Convincing yourself to workout especially during winter season is a testament to your dedication towards fitness. While you may be competing with the urge to stay in the comfort of your sheets and the need to keep a consistent routine of working out, many people look for a middle ground and opt to work out indoors. Just because the temperature drops doesn't mean you have to confine your workouts indoors. Exercising outdoors in cooler weather can be both enjoyable and beneficial, provided you take the necessary precautions.

Why Exercising In Winters Is Better

Even when temperatures dip into the 30s and 40s, activities like walking, running, and cycling can still be enjoyed outdoors. In fact, colder weather can have surprising advantages and many people don’t even venture outside to find out about them. According to Harvard Health Publishing, we learned that lower temperatures can improve endurance because your heart doesn't have to work as hard, you sweat less, and expend less energy, leading to more efficient workouts. Studies also suggest that cold-weather exercise can help you convert white fat like the ones found in the belly and thigh fat into calorie-burning brown fat. Additionally, exposure to sunlight during winter workouts can help combat seasonal affective disorder (SAD). However, people who have certain health conditions like asthma or heart problems should consult their doctor before engaging in cold-weather exercise and follow the advice given to them without fail.

How Should One Prevent Hypothermia and Injuries?

However, exercising in cold weather increases the risk of hypothermia which means that your body gets an abnormally low body temperature. If you start experiencing intense shivering, extreme fatigue, slurred speech, or loss of coordination, you need to seek immediate medical attention. Always inform someone of your outdoor plans and carry a fully charged phone, if you are absent for too long, your guardian can reach you and in case you do not pick up, they can keep a note of it and find help. Cold muscles are also more susceptible to strains and injuries, making a proper warm-up essential, people try to avoid it to cut time, but you are just putting yourself up for harm. Avoid static stretches before exercise; instead, opt for dynamic stretches that involve movement to loosen joints, increase blood flow, and warm up muscles. for example, you can try arm circles, arm swings, high steps, and lunges.

Tips To Stay Safe During Winter Workouts

Layering for Warmth and Comfort

Dressing in layers is very important when it comes to regulating body temperature. Start with a moisture-wicking base layer, then add an insulating layer like fleece or wool, and finish with a waterproof, breathable outer layer. Avoid cotton, as it retains sweat and can make you colder.

Protecting Extremities

Protecting your head, hands, and feet is vital, as blood flow is concentrