The cold and snow of winter are notorious for making us want to stay indoors and hibernate instead of getting out for an outdoor workout. While your home gym or trying to make good use of a gym membership is always an excellent idea for achieving your fitness goals, you may be missing some benefits that go along with getting a good outdoor workout in. Training any time of the year outdoors can help boost our mood and overall mental health because it gives us a chance to connect with nature instead of being constantly connected to the digital world. In addition, the extra vitamin D we absorb from the sun doesn’t hurt either when it comes to boosting our mood. Hopefully, the tips below will help bring your outdoor workout this winter to epic levels.
Just because you might not feel as thirsty during workouts in colder weather, it does not mean you need to hydrate less than you might during outdoor training in the summer. As with the summer months, dehydration can lead to negative consequences, including fatigue and headaches. Even though you are working out in the cold, you still lose fluid and electrolytes through breathing in the colder temperatures and sweat. Drinking a TAPOUT Performance Drink before your workout can help ensure you start your training off fully hydrated. You may also consider taking a TAPOUT Performance Drink with you to stay hydrated if you are planning on an extremely epic workout lasting over 40 minutes.
As you probably know, breathing during athletic training in the colder weather of winter can actually hurt as your body reacts to the cold, dry air. Breathing through your nose as much as possible can help. So can wearing cold-weather garments like gaiters, scarves, and balaclavas loosely around your nose and mouth.
It is a given that you should wear clothing that keeps you warm in colder weather, but wearing clothing that keeps you dry is also extremely important. Try to wear clothing made of fabric that “wicks” moisture away from the skin and dries fast, like nylon, polyester, and polypropylene. Wearing clothing made of slow-drying fabric like cotton will only make your body lose heat and leave you feeling chilled.
Wearing layers in the winter is a brilliant idea since it helps keep warm air next to your body while keeping away the outside moisture of the elements. There is a technique to layering, though. An initial base layer made of thin, moisture-wicking fabric like nylon or polyester helps to pull sweat away from the skin and keep you dry. Follow this layer with a layer that keeps you warm, like a polar fleece. Finally, follow this layer with an outer layer that helps to guard against moisture and wind. As you warm up and want to shed the layers, make sure that the layers are lightweight and practical to take with you as you continue your winter fitness training.
As we mentioned, staying hydrated and maintaining a proper electrolyte balance is essential year-round to counteract the negative effects of losing fluids during fitness training. However, staying hydrated can also keep your skin from drying out too. Protect your skin from the cold, dry elements by moisturizing daily. Consider wearing a petroleum jelly-based moisturizer around areas of the face that tend to get chapped in cold weather, like the nostrils, ears, and lips, while training outdoors. Garments that keep the wind away from the face will also help your skin from getting chapped. Also, just because the winter months do not seem to be as sunny, you can still get sunburned quickly year-round, s do not forget the sunscreen!
It is important to remember that during the winter months, it gets darker earlier. Rain and snow can also make it more difficult to see. This is an important point to consider if you are going to be workout out near traffic where others may have a difficult time seeing you. Consider wearing brighter colors and reflective gear to keep yourself safe.
Exercising in colder temperatures can increase your risk for muscle sprains and strains. Consider warming up indoors for about 10 minutes by doing jumping jacks or squats before beginning your workout outdoors.
TAPOUT Performance Hydration and Recovery Drinks have been designed to activate your body's natural energy reserves, improve performance during competition and training and promote quick and healthy recovery after exercise.
TAPOUT comes in four flavors:
- Citrus
- Cherry Lemonade
- Orange
- Peach Mango
Our Citrus flavor has 120 calories to replenish natural energy and give you a boost under difficult training conditions. It also has 240mg of natural sodium, and a blend of electrolytes and vitamins. As you work out, these vitamins and electrolytes are used by your body or lost in sweat. That's why each TAPOUT contains:
- Vitamins A, C, E
- The Vitamin B Complex
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Chloride
If you're looking for a sports performance drink that replenishes these electrolytes and vitamins but prefer a no-sugar drink, TAPOUT Orange and Cherry Lemonade contain the same scientifically derived formula with zero sugar and only five calories.
No matter which flavor you choose, you can be assured that you're getting great taste from a sports drink made with no artificial colors, flavors or ingredients.