 Cold weather brings the urge to hibernate. Sometimes it’s tempting to just pull the bed covers up and sleep until April. But cold weather can’t really stop you from exercising and staying fit. You just have to think inside the box a little. Read on for some great tips on exercising indoors. The joys of Wii sports One of the best ways to work out without the risk of hypothermia is Wii sports. With the right software, you can swing a virtual tennis racket or bowl a strike on your television. That’s right! The same technology that brought us video games now brings us ways to stay active inside our homes. Wii sports are great for everyone, but especially for people who are at risk of injury from real tennis or real bowling. Because you swing and bowl with the remote control, you limit risks that exist in real-life competitive sports. At the same time, virtual tennis is fun! For many people, it’s a lot more fun than jogging around the block. Still others even think it’s more fun than real tennis. You may find that you exercise for 20 minutes without becoming tired or bored with a Wii system. It’s well worth the investment. Other easy indoor workouts Easy indoor workouts that don’t require expensive software abound for those who seek them. On YouTube, you can find an infinite amount of stretching exercises that help you achieve flexibility and strength in specific muscles. For those who love yoga, the Huffington Post has assembled the nine best yoga channels on YouTube. One good piece of exercise equipment worth buying is ankle weights. These are pocketed weights, nested in fabric, that you can strap around your ankles. Ankle weights are great because you can wear them to work under a pair of dress pants. They add an aerobic and strength-building dimension every time you walk around the office. Ankle weights can do the same thing at home. As you are doing your household chores, like vacuuming or cooking, the ankle weights help you burn calories and build muscle. You can turn mopping the floor into an honest workout. Weights can also go on your wrists if you decide that you need more of a workout for your arms. Another great piece of home exercise equipment is the resistance band. These bands come in different forms and brands, but the super-cheap ribbons are about as effective as the upscale models. To compensate for the lack of handles, all you have to do is wrap the band around your hands or feet. Ideally, you should have a few resistance bands of different lengths. That way you can work out your arms, back, waist, and all parts of your legs. It’s also far less likely you’ll get injured than if you work out in a weight room. Make exercise part of your recovery If you are recovering from an addiction, it’s even more critical to keep up a fitness regime. When seeking therapy for substance use, many counselors also recommend pursuing a physical wellness plan to combat not only the physical effects of substance use, but also to promote the general well-being of patients. Exercise releases endorphins, a feel-good chemical that helps fight depression and anxiety which could lead to relapse. And exercise is a good way to fill the empty moments of the day that might, previously, have been filled with drugs or alcohol. In short, it might be harder to find the motivation for working out in the winter. Shorter and colder days can make us want to curl up in front of the television instead of staying mobile. But you can fight the winter doldrums by doing easy exercises indoors with video game technology or with minimal exercise equipment. Photo courtesy of Pixabay Author: Jason Lewis
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