In the midwest we an expect a wide range of weather between September and December. We’ll look at Healthy Outdoor Activities for fall and winter that will help you stay active all year round! You can participate by yourself, with a sibling, friend or as a whole family.
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Healthy Activities for the Fall and Winter
We have so many reasons to stay active and keep our bodies in motion, even as the seasons change.
Do you have several activities and responsibilities that demand your time and energy? I do! Sometimes it’s hard to muster the effort to get outdoors. However, I have learned that despite how I feel, it is important to get outdoors and rejuvenate my mind and body.
I will share a few of my favorite ways to stay active. Hopefully you’ll be encouraged to get outdoors!
Healthy Outdoor Activities for Fall
Benefits of Biking
Mountain biking, cycling, leisure bike rides around the neighborhood, they are all considered a low impact form of exercise!
Biking works your lower body muscles, legs, thighs and bottom. Is is also an activity that increases your circulation, leading to healthier skin and overall bodily functions.
This form of exercise is great for those with foot issues. Be sure to set your seat at the correct height and pump up your tires! One “extra accessory” I now enjoy is Kangora Gel Bike Seat Cover | Universal Padded Cushion for Exercise, Cycling, Mountain, Cruiser, Stationary Bicycles | Wide, Soft, Supportive Padding | Men, Women (Black).
Toss a Football (or Baseball)
Playing catch does have physical health benefits. Whether you use a football, baseball and glove, or a cool gaterskin ball, it’s all good for you!
Playing catch builds eye to hand coordination. It helps improve the posture in older adults. Depending on who you are playing catch with, you could be working on your agility.
It’s not hard to do a quick google search and find that the bonding between parents and child, siblings, or even friends, is a benefit of taking time out of life to play catch! Check your local sporting goods store for a quality football. Amazon’s best buy: Wilson NFL Super Grip Official Football.
Take a Hike
Fall and winter are beautiful times of year to hit the trails! It doesn’t take a scientific study to reveal that hiking is good for you physically, mentally and even emotionally! Hiking is wonderful was to relieve stress and leave the worries of the day behind.
The physical benefits would be building strength in your body! Hiking works your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and the muscles in your hips and lower legs. The coordinate of hiking around boulders and roots strengthens your core muscles as well. Since walking is a weight-bearing exercise, your bones benefit by increasing the bone density.
Consider wearing a small backpack to hold water, snacks, and a first aid kit. Plus you’ll be able to shed layers as you hike. Osprey Ultralight Stuff Pack, Poppy Orange, One Size
Raking Leaves
Raking leaves can be lots of fun and excellent exercise! We can look at the positive benefits of raking leaves, such as working your arm, shoulders and torso. It’s productive and often social.
When you consider the action of picking up the leaves to remove them, it strengthens your lower body. (think squats!) I do have to remind myself to bend at the knees and not the waist.
Raking leaves will get your body warmed up, so think about dressing in layers. I have found wearing gloves for this activity saves many blisters on my hands. I prefer leather gloves like these: Women’s Leather Work and Garden Gloves, Heavy Duty Grain Cowhide, Small (Wells Lamont 1124S)
Healthy Outdoor Activities for Winter
Snow Shoe!
Pray for lots of snow and grab your show shoes! Many sporting goods stores and guiding stores rent snowshoes of all sizes. You can chose from the classic rawhide style or the lighter aluminum style.
Snowshoeing is a great cardio-workout! Other added benefits are building strength, balance, and endurance. When you use trekking poles while snowshoeing, you get a bonus arm and shoulder workout.
It’s a wonderful low impact exercise that burns lots of calories! (Twice as many calories as walking).
Ice Skating
After that first hard cold spell, the ice will begin to thicken! Growing up, I loved to ice skate. My mom would bring us to an indoor arena at a private high school in our town or when it was cold enough, to the local pond near the golf course. They would have a warming shed and serve hot cocoa. Actually, I enjoyed ice skating in college as well.
Ice skates can range from $30, to $100. If you’re looking for a bargain, shop used skates on Facebook Marketplace. Amazon’s best buy: American Athletic Shoe Women’s Tricot Lined Ice Skates, White, 7
It seems most people skate for pure fun! The most obvious health benefit is working on our balance. It also improves your joint flexibility and builds your leg muscles. Check out this article on the Top Health Benefits of Ice Skating. You’ll actually be eager for colder weather to arrive.
Cross Country Skiing!
You were waiting for a reason to go skiing! My earliest memory of cross country skiing was in elementary school. If we had snow on the ground, we would walk to the local cross country ski shop after school, get fitted for skis, and hit the trails. I just loved the challenge of cross country skiing!
One physical benefit of cross country skiing is it’s an efficient way to exercise a large number of muscles at one time. You do get a full-body workout! Cross country skiing burns many, many calories! (More than skating, hiking, and even snowshoeing.)
Cross country skiing is a popular activity for athletes desiring to stay fit year round.
One more reason to LOVE the Outdoors in Fall and Winter
The one area that all the outdoor activities have common is they relieve stress! Breathing in fresh air without the clutter and indoor noise. You’ll be too busy strengthening your muscles and having a blast to worry about your electronic devices. Healthy outdoor activities do aid in disconnecting for a period of time. We could all use time away from technology, speaking for myself as well.
As you burn those calories and work your muscles, please remember to stay hydrated. Check out this article for a Homemade Hydration Electrolyte Recipe.
Thrive Market has quality healthy snacks, such as Epic Smoked Salmon Bites and Paleo Snack Mix Ranch flavored. Shop online and save money! It is fun to see all the healthy options.
After writing this article, I am encouraged to make time for getting outdoors! My family would rather be active outdoors, what about yours? One activity that I need to bring back is cross country skiing. I have fond memories of skiing in Massachusetts and New Hampshire!
What about you? Did you find any particular activity got you excited about a season change?
Pursing Better Health Together,
[…] I love being outdoors! The thing that gets me is all the work it takes to get bundled up for a brief walk outside. I tell myself it is worth it, especially if the sun is shining. Sunshine does wonders for uplifting your mood. Do you need ideas of other outdoor activities? 7 ways to burn calories with healthy outdoor activities. […]