Fight that "Winter Shelf"

Coming off of a real winter weekend, we all know what it feels like to want to stay in bed all day, but you can beat that "winter shelf" by staying active. If you are in to running or other outdoor sports such as skiing or platform tennis make sure you follow these three tips for helping your body handle the cold.

1.     Invest in proper clothing

2.     Fuel Well

3.     Prevent dehydration so you can stay warm and stay active

Invest in Proper Clothing

-       According to Platform Tennis Magazine (given to me by my mom), “If you become so cold that you start to shiver, these vigorous muscular contractions generate lots of heat- perhaps 400 calories per hour” While this doesn’t sound all bad, it really depletes your muscles of energy so you need to make sure you are not getting to this point while exercising outside. If you do get to this point, make sure you have some good recovery food for during or immediately after your exercise.

-       Dress in layers so you sweat less, sweaty clothing drains body heat. Dressing in layers allows you to stay dry and hydrated

Fuel Well

-       Your body is spending a lot of energy producing heat; so eating well provides fuel and increases your heat production so you can direct more of your energy towards your fitness.

Prevent Dehydration so You Can Stay Warm and Stay Active

-       Platform Tennis Magazine writes, “Winter athletes need to consciously consume fluids to replace the water vapor that gets exhaled via breathing. When you breath in cold dry air, your body warms and humidifies that air. As you exhale, you lose significant amounts of water. You can see this vapor (“steam”) when you break. “ You may not feel like you need to drink as much water because it is cold outside, but make sure you are drinking enough.

-       Unless you are hot, you do not want to drink icy water.