Walking in a Winter Wonderland: What you need to know about exercising outside
Walking in a Winter Wonderland: What you need to know about exercising outside Subscribe in a reader Tweet By Sonia Rappaport, Physical Therapist and Rehabilitation Instructor, The Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) Partners in Care The cold weather is back! Between plunging temperatures and limited sunlight, it’s no wonder some of the most devoted of exercisers hang up their fitness gear and stay inside – whether it’s to hit the couch or the elliptical. It should come as a surprise to no one that exercise boosts metabolism and mood. But did you know that exercising outdoors, particularly in the winter, can increase those benefits? Believe it. According to a study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, exercising in the cold weather increased participants’ metabolism and their muscles’ capacity to use oxygen – not bad! Meanwhile, a 2017 study found that climbing outdoors, compared to both exercising indoors on a treadmill and to