I was never a morning person, but since I declared a war against fat, I decided to go for morning walks regularly. The only mistake I did was I choose to start this regimen during the end of summers and the beginning of the winters. Yes, it became a task for me to wake up early in the morning, get ready and head out for a walk while it was foggy and cold outside. All I wanted to do is get back to bed and snuggle under my blanket. But then I realised that it would only make me a loser and so I decided to get on my feet and get going with my morning walks. As an amateur walker, here are a few tips I can offer to make your morning walk routine bearable if you struggle like me to get out of the bed:
Dress right: This is the most important part of your regimen if you don t dress the right way you might not be able to continue with your walk. Avoid wearing a bulky winter wear that you won t be able to take off when your body temperature rises. Try and avoid wearing cotton too. They trap moisture in your body and might give you a cold. Instead, dress up in layers of thin thermal wear and team it up with a cotton tee or a jacket, depending on the temperature of the place. Dress up in layers so you will be able to get rid of them one at a time when you feel hot or the morning temperature rises. During winters there are more chances of suffering from hypothermia where a person might lose body temperature swiftly making it fall beyond 35 degrees or C or 95 degrees F. This means the body is not able to generate enough heat to keep you warm, which can turn to be fatal. Remember to cover your head too, with a scarf or a cap. Covering your head is important because 20 to 60 percent of heat is lost through an uncovered head. So if you are losing heat chances are your body might go cold. Here are more reasons why you should cover your head during winter walks.
Keep yourself hydrated: One mistake that we all do during winters is that we run or jog without carrying a water bottle with us. But even if you are not sweating much, winter walks will also cause dehydration. So carry a small bottle of water with you and take small sips of it regularly to hydrate yourself. Avoid these common winter mistakes to stay healthy.
Wear sunscreen: At least, apply a coat of a sunscreen with an SPF of 15. The winter sun is as potent as the summer sun and can do great damage to your skin. The UVA and UVB rays can make your skin wrinkly and dry. Here are more reasons why you need sunscreens during winters.
Don t overdo: If you are new to the exercising and walking you might think that increasing your pace during winters it will help you build up the heat and burn more calories. But this is a myth. Exertion increases the heart s demand for oxygen which can make you fatigued, breathless and tire you out. Especially, if you are still adjusting to a new fitness routine. Too much exertion can lead to a sudden heart attack even in a young and healthy individual. So, go slow and increase your pace gradually.
Eat right: Have a light snack like a banana or an apple before you set out for your walk. Since you go without food the entire night the drop in your sugar level can make you feel giddy and nauseated in the morning during your walks. So, ensure that you feed your body before you start to burn calories.
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