It is the most wonderful time of the year: winter! Maybe not so much if you live in an area that snows a lot during the winter months. All that driving around and maneuvering makes it very difficult to go to the gym in these months. Not to mention the holidays are here, so you may be stressed over all the family events, planning, decorating, and gifts you feel obligated to do. But one must ask themselves: how can you exercise in the winter without going to the gym?
There are a multitude of simple ways to work out without going to the gym. These include watching videos online, dancing, cleaning your entire house, and doing simple and effective exercises like lunges, jumping jacks, and push-ups. Not only that but investing in some equipment will save money in the long run.
It is relieving to know that we can exercise without the pains of winter weather! I mean, who wants to go out in heavy snow traffic, anyways? Pretty much no one. Getting back to the point, although we know some ways to work out, how can we go about doing it, and what are the recommendations for doing some of these exercises correctly and efficiently? These are some of the topics we will be going over today.
Watch Exercise Videos Online
Remember back in the ’90s; when workout VHS tapes were viral, you had to buy a package deal to get a set of 3 exercise videos that you would watch the same version of a million times a year? Now, you can go online and look up any type of exercise video. The best part about this is that workout professionals create new content every week, so you do not have to keep watching the same predictive video over and over, which also allows your body to make new movements. However, if you wish to save those same exercise videos, you can do that as well.
Jump Roping
Having a jump rope handy within your home is an excellent way to get your body in shape. There are so many benefits to jumping a rope. It can be another alternative to running because it burns many calories in a small amount of time.
Something to keep in mind that if you are going to jump rope, it puts direct stress on your ankles, knees, and hips, but done with the proper technique, it should have a lower impact than jogging. Here is a great way to remember if you are doing it correctly:
- If you are beginning, get a beaded rope first because it holds the shape and is easier to control.
- Grab the handles and step onto the rope for better adjustment.
- Second, make the cord short, so the handles reach your armpits.
- Third, wear athletic shoes that fit correctly.
- When jump roping, maneuver it with your wrists, not your arms, for a more effective workout.
Clean Your Home
Although it might sound weird to some people, cleaning your home gives you more than plenty of exercise. Have you ever been cleaning for an entire day, and after the initial hour or so, you are hot and sweaty? This is a good sign, as your body is shedding calories by the minute. You can even go so far as to do something extra while sweeping, mopping, or wiping off the kitchen counters for that extra push.
Here are some cleaning activities that help you exercise the most:
Vacuuming, Sweeping, and Mopping.
Taking roughly 30 minutes to do all of these things can burn approximately 145 calories, which is about 15 minutes of treadmill time. It may take longer, but at least you know your floors are getting extremely clean in the process! You can take it the extra mile and deep clean under furniture as well.
Do a House Purge.
When was the last time you went through everything in your home? Indeed, there is a ton of stuff you do not use anymore. Going back and forth from room to room ensures a much-needed exercise. After 4-6 hours of doing this, a person who weighs around 150 pounds has burned anywhere between 680-1020 calories a day!
Scrub Down Your Bathroom.
Getting all of that dirt and grime off of your floors, sink, and bathtub works out your arm muscles. Scrubbing your bathroom for 30 minutes burns around 200 calories. Instead of using cleaning products that contain VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, which is hazardous to your health, consider using alternatives, such as baking soda and vinegar. I use these two products to clean in my home daily, and it does a much better job cleaning everything. Some might not like the smell of vinegar, but it is a safer alternative than bleach.
Meal Prepping and Cleaning The Dishes.
Standing and moving around ensures you are burning calories. Meal prepping takes quite some time with chopping vegetables, setting up your table, doing the dishes, and putting food away are all great ways to burn anywhere between 190 to 300 calories, depending on your weight and how much work you put into it.
Rake Leaves Or Shovel Snow
Although this isn’t precisely inside your home, it is considered a chore, nevertheless. Pushing and shoveling snow and leaves can make you shed 200 calories within 30 minutes, so if you have a big yard or long driveway, you are going to get a massive workout in. Remember to hydrate throughout that time.
Use Water Bottles As Weights
If you do not have weights at home, substitute them with water bottles instead, which are very easy to acquire. A small 16-ounce water bottle will not be enough to gain muscle mass, but using a gallon of water is a little over 8 pounds. You do not have to limit yourself to just a gallon, but try using a sizable 5-pound water jug, which is roughly 42 pounds, to go even further.
