Happy Thursday! ;)
First up, some fun Housekeeping of the day:
1) Want a chance to win some Glo bars? Leave a comment on this post to enter Jessica’s giveaway! Hurry! Contest closes tomorrow morning!
2) Enter here for a chance to win a 1 year subscription to Cooking Light! Contest ends today!
3) Oh She Glows has been nominated for the blogger you’d most like to see on the Food Network. Please show your support and vote for me here!
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Project Snow: Stay Active and Fit This Winter!
Behold the SNOW WARRIOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mother Nature’s got nothing on us this winter!
What is Project Snow?
Project Snow is a personal challenge to myself and all of my readers to stay committed to exercise (and have fun doing it) this Fall and Winter.
Specifically, I am challenging myself and all willing participants to commit to a minimum of 1-2 outdoor workouts throughout the Fall and Winter seasons. This will be a huge challenge for myself (and many of you) living in a Northern climate!
Why am I doing this? Am I nuts?!
I definitely think I am crazy for doing this challenge and I will think that even more once the bad weather really hits. I do not have a good track record with respect to exercising outdoors when it is cold out. I’m a wuss! I have always opted to stay inside a warm gym during the cold months, but I often find that my mood takes a huge hit when I am indoors for such a long stretch of time. Even with getting in my indoor workouts, I find myself feeling quite low over the winter. I strongly suspect that this is due to not getting outside enough. Fresh air and natural light can do wonders for the mood, especially when it gets dark at 5pm!
BEHOLD THE PROJECT SNOW FURY!!!!!!
Will you ‘attack’ winter with me? :D
My new motto is this:
For most types of weather, I will prepare for it and dress accordingly. Nature is to be enjoyed in all seasons, shapes, and forms and not only during 25C, sunny days.
Wait, isn’t working out in really bad weather…DANGEROUS?!
Yes, it sure is. And that is why I am not going to workout in dangerous conditions! I want to be very clear about this too. In no way, shape, or form am I encouraging you to go outside when it is not safe to do so whether that be due to extreme cold, darkness, or slippery conditions. As always, use your good judgment about it.
We have to be smart about Project Snow. When it is safe for me to do so, I will be getting outside for some activity and only when it is safe. If you feel like it is not safe to venture outdoors for a workout, please do not do so! I certainly will not be running outside when it is slippery or too cold outside.
How does Project Snow work?
Project Snow was created so that all of us can share our outdoor exercise tips and tricks with one another, in addition to encouraging each other to stay active and positive until Spring time. If we BOND together over these cold months, we can not only keep our spirits up, but stay fit and learn something while we are at it!
Over the fall and winter months, I will be providing tips and tricks that I learn along the way. I will also be asking questions for discussion so everyone can offer their own advice and experiences!
What type of activities can I do? I don’t like running!
You don’t have to run by any means! In fact, on really cold or snowy days, I won’t be running either. You can do anything from walking, hiking, snowshoeing, snowboarding, shoveling snow, skiing, etc etc! The sky is the limit! As long as you are getting outside and getting your heart rate up it is ALL good. :D
How do I participate?
All you have to do is commit to keeping active outdoors this Fall and Winter and make sure to stay up to date on my Project Snow posts. I also encourage you to contribute in the discussion and let everyone know how things are going over on your end! Tell us what the weather is like where you live and what you are doing to stay active!
What if I live in a warm climate? Can I still participate?
Of course you can! Just be sure to invite me to your place this winter! ;)
Project Snow Tip #1: LAYER YOUR CLOTHING!
This was me before my run yesterday! It was cold out (around 4C/39F), and I really didn’t want to run outside. After receiving a few encouraging Tweets, I decided to bundle up and get out there!
Bottom layer: Sports Bra tank
Middle Layer: Shape Jacket
Top Layer: Shell/Windbreaker jacket
I also wore some cotton gloves (yes, with the hole! haha) and a hat. I like hats in the cold temperatures because they keep the heat in.
The run:
- Distance: 3.4 miles
- Duration: 30:47 mins
- Avg speed: 9:10 min/mile
- Max Heart rate: 176 bpm
- Avg HR: 165 bpm
I love layering, but I always have one major problem: What do I do with the layers once I warm up and get too hot? I wanted to take my jacket off, but I had no where to put it so I left it on!
I would appreciate to hear from you guys on this! Leave a comment below if you’d like to join in on the fun.
Project Snow is Sketchie approved! He says he will cheer me on from his warm bed. ;)
What do you do with your layers? Tie around the waist? I would think this would get in the way. Share your ideas!
Project Snow’s next topic will be a tip I learned on how to make it much easier getting outside when you don’t want to.
I can’t believe its that cold already! I live in Mississippi and its been in the 80s everyday this week.
I do the bulk of my long distance training in the cold months. I always run the Hypothermic Half in January… and a half in May.
I always dress for 10 degrees warmer than it actually is.
Typically I wear a long sleeved technical T, a a technical T, and my running shell. Usually I just wear a pair of lulus on the bottom, the odd time (-20) I will wear some wicking long johns (i got mine at costco for $16!!) which are great. I’m always plenty warm!
A wickable touque is a lifesaver too! Dollar store gloves are great too… my hands always get too hot while running. So they always end up off. I don’t feel too guilty losing them knowing that I only paid $1 for them!
Another good tip, is to wear your fuel belt under your jacket as they tend to freeze.
You will love winter running. I promise.
I love the “snow” picture! Was that taken recently? I can’t imagine a scene like that as I live in Florida and it is still so hot here…….=( Great layering, wish I could do it!
