How to stay active in Canadian Winter
Canadian winters can be a tough time of year to prioritize a healthy and active lifestyle. ❄️ Between the snow, ice, and short daylight hours – it can be tempting to stay cozy at home all day. While we support getting into cozy season, staying active and healthy during the winter months is important for both your mental and physical well-being. 🥗🏋️♂️🧘♂️
Between getting active at home, participating in outdoor sports and the wide variety of indoor sports that are available we want to help you feel inspired and motivated to get moving this winter.
While Canadian winters are beautiful, let’s face it… not everyone is built for the cold! This is why we’ve put together a list of indoor activities for you to enjoy.
- Check out your local community centre. 🏫🔍 Many community centres have both registered and drop-in programs that range from cooking and nutrition to fitness and wellness to different group sports. These are a great low-cost way to get moving and meet some new friends at the same time!
- Hit up your local pool. 🏊♂️📍 Many communities will have a public pool that offers free or low-cost swimming to residents.
- Join a yoga or Pilates studio. 🧘♀️🏢 Yoga and Pilates are great low-impact ways to move your body. They also prioritise learning to calm your mind, tune into your breath and stay present in the moment.
- Join a boxing gym. 🥊🏋️♂️ Boxing is an amazing way to challenge your mind as well as your body. It’s also a great way to release stress and frustration and feel like a boss while doing it!
- Hit up the gym or find a group fitness class. 🏋️♂️👫 If a classic workout is your thing, carve out some time in your week to spend at the gym or find a fun group fitness class.
- Join a spinning studio. 🚴♂️🏢 Spinning is a high-energy, low-impact workout that will get your heart rate up and keep you engaged.
- Find a Zumba or dance class. 💃🕺 At the end of the day, exercise is supposed to be fun and make you feel good! If traditional workouts aren’t your style opt for something low-stress like dance or Zumba.
- Take salsa or other dance lessons with your friend or partner. 🕺👫
- Find a virtual course or class you enjoy. 🖥️🎓 🎼If you are not mobile during the winter, there are plenty of at-home options to stay active! From HIIT workouts to yoga to dance and more, almost every type of exercise is now accessible from home.
For those of you who love a snowy day, luckily there are plenty of outdoor activities to get you up and moving during the winter!
- Find a local skating rink or skating trails. ⛸️🛷 Cross-country skating is a great way to get active and enjoy how beautiful nature is during the winter months.
- Fat biking. 🚴♂️❄️ Fat biking is growing increasingly popular in Canada! It is a type of mountain biking that involves riding a bike with wide tires made for rough terrain (including snow). Fat biking can be an exciting way to stay active in the winter, explore new trails and spend a snowy day outdoors!
- Grab your sleds and tubes and head for the hills. 🛷⛰️ Sledding is a fun activity for all ages!
- Cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. 🎿❄️
- All things downhill! ⛷️🏂 Downhill skiing or snowboarding are great ways to exercise during the winter. Grab your besties, head for the slopes and spend the evening enjoying a warm drink in the chalet.
- Have a snowball fight. ☃️❄️ We truly believe there is a child in all of us dying for the opportunity to have an epic snowball fight with their friends. Get your heart rate up and your smile going with this funny, silly activity.
- Join a recreational hockey team. 🏒👥
If you’ve decided to head out for a winter sport, it’s important to dress for the weather! Make sure to dress in layers, wear waterproof boots and wear a hat and gloves. When it comes to winter activities, comfort is key! Planning ahead is also a necessity for winter activities. Make an effort to plan some fun activities each week, plan to bring healthy meals and snacks and prepare all the gear you need to stay warm while you’re outside!
In addition to staying active, there are a few other ways you can feel your best during the winter months.
- Eat healthily. 🥗🍏 Prioritise eating a healthy and balanced diet full of nutritious food. Now, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t indulge, balance is everything.
- Stay hydrated. 💧🚰 Remembering to drink enough water is extremely important for your overall health. Try to drink at least eight glasses of water a day!
- Get enough sleep. 😴🛌 Sleep is important to help manage your mental and physical health; help prevent burnout and keep your immune system in good shape.
- Manage your mental health. 🧘♂️🧠 Winter can be a tough time for many people, especially for those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Take some extra time to prioritise self-care, keep tabs on your mental health and don’t be afraid to ask for help from your loved ones or seek professional help if needed.
- Stay social. 👥🤝 Make an effort to connect with your loved ones. Whether virtually or in-person, this is a time of year to prioritise connection and fun with your people!
- Practice mindfulness. 🧘♀️☯️ Take some time to check in with yourself daily, this may include meditation, journaling or light stretching.
- Prioritise yourself. 🌸🕰️ We CANNOT stress this one enough! This is a time of year to take care of yourself, say NO when you need to and take some extra time for relaxation.
Did you know many Canadian Apartment Properties REIT buildings across Canada have great amenities to help you stay active in the winter? Included in your rent, you won’t even have to leave the building to stay active and healthy this winter!
Check out our buildings with a pool here:
➡️ https://www.capreit.ca/apartments-for-rent/?building-features=pool&where=Canada
Check out our buildings with a gym here:
➡️https://www.capreit.ca/apartments-for-rent/?building-features=gym&where=Canada
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