Working out in winter might seem like a drag even for active and sporty people that uphold a regular exercise routine. But in spite of the obvious thermic inconvenience that you have to go through, going for a run or any other type of physical activity in the cold season is actually really good for you.

Health and Lifestyle Benefits of Working Out in Winter

Unless you go out in extremely low sub-zero conditions, cold weather is beneficial for your health. And when combined with an outdoor workout such as jogging, biking or whatever you may prefer, the advantages are even heftier. Here are five beneficial effects that working out outside in winter has on your body and life.

1.      Good for Your Heart

When it’s cold outside, your heart must work a lot harder to distribute blood all over your body. While this doesn’t sound like a positive thing, by regulating this pace with exercise in the winter, you actually strengthen your heart.

Such workout sessions build cardiovascular endurance, which makes your heart stronger and better equipped to handle additional stress. This may be especially helpful for people who suffer from health conditions in this department, but if that’s your case make sure to consult with your physician before running out into the snow.

2.      Keeps You Hydrated

It’s no secret that your body gets dehydrated faster during the cold months, especially during an intense round of physical activity. So how exactly does working out in winter keep you hydrated? Well, due to your raised awareness of this effect that it has on your body, you will be far more determined to drink water religiously.

To keep your body in top shape, you should drink plenty of water before, during and after your workout. Make sure that the water is room temperature, though. Another suitable alternative is drinking warm tea. Tea also keeps you hydrated and helps you lose weight faster when combined with physical exercise.

Green, black and oolong tea are amazing for staying hydrated and losing weight, but there are also special tea blends aimed just at this, such as iaso tea. Drinking iaso tea results in weight loss and it will also keep you going during these frozen months.

3.      Burns More Calories

Everyone that lives in areas of the globe that customarily get extremely low temperatures during snow season knows that shivering in the cold tires you out like nothing else. But does this mean that it helps you burn calories too? Well, surprisingly, the answer is yes.

Frigid environmental conditions trick your white fat cells that generally do nothing more than gather around and store energy into behaving like energy-producing brown fat cells. This is made possible by an accelerated production of a hormone called irisin. Thus, according to recent studies, low temperatures help you burn calories faster.

Thus, just being outside this time of year has the potential to help you burn some calories. Imagine how many pesky extra pounds you can shed by exercising outdoors in winter. By coupling the calorie burning potential of chilly weather with a steady exercise routine you can achieve amazing results.

4.      Builds Endurance

The key to a successful workout in winter months is to acclimate your body to the frosty temperature outside. Your routine will feel like more effort at first, which means that you need to adjust as you go. Keep in mind that nothing works the same in a chilly environment as it does in a warmer one, your body included.

Even though the acclimation and adjustment process might seem hard at first, it has the added benefit of building endurance. Not only is working out in the cold winter air more physically demanding, but it’s also rougher due to unfavorable weather. This means that by spring you will be in better physical shape than you were this autumn.

5.      It’s Extremely Convenient

When you have children to look after, a job to go to and a household to care and provide for, you might find very little to no time for staying fit. Thus, if you don’t have a lot of time to work out, being able to do it anywhere is a life-saver. Instead of taking a lot of time out of your busy day to go to the gym, you can just run outside and work out for half an hour.

Although it might not sound convenient due to the cold, just think of all the time you’re saving. And it’s good for your health too, so why not give it a shot?

Conclusion

Although many people fear going out in winter, let alone perform any kind of strenuous physical activity, all signs point to how beneficial it can be for the human body’s well-being. Not only does working out outside in the cold season help you strengthen your body, and especially your heart, but it also helps you lose weight a lot faster.

Exercising outdoors during winter builds physical endurance, and it helps you become more organized and responsible with your routine. This unfolds due to the harsher weather conditions you are operating in. What is more, not having to go to the gym saves you a lot of time daily. Therefore, you should fight the dread you feel when looking out the window and give it a chance.