How to Stay Active in the Winter
November 21, 2019 | Debby Jesser
Even though it may be easier to stay active in the warm months by going outside, there are still many ways that you can stay active when winter arrives (and the cold stays longer than we hoped it would)!
Join a Gym
Going to a gym is a great way to stay in shape and it also provides opportunities to socialize. You can make friends at the gym or meet up with a friend for a workout. Generally, a gym offers an array of workout equipment- from stationary bikes and treadmills to weights, bench presses, and more. A gym membership may even be covered by your Medicare plan.
At-Home Workouts
If it’s too cold to go outside, you can still stay active indoors! You can create a workout station at your own home without buying expensive machines. Workout materials like resistance bands for stretching, weights, a yoga mat or an exercise ball are all relatively inexpensive. If you have stairs at your house, walking or jogging up and down stairs is a great form of exercise as well.
Take Community Classes
Are you interested in taking a dance class? Do you want to learn more about yoga? A community center or the Parks and Recreation Department in your town may offer community exercise classes! For instance, the Saint Paul Parks and Recreation Department offers adult senior volleyball, bowling, yoga, and more! Similarly, the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board offers pickleball, soul line dancing, ping pong, aerobics and more.
Get Creative
Health clubs or a local YMCA typically have an indoor swimming pool where you can swim laps or take aerobics classes. Doing water aerobics can help relieve joint pain, increase flexibility, and can build strength with low resistance. To stay active in the winter, you can also play active video games (such as Wii Sports) or use workout DVDs.
Enjoy Winter Sports
Just because its wintertime doesn’t mean that you have to stay inside all of the time. Since there is no shortage of snow in Minnesota during the winter, Minnesota has plenty of places to enjoy winter sports like cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Going on a winter nature walk can also be a fun activity to stay in shape. Just remember to prioritize your health and safety and layer your clothing before heading outside.
Getting regular exercise is important to staying healthy. To better care for your health, make sure you have the health care coverage you need. Have questions about Medicare? Wonder when you should enroll? Curious about how Medicare works when you stay employed after age 65? Get your Medicare questions answered by attending one of our free workshops in Minneapolis and the Twin Cities.