=) Laura @ Finding A Healthy Balance…..after a 100+ POUND weight loss!
you could chart a route starting from your house (or some other starting point) that’s half the distance of the total run you want to do and run it twice. That way you could take one or more articles of clothing off at the half way point and not have to worry about going back to get them later.
Ha ha! i love those pics! you are funny! btw, i think i would brisk walk in winter too if i had winter but for now, i do whatever i can even if it’s rain as long as it isn’t a downpour. but the weather here is amazing… Amazingly hot!!! so strip down to your swimsuits! :) or tank tops! best way to exercise in hot climate!!
This is awesome! I have been trying to figure out how to get outside for workouts. ( I shovel snow for a good workout.) Especially since winter seems to be coming earlier this year; (where did Fall in the Midwest go?? Was it ever here??) I want to make certain I am able to get outside and get that mood up!
I am a cold wimp! I love this challenge but tend to hide inside during the winter. Living in Minneapolis makes winter workouts tough when its -20F! While I will not do outdoor workouts every week I am committed to trying 3 new outside activities this winter.
I’m so in. This morning it was 39 degrees with a bit of rain and wind but I went out there and did 3 miles :) I wore a short sleeve tech t with a non-cotton zip up sweatshirt over it on the top (along with a cheapo hat from Old Navy and gloves from Target that were only 75 cents), and running tights with pj shorts over them (I’m just a wee bit self conscious about how running tights look on me still). I was plenty warm – just needed to take off the hat and gloves a mile in, which I just stuffed in my pockets. It was a good refresher for me in how tough it is to get out there, but how good it feels once you’re going. :-D
Hahaha I love your snowsuit montage!! And the sketchy pics!
I have the same layering dilemma! I’ll be checking your comments for advice!!
I’m in!
I live in a 4 seasons a year climate which means we get hot summers (around 30 – 35C), but also cold and dark winters (not as cold as yours, but the temperatures do drop to about -10C below zero). So project snow is definitely a go for me (I also really don’t like gyms)
Right now I’m still running outside (despite the killer wind), but I’m as baffled about layers as you are. What is working for me right now is wearing less layers but adding a scarf (or something around my neck) and a hat. I find it that I’m only really cold for the first 5 to 10 minutes of the run (now that the temps are not really low) so the hat and the scarf keep me warm in the beginning and they’re easy to tie around the waist or basically get rid of.
Oh I can’t do this due to living in an apartment building but you could totally run by your house once and get rid of the “extra” stuff. It might mess up with your route but for a while (until it gets so cold you’ll need all the layers you can put on) it might be worth it?
Oh and love the pictures in this post. Hilarious!
Living in CO I have started many a run in layers and ended in a t shirt! I usually tie long sleeves around my waist in a double knot (there have been times I ended up with 3 shirts around my waist!) or, if I am on a longer run, I will tie layers around the straps on my CamelBack. It is def. not ideal but better that freezing in the begining or overheating at the end. I always think I look ridiculous until I see that everyone else has don the same thing!
Great Post! I live here in Chicago and like your home it gets super cold here! Yes layering is key. And I have tied my top layer around my waist a few times before. In fact I ran a half like that before b/c I liked my shirt to much to throw it away! But like a previous comment I too try to dress like it’s a little warmer outside than it actually is. I’m pretty cold natured but when running i tend to warm up super quickly. Dry fit shirts are key as well as hat and gloves. :)
Can I join the project even if I don’t expect having trouble getting outdoors this fall/winter? I do live in a cold, dark climate but I ran through all of last winter, at least 3 times a week (love the snow!), so I don’t think it’ll be that hard to do it this year as well, but it would be nice to have the extra incentive that project snow will provide, especially since I’ll be training for a marathon all through the winter season.
As for clothing, I find that it’s important to make sure that all your layers are made of wicking/breathing fabrics, otherwise it’s easy to overheat once you get into the workout. As for the jacket, when I get too warm I unzip my jacket, which usually helps. If it’s still too hot, I just take it off and tie it around my hips. Yeah, it might not be the best look, but who cares?
Thanks for linking to my giveaway! :)
I have yet to master running outside. I am actually terrified of being hit bye cars :( – I hear a new story at least a few times a month where a runner or a biker has been hit in the Seattle area. It’s tragic!
Count me in! I’m glad to see that shoveling snow ‘counts’! I have a feeling I”ll be doing lots of that this year :)
I just ran outside for the first time in a LONG while.It was only a mile, but it was drizzling and only about 40 degrees. I think I need to invest in some actual running clothes if I’m going to keep that up. It was quite chilly. Gloves are a MUST.
I just ran 5 miles in -1C weather!! I wore a longsleeve turtleneck I bought at the Running Room with long spandex capris, a running hat, and gloves. It was perfect! I actually took the gloves off a few times. My warm-up was COLD, but 5 minutes into running, I felt very comfortable. Although, my ears were definitely cold by the end of it… ear muffs maybe??
Oh, and you forgot skating and sledding in your list! I LOVE skating on outdoor rinks in the winter. And you can never outgrow sledding – climbing back up that hill is a tough workout! :P
love the idea of project snow! i had wanted to continue running outside during the winter at least 1 or 2 days a week, and hopefully this will keep me motivated when its cold and dark out ;)
I’m definitely on board!! Ottawa is even colder than TO on most days sadly.
I am a WUSS too…I can’t convince myself to get outside to run in the cold. But I am up for the challenge. I find my mood slips during the winter months and am sure it is lack of fresh air. I’ll be bundling up and getting out there.
I hate being cold so much. I look forward to your posts on Project Snow because they might inspire me to get outside . . . but I think my workouts will turn to the boring treadmill. I already did this week :(