Winter weather is no excuse for not exercising


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HIGHLAND — As the mercury drops, the winds whip and the snow falls, some will brave the winter weather to get in their workout.

Others will put on their shoes and clip in for a ride inside their home, like 51-year-old Keenan Adcock. Adcock had heart surgery early this year and then hiked Timpanogos Cave trail 100 times. He knows the importance of staying active, no matter what the weather.

"For me, I love eating and in order for me to keep my weight, I have to exercise if I want to enjoy my food," Adcock said.

He makes his inside rides as enjoyable as possible by setting up his bike on a trainer and plugging into his phone or computer. "It is kind of boring, but I try to mix it up by listening to things, watching videos," he said.

He also mixes it up by using exercise bands and weights.

Experts agree, it's important to find the motivation to stay out of workout hibernation. The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital Sports Science Director Dr. Jim Walker said, "Detraining happens really fast, so it's really important to be consistent, even when you start an exercise program. The hard part is the consistency and making it a habit."

In fact, Walker said, "It takes about three days to start seeing measurable decreases in fitness ... about 72 hours. So it happens pretty fast if you go a whole winter without exercising."

Walker suggests:

  • Giving your body time to adjust to the new workout
  • Taking it slow
  • Adding variety, like core training
  • Drinking water

"Coming indoors the air is dry, so you can dehydrate even though you don’t know it, and you can actually overheat indoors if you don’t have a fan on because you’re not moving through the air," said Walker.

Keenan advises others to have goals. "If you have goals it's easier to discipline yourself to get out and move, whether it's inside or outside," said Keenan.

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UtahYour Life - Your Health
Erin Goff

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