Staying Active This Winter - Essential Tips for Seniors

5 Tips for Seniors to Stay Active This Winter

• Engage in Fun Activities – Perform fun activities that take care of fitness simultaneously. It could be taking your dog for a walk or group dancing sessions.
• Grab an Exercise Partner – Having a partner or a friend for exercises helps you motivate each other and stick to the regime. With a partner, you can even go for a game of tennis or badminton followed by a nutritious breakfast together.
• Schedule your Workouts – Rather than pushing yourself before sunrise when the streets are empty, try working out in the middle of the day. Bright sunshine and some hustle and bustle on the streets will keep you motivated. However, you should schedule your exercises before meals.
• Start your Day Right – Having the right mindset in the morning can do wonders in every area of your life, including fitness. You can begin the night before by keeping your clothes, shoes, and gym bag (if required) ready. When you get up in the morning, you can put on your favorite music that gets you going.
• Stay Safe and Warm – Being above 60, you need more precaution during winters. Frostbite, hypothermia, or a fall can cause unwanted problems. These tips will help you stay safe and warm –
• Layer clothes – Start with sportswear followed by a fleece jacket. Finish it with a waterproof layer to stay safe.
• Check weather conditions – It is best to check the weather forecast the day before and prepare accordingly.
• Know the signs of hypothermia or frostbite – Most people don’t know the visible signs of hypothermia or frostbite. Common signs of hypothermia are exhaustion, shivering fumbling hands, drowsiness, slurred speech, and confusion. Signs of frostbite include white or grayish-yellow skin, unusually firm or waxy skin, and numbness. Get to a warm room if you see any early signs of hypothermia or frostbite. Use your armpits to warm up your hands and remove wet clothing, if any.
• Stay hydrated – We think that the body does not lose water in winters, but that’s not true. Sweating in cold temperatures can consume the water in your body faster and leave you dehydrated. It is always good to carry a small water bottle.

5 Winter Activities Seniors Can Engage In

Once you have prepared yourself and are ready to start the day with the right mindset, try any of these winter exercises:

• Walk indoors – You can take a walk inside the house and calculate the steps on your smartwatch. Seeing that you can exercise indoors and achieve the same results will motivate you to keep going. Additionally, you can participate in various indoor winter activities for great mental and emotional fitness as well.
• Find a heated indoor pool – Swimming and water aerobics are low-impact indoor activities that are not only super fun but also take care of complete body fitness. You can join a group to socialize while significantly increasing strength, agility, and flexibility.
• Get home equipment – You can invest in home exercise equipment that is simple and easy to use. Get a pair of dumbbells to keep the muscles active and toned and bones strong. You can also get a stationary bike or ellipticals for better cardiovascular health. With the right set of equipment, you will feel motivated to engage in exercises that will help increase mobility, flexibility and strength.
• Attend group classes or activities – Group classes are not only fun but also safe as they are usually indoors. Group activities such as these take care of your overall well-being –
• Zumba
• Yoga
• Tai chi
• Aerobics
• Chair exercises/ chair yoga (for seniors with mobility issues)

• Try exercises and stretches at home – Simple and fun balance exercises at home can significantly increase your mobility. These exercises include – 

• Semi-sits

• Upper body clams

• Seated abdominal press

• Low back rotation stretch

• Side bends

You don’t have to spend hours taking care of your fitness. Even 30-minutes of exercise greatly benefits keeping you physically, emotionally, and mentally healthy.

Staying active in winters is simpler than you may think. The good news is that you are not alone. Others face a similar dilemma and getting in a group can quickly set the ball rolling. Once you are back from the daily fitness regime, that plate of nutritious breakfast next to the fireplace will be more satisfying.