Staying motivated to work out during the winter can be difficult: your exercise options are limited, and the snow and the cold make you want to do nothing except curl up on the couch under some blankets and watch a movie. Even if your intentions are good, bad weather may make it difficult to get to the gym.
Maintaining your exercise routine during this time of the year may require injecting some new life into your workouts. Try shaking up your routine with these fun fitness ideas - some of which don't even require leaving the house.
Zumba
Many people love the Latin-inspired moves of this dance-fitness craze. Zumba uses international music to create an exhilarating workout that is less about counting reps than moving to the music. Zumba provides cardiovascular exercise as well as strength training and can be easily modified to meet your individual fitness needs. Zumba classes are typically 45-60 minutes and are offered at fitness centers, dance studios, and community centers. DVD sets are also available for home use. Some people find that it helps to learn the basic concepts with the DVDs before attending a group class.Yoga
People commonly associate yoga with stretching - and it does help stretch your muscles - but it can also provide a highly beneficial workout. Yoga is great for relieving stress, headaches, chronic back pain, and a variety of other ailments. For a truly intense workout, get out of the cold and work up a sweat with Bikram yoga - a special type of yoga that is done in a room heated to at least 105 degrees. Bikram yoga uses a set series of postures and is appropriate for all levels of fitness.Yoga subscription sites also offer a wide variety of videos that can help you learn yoga postures and try out different types of yoga in the comfort of your own home.