.
Other outdoor hobbies like ice fishing, bird watching, or photography require you to be outside and moving, even if they don’t feel like traditional workouts. If you’re someone who usually hikes or walks daily, these might not fully replace your routine, but they’re still a step toward staying active.
You don’t have to give up your favorite summer sports just because it’s cold. Many can be modified for winter. Think winter camping, jogging in thermal gear, biking with snow tires, or climbing in a different location. Even surfing is possible with the right wetsuit. With a few adjustments, your favorite warm-weather activities can become winter-friendly.
If braving the cold isn’t for you, indoor options abound. Join a gym, invest in home workout equipment, try a fitness video game, or focus on simple at-home exercises. While outdoor winter fun is great, it’s not always practical for daily workouts. That’s why many people prefer to stay active indoors with routines like crunches, pushups, lunges, or yoga.
The most important thing is to keep moving during these months, which can be the hardest time to stay active. If you’re not into gym routines, it’s easy to lose motivation. But with options like winter sports, outdoor hobbies, modified summer activities, and indoor workouts, staying active in winter is totally doable—even if it just means getting up and doing something instead of binge-watching shows under a blanket.
