Exercising Outdoors in Winter has Some Benefits Over Indoor Workouts

(KNSI) — Exercise experts have some advice for those weighing the pros and cons of working out and playing outside in the winter.

CentraCare Clinical Exercise Physiologist Jon Majerle says getting exercise in the cold is okay as long as you dress for the weather. “Especially a face mask or scarf. You breathe in the colder air directly, which is why many people’s lungs will start to burn. We can dress in some layers and wear a hat to help keep the heat in.”

By dressing in layers, you can take them off as you get too hot and put them back on as you cool down. Majerle says don’t wear any cotton in the winter because the material soaks in sweat and will make you colder. Majerle says to wear wool or moisture-wicking materials.

If you need clarification on whether working out in the cold is better than inside your house or a gym, Majerle says, believe it or not, there are some advantages to working out in the cold. “One of the benefits of working in the cold is it increases your energy expenditure, so you are going to burn more calories being outside than what you are inside. You’re against the elements out there.”

Majerle says to drink plenty of water in the winter whether you’re playing hockey, snowshoeing or headed out ice fishing because it’s easy to get dehydrated in the dry cold air.

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