Given the proper technique, you can gain muscle mass by lifting these jugs slowly up and slow down. For example, take 10 seconds to go up and 10 seconds to go down. The muscular endurance you gain using this method significantly impacts your general health and plays an essential part in your day to day life. Not only this, but using water bottles is a reasonably inexpensive way to lose weight.
Jumping Jacks
Working both your shoulders and quadriceps, jumping jacks can boost your body’s muscle endurance, metabolic rate and help you lose belly fat. Some people even compare this exercise to running. Running is better in terms of calorie-burning, but jumping jacks is more convenient than you can do anywhere. Even just doing only 100 of them a day takes around 2 minutes, and you wind up burning 60 calories from it, so it doesn’t hurt to try, even a few times a day!
High Knee Kicks
Before getting into the benefits of high knee kicks, it is essential to talk to your instructor if you are pregnant. That said, this exercise is an excellent way to perform a high cardio workout. Not only does it strengthen all of the muscles in your legs, but your heart rate is also boosted, improves momentum, and engages your core. High knee kicks help you become more flexible and better coordinated after a while. All it takes is dedication on your part!
Doing this exercise for 10 minutes burns 36 calories. Here is an excellent way to perform high knee kicks properly:
Step 1: With your feet at hip-width apart, lift one of your knees to your chest.
Step 2: Alternate your knees and lift the other to your chest.
Step 3: Continue alternating between legs at a sprint or running pace.
On top of that, some people go the extra mile to alternate between high knees and butt kickers. An example of how to do this specific method is shown in the video down below:
Lunges and Squats
When doing both of these activities, you lose weight, practice balance, and overall have better coordination. If you are a beginner, squats are a much better choice because lunges take more coordination and balance. Over time, you can incorporate both of them since squats build muscle mass, whereas lunges define a better shape for your glutes and legs.
Do The Plank
Doing the plank is one of the most straightforward exercises you can do for your body, but it can be challenging in some cases due to the amount of endurance your body is doing during that short amount of time. However, they also offer excellent results far quicker than other activities. One of the most effective ways to do the plank is by lifting your arm or foot. When you start doing planks daily, many things will happen to your body:
- It decreases the risk of injury in your back and spine.
- Your posture significantly improves.
- Your balance gets better.
- Overall, your performance improves.
- Your flexibility goes up.
- Your mood overall improves.
- Doing planks increases your metabolism.
Walk-Up and Down The Stairs
Have you ever heard of football players running up and down the bleachers of the stadium? This is because it increases leg power, and walking up and down your staircase is essentially the same thing! The only difference is that you will be doing this in the comfort of your own home, not on something metal and hard.
If you are a beginner, start by walking or running up and down the stairs for 10 minutes, three times a week. Doing this for 10 minutes burns 91 calories for a 150-person. Once your body is used to this, consider adding a few extra minutes every so often.
Climbing up the stairs builds endurance, improves your mental wellness, increases muscle strength, improves your heart health, and, more importantly, helps with weight loss.
Dancing
Some of you may think that dancing is not for you, but if you don’t have any coordination, like me, then dance like no one is watching! Move your arms around and kick your legs up high. For those of you who are parents, include your children and then exercise into a regular household activity for your family! There are many added benefits to dancing, which include:
- Better weight management.
- Increases muscle strength and tone.
- Gives motor fitness and endurance.
- It provides your body with stronger bones and reduces the risk of osteoporosis, or where your bones become weak and brittle.
- Improves your heart and lungs drastically.
- Increases aerobic exercise.
- It gives you better agility, coordination
- It helps you become more flexible.
Consider Investing In Some Equipment
One of the many joys we have in the 21st century is that we can buy the same equipment used at the gym. If you have space, investing in this equipment will save you both time and money in the long run! Please make sure you get sufficient quality gym equipment to ensure the longevity of its life.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are multiple ways you can exercise in the winter without going to the gym! It is understandable why you do not wish to go to the gym due to crazy traffic reasons, and you might catch yourself being extremely busy during those times. It is good to know that we can always choose a better alternative for ourselves!