Winter Walking

My two blogs are converging here and so some, but not all, of the content will be similar for those who follow my blog on day trips in the mid-Atlantic region (MidAtlanticdaytrips. blogspot.com); in fact, it was the blog about Winter Walking that planted the idea for the Journey to the Land of Fit blog. This blog is about winter walking and the benefits of walking in cold weather.

Nothing compares to the crisp, clean air of winter and the magnificent view of a snowy landscape -- sometimes offering quite a nice surprise from the scenes you are more used to.

A couple of weeks ago, a warmer than usual day beckoned the beagles and I outside. There are those who preach the outdoor winter gospel, but I am an admitted fair-weather wimp. However, I've been reading up on the benefits of winter walking, and I've learned that outdoor walking in cold air benefits your bones, mood and waistline.

First of all -- there're our emotions. Many of us get slightly depressed in the winter -- the shorter days, more time spent indoors; those who suffer this more severely have what's now referred to as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. According to an article by Martin Downs, MPH on WebMD, although winter depression remains a mystery to scientists who study it, it's characterized by acute sensitivity to light, or the lack of it. Many studies have shown that people with seasonal affective disorder feel better after exposure to bright light. According to WebMD, timing is important as well. It's not only a matter of getting light, but also getting it at the right time.

Researchers are still trying to figure out the contributors to SAD. Many things, including brain chemicals, ions in the air, and genetics seem to be involved. Some believe SAD is due to a "phase-shift" of the circadian rhythm. The wall clock may tell you it's time to get up and start your day, but your body's internal clock says you should be resting.

Ice still floated on the bay, and offered a view of the bay I'd never seen before.

Winter walking isn't a cure -- I'm not claiming that. All I'm suggesting is that it can help us beat those winter doldrums. (If you believe you suffer from SAD, please consult with your physican for real medical advice.) Sunlight and just being outdoors can do wonders for lifting your mood. Studies have shown that women who took a brisk, outdoor walk for 20 minutes daily had better mood, higher self-esteem and an improved sense of well-being at the end of the eight-week study. Even on cloudy and overcast days, your mood can benefit from exposure to sunlight. A deficiency in Vitamin D has been linked to an increase in headaches in the fall and winter. Midday light, especially, provides Vitamin D to help boost your limbic system, the emotional center of the brain. And there is something so healing about connecting with nature, even if it’s covered in snow.

If you have dogs, winter walks helps keep them from going stir crazy from being cooped up in the house. I have beagles -- and have learned that a tired beagle is a happy beagle, and tired beagles make for a happier me.

Winter walking has an added benefit. According to an article published in The Washington Post (by Bahar Gholipour and Live Science, Published: January 27; http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/cold-air-may-help-you-lose-weight-by-making-your-body-burn-calories-to-keep-warm/2014/01/27/c1e75170-8462-11e3-9dd4-e7278db80d86_story.html) cold air may help me lose the pounds. The article asserts that regular exposure to mildly cold air may help people lose weight by increasing the amount of energy their bodies have to expend to keep their core temperature up. In fact, researchers are starting to believe that our ability to control the temperature may be partly responsible for America's increased obesity rates.

In other words, warm, cozy offices and homes may not be ideal places for those who want to lose weight. In fact, being able to control the ambient temperature might be partly responsible for the rise in obesity rates in industrial societies.

In fact, walking in a winter wonderland can help you burn calories and make up for some of that recent holiday excess. Outdoor walking through the park or around the neighborhood on a cold day won’t burn any more calories than walking on a warm summer day, but walking in snow will. You expend more energy because it’s harder to move your feet in the snow, and you lift your legs a little higher. I tried this after last week's winter storm -- I walked where the sidewalks SHOULD have been, had they all been shoveled. After just 1 mile, I was tired. Another mile later and I was uber grateful for the comfort of my couch. I curled up with a cold glass of water and enjoyed being a couch potato for a while.

Winter walking can keep your old bones strong. Like bears, people tend to hibernate during the winter and, as a result, get too little sunlight. That's too bad for bones. Sun exposure triggers vitamin D production in the skin, and bones need the “sunshine vitamin” to make the body absorb bone-strengthening calcium properly. Not getting outside during winter months slows down production and decreases the body’s store of vitamin D. Going for a winter walk and getting 15 minutes of sun on your face and hands two to three times per week should suffice for getting enough sun for vitamin D production.

Whether the weather is warm or slightly frosted, most hiking trails remain open. And as I discover on walks on two consecutive weekend days on two different local trails, the squirrels and birds still frolic. We saw evidence of fox (paw prints in the snow) and other furry woodland creatures. We also saw a flock of red-breasted robins, which I thought unusual (not that I know much about birds).

Any trip into the outdoors, even a day hike or a gentle walk, requires keeping an eye on the weather forecast. If there's a storm coming, then wait, unless you go prepared for every contingency.The tips below aren't meant for the serious winter weather hiker -- or anything more than a mile or two walk on a day almost guaranteed to be pleasant.

• Always check the weather and trail conditions;
• Prepare for the worst conditions;
• Dress according to the weather; 
• Dress in layers that you can peel off or layer back on;
• Don't forget a hat and gloves -- if it gets too warm to wear, you can always shove them into a pocket! 

So wave to me when you see me walking! (I'll probably have a beagle or two with me!)

Originally I'd thought I could generate enough material for three-times a week fitness blog. I'm not so sure, so for now, I'm aiming for two-times a week: Tuesdays and Sundays.

I'd love to hear what works for you on your journey to fitness -- please send me an email at daytripgal@gmail.com!

Look for Journey to the Land of Fit on Facebook: facebook.com/JourneytotheLandofFit