Winter weight loss: how to run outside without dying of hypothermia

January 20, 2018 Ashley 0 Comments

“You went running? But it’s only 18 degrees! How?!”

“I just, uh, bundled up.”

Okay, I’ll admit it.

It’s a lot more involved than that. But I’ve got it down to a science. See, ever since I began trail running four years ago, it’s been my favorite weight loss activity. And, now that it’s ingrained, it’s more of a weight maintenance activity I love so much that I’d still do even if it didn’t keep me slim. However, when the winter’s impending, I know I’m gonna hafta schedule and finesse my outdoorsy cardio in such a way that I can minimize the misery as I subsist through the winter. How? Well, part of it (the most detailed element) is indeed that bundling up aspect. But there’s more to it than that.

For example, the first facet to it is: location, location, location. As mentioned above, I love the trail. Running through an arboreal corridor lined with Pine trees is my jam. The plus? It’s super beneficial, temp-wise, regardless of the season. In the summer, the shade above blocks the harsh sun from overheating me. In the winter, though, the bottom part of those now bare topped bark monsters still blocks the freezing breeze from reaching me. Win, win. Only caveat? Be careful which trail you choose. The closer you get to the water, expect the temp to dip five to ten degrees.

But just because it’s a cold day doesn’t mean we’ve gotta be masochists and go for the chilliest bit of it. I’m not doing this to make myself suffer. Ideally, it’d be seventy degrees with hawks squawking above and the trees would quit this wintry striptease and put back on their emerald ensembles for my pleasure. But that’s not happening ATM. Even so, I’m just so addicted to the trail, I’d mainline it into my system if I could, rain, shine, or shiz-teen degree temps. So I make the best of it. At the day’s start, I whip out my weather app, check the hourly temp estimates, and go by that. If it’s 16 now, but it’s gonna get up to 30 in the next hour or two, I play task shuffle. I go ahead and get my other stuff done now, so I can run when frostbite’s a little less’ve a possibility. Plus, it’s a little bit more enjoyable when the weather is.

Then, finally, there’s the gear.

Even though I shrugged it off to my mom, it’s slightly more involved than I make it out to be.

Here’s a rundown of what I rock in 16 degree weather:

For my torso, I’m covered in four layers. The base? A fitted, small sized, long sleeved, turtleneck Nike dri fit top with thumb holes. Second layer is the same thing in a size larger. (Really seals in the flavor, which I get the misfortune of fully inhaling later). For the third layer, I’m donning Puma’s fitted zip up hoodie (which you’ll need to block out that chill as you pick up speed.) Then, over top of it all comes layer number four: a slightly larger hooded zip up jacket with pockets big enough to put in gloved hands. (Ya know, just in case the two layers coming up aren’t enough for your hands).

The legs’re simple because they move the most and I don’t lose much warmth from them. So, it’s typically just long running tights with leg warmers over ankles. (Sounds insignificant but you’ll feel the difference without those badboys double fast.) Then, on my feet, I slather some Vaseline to lock in the heat, before applying two pairs’ve socks under my trail running kicks.

And how about my ever freezing fingers? This was the hardest part. For my first few runs in under-20-degree conditions, I was sure each time was gonna be the day that’d culminate in an amputation thanks to frostbite. But, after experimenting and failing with several different configurations, I finally found a way to keep my paws toasty. What I did was cut up some rubber kitchen gloves just above the knuckles. (So it’s just the finger portion.) I put those on, under my warm gloves, and BOOM. Heat’s locked in for the full thirty to forty minute run.

As for the head, I just have on a hat, earmuffs, and my third layer’s hoodie covering it all. The trick though, is that I’ve got a DIY balaclava (fashioned out of a scarf) underneath all’ve that, tied at the base of my head and held up at the ears by my muffs, so that it’s just over the nose and under the eyes enough that I can see the trail (’cause faceplanting in freezing conditions is never fun – even if those layers’d probably break your fall fairly nicely).

Now, don’t get it twisted.

If it’s too cool for cardio out’ve doors (we’re talking windchill and less than 10 degrees), I’m probably gonna be swimming through that human zoo they call the gym. No, it’s not as fun or exciting. But I try to make a game of it – high intensity intervals, breaking my last caloric record on the treadmill, seeing how long I can stay at my max speed, or even just running to a new playlist. The point? That my trail cardio’s supposed to be one of those “healthy addictions”. If I can’t manage to stay away when mother nature’s going through the PMS of the seasons and trying to smite us all with hellish, gelid conditions, then it’s becoming less’ve a healthy way to reach those weight loss goals. (Unless, of course, you count the weight of the toes ‘n fingers you’re probably gonna lose).

So, if you’re missing your outdoorsy cardio this winter, there is still a way (most days)

Just locate a trail, bundle up, pick the perfect time, and listen to your system if it’s too chilly.

’cause any exercise is gonna be tough if the doc has to lop off your digits.