Just a Few More Winter Fitness Ideas

Several people asked me if I managed to maintain my daily outdoor routine during the Christmas blizzard. The answer is “Yes, I did” – even on Christmas Day which exemplified the worst of the weather. Given the surprised reactions, I thought it might be worth one more article about “what to wear” since, as always, I feel strongly that enjoying the outdoors is all about dressing appropriately.


Christmas Day in the Black Hills was marked by all three of the most severe weather conditions: cold (single digits below zero), strong winds and blowing snow. Yikes! This required breaking out the big guns. I’ll start at the top:

• Head – I have a one-piece hood-type hat that completely covers my head and neck. The neck cover can be pulled up over my face to cover my mouth and nose. It also has a drawstring with toggles on both sides of my head that can be tightened or loosened to meet specific needs. Mine is fleece and fairly loose, but I have seen them made of all sorts of different fabrics such as silk, polypropylene or Gortex. Some are loose like mine; others hug the head. This is a matter of personal preference. I prefer this loose one because I like to wear a knit cap underneath just in case conditions improve. I also prefer pulling the neck covering over the top of my jacket so that I can easily adjust it as necessary. Sometimes I will wear an ear-covering headband under the knit cap for extra ear protection.

• Upper Body – These conditions required doubling up on the expedition- or arctic-weight shirts. For a first layer I wore a full polypropylene turtleneck (not a zip-T) and for the second layer, a fleece-lined zip-T. With two arctic-weight layers, I could wear my trusty wind-block fleece jacket on top. An alternative to this type of layering system could be a full down-filled Gortex parka. I have one of these and I love it, but I save it for sedentary outdoor activities (like watching a football game). If I’m going to be doing any kind of exercising, such as brisk walking or snow shoveling, I prefer layering systems that maximize warmth and minimize weight. As always – no cotton! Synthetics are best for these conditions.

• Lower Body – For a first layer, I wore a pair of regular footed tights. Panty-hose would also do. They are surprisingly good as an insulating layer. Tights are a bit more durable, though. On top of these I wore an arctic-weight pair of running tights (footless) and on top of those, an arctic-weight outer layer with ankle-zips for easy on/off and zip pockets.

• Feet – On top of the footed tights, I wore my polypro liner socks followed by a heavy-weight pair of Smart Wool hiking socks.

All of this may sound like a lot, but it is a surprisingly lightweight system with maximum protection from the weather. A few other suggestions:

• If possible, go out in the morning. I usually go out between 7:15 and 7:30 AM every day. It is light out by then, even in the winter. But there is usually less wind in the early morning. I realize this is not possible for everyone, but there are many advantages to exercising first thing in the morning. I have been doing it for so many years that it is almost automatic. The hard part is getting out of bed. Once you’re up, it’s easy to keep moving. The nice thing about exercising in the morning is that when you are done, you don’t have to think about it for the rest of the day. Then whatever happens during the day, you know you’ve gotten your exercise in. It sets you up and gives you more energy for the rest of the day. Even if you think you have no time, you can always carve out 30 minutes or so first thing in the morning just by getting up a little bit earlier. With few exceptions, pretty much everyone can do this.

• Have everything ready. That is, know where all of your gear is so you can jump into your clothes and get out there. It only takes a minute to look at your outdoor thermometer and decide what to wear. I keep everything in the same place so I know where to find what I need. Find a place that will not be disturbed by other family members. Take the time to put it all back in the same place when you get back in. If I can’t do that right away, do it later in the day or evening when you have more time.

• If you don’t like going out in the dark, find a place for an indoor activity. Treadmills are great if you have the space, but there are other options. There are many fitness DVDs that can be easily adapted to small spaces. Or you can go to the Y or other fitness facility. Find a friend to work out with. It is easier to get outdoors if you have someone else to help keep you motivated. Or perhaps you can work out with someone who has some usable indoor space and share DVDs.

• Keep a log or journal. Write down your activities each day. This is a great motivator. Use a day-planner or calendar. Seeing how much you do day after day will keep you from leaving spaces blank. It will also help you to remember how you dealt with various life issues like lack of time, weather, family responsibilities, etc. Keep track of what activity you do, how long you do it for, how you felt, what worked and what didn’t work. You’ll be surprised by how much help this can be.

Above all, don’t let winter get you down. Keep moving! You’ll look and feel better. The winter will seem to go by that much faster and you’ll be in great shape when spring arrives.

As always, feel free to post a message on this blog or e-mail peg@custersoapcompany.com if you have comments, suggestions or tips you would like to share.