Winter is the perfect season to build stamina and boost your immune system. Training outside in the cold weather transform your body and mind. Such training has really a lot of benefits, energizes for a productive day, and wraps off the winter blue. Chilly exercises trigger the body to release irisin — a hormone that transforms the white-fat cells into the brown ones that can actually burn calories.
What’s more, when it’s cold, your body has the ability to convert regular body fat into mentioned above brown fat that burns excess fat. Ta-da! Sounds tempting, doesn’t it? Yet there are some rules that provide SAFE training in the cold season. You should definitely follow them providing that you don’t wanna get the first signs of frostbite or hypothermia.
So, find out what are weather conditions before doing out for training. It may be really cold outside but pretty comfy for a 20-minute running race. But when there is a mix of cold and wind, they create the wind chill which makes your workout really unsafe. The thing is the wind penetrates your garments and steals the warm air from your body. Such a condition makes your skin really vulnerable. So, when the temperature is 15 C below zero combined with the wind, it’s better to think of training inside.
Once weather conditions are comfy for training, it’s time to think of your garments. The main rule here is that you have to choose synthetic fibers (polyester, nylon, and polypropylene) that dry really quickly. Forget about cotton as it soaks up the sweat fast, makes you wet, and presents an unwanted chill. Your goal is to stay dry during the training. Also, layer up for your training session. For example, your first layer has to be made of synthetic fabrics. The middle layer — of something warmer, e.g. polar fleece. The outer layer has to protect you from wind, rain, or snow. A waterproof jacket would be a great choice.
Wear a hat and mittens to protect your arms and ears — these parts of the body are pretty vulnerable to wind. If your toes are getting cold, it’s time to think of the shoes you’re wearing. Try the shoes that are created to stand firm against chilly weather or buy the shoe covers at some skiing shops. Also, protect your skin from drying out: drink enough water and use some moisturizing cream.
