4 tips to enjoy being outdoors in winter

“I love moving outside in the winter! "

I am aware that the moment these words are even read, the chances of me getting hated/rocks thrown are high.

I know I have said them often and the result is the same every time.

Despite everything, I must admit being a little surprised, because you live in a Nordic country and adapting is essential.

When you think about it, winter temperatures easily range over a third of a year. For those who do not like this period, the winter must be very long!

When I stop to think about it, I would also be disappointed if winter was limited to leaving my house in the morning, shoveling my driveway, plowing and de-icing my car, going to work in difficult conditions and finally repeating it all. at the end of the day when I return home.

So I offer you 4 tips that will allow you to move outside in winter, allowing you to enjoy the cold season.

Who knows, maybe it will become, just like for me, your favorite season!

4 tips to enjoy being outdoors in winter

Invest in good clothes

This is the basis. If you go outside to get active in the winter with magic gloves (you know, those sold in drugstores that turn into rabbits), sneakers and jeans, we know in advance the end of the story!

The famous saying that says thatthere are no bad temperatures, only poorly dressed people is so true! Investing in good warm clothes is giving yourself a chance to appreciate winter.

If you select quality clothes early on, there is a good chance that they will follow you throughout your life.

So it's worth planning this expense into your budget. Not to mention the fact that you will wear them for about 4 months a year!

Regarding clothing suitable for physical activity in the cold season, I invite you to read Marie-Ève ​​Riou's article what to wear when training in winter which details everything very well with its multi-layered technique.

Choose an activity you like

Making love with a winter activity will definitely change your outlook on this season and help you enjoy being outdoors in the winter.

Whether it's cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hockey, skating, fat biking, snowmobiling, dog sledding, ice fishing, etc. , winter is full of wonderful activities!

Height of happiness? Quebec can offer ALL of these activities, just a few kilometers from your home.

Take the opportunity to try as many as possible and I'm sure you'll find one that speaks to you more.

In fact, before you buy your "kit" for the sport you plan to try, hire the equipment! This allows you to reduce the risk of purchasing equipment that will collect dust for several years.

Toughen up the "rind"

Have you ever noticed that temperatures hovering around 2-3 degrees look much colder in the fall than in the spring?

This is in fact normal, because in the fall our body is not yet adapted to the cold temperatures and the skin on our face thickens quietly during the winter.

So that means the more you go out, the less the cold temperatures will bother you. On your scarves!

Jade Tremblay has written a more detailed text on this subject which is entitled How to be less cold in winter. She mentions in particular “that it is possible to tolerate the cold better and at the same time, to feel all the benefits and feel better on a daily basis. "

Give yourself rewards

The hardening is all well and good, but it is also necessary to have fun if you want to enjoy moving outside in winter! Don't be shy, reward yourself during or after your outings in the great outdoors!

We are talking about a hot chocolate in a thermos during your hikes, a coffee near a fireplace on your return from the ice rink, a cheese fondue after an afternoon sliding with the children or even a home theater / covered night after a day of downhill skiing.

I challenge you!

If you're the "I hate winter - can't wait for it to end - I'm running south" type, I want to challenge you.

Select 2-3 winter activities you would like to try and plan to do them.

I can't guarantee that winter will magically become your favorite season, but I'm sure it will increase your esteem. It will also allow you to save money by canceling your trip to the south #it's fun.

author avatar
Claude godbout Project Manager
Former member of the national biathlon team and world champion in obstacle courses, physical activity has a special place in my daily life.

6 thoughts on “4 tips for enjoying being outdoors in winter”

  1. I was preparing to throw rocks at you but after reading the advice I changed my mind because the advice you give is the reasons why I love each season because they are different enough to change our activities for each period of the year. 'year.

    Reply
  2. What a great article, I totally agree with you. My boyfriend hated winter before he met me. I started teaching him to skate the first winter, the next year it was cross-country skiing and then downhill skiing. Gradually, he invested in various clothes, boots and accessories better suited for these activities. Today, winter is made his favorite season because he can do so many different sports.

    Reply
  3. Indeed, my partner had always hated winter, a friend invited him to try his snowmobile !!! well no, it's not a sport but it's a hobby that he practices and now he wants snow! I would never have believed it!
    So finding an activity actually helps to love winter!

    Reply
  4. Thanks for this article! I am the one who hated winter, which is always cold!
    and my children love winter ...

    Since we are in covid mode with canceled activities, we had to find a way to ventilate the minds of parents who telecommute and children in need of sports, so since April we have been trying to go for a walk every day. I was very apprehensive about the coming of the cold but having been persevering and rigorous in the schedule of my outings (going out rain not rain, cold not cold…) and well I think I'm not used to it. I added a layer when necessary and finally yesterday, it was -16, and I walked for 1 hour and I was not cold ...

    I will end up loving winter who knows!

    Reply

Answer Sindie Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce unwanted. Learn more about how your comments data is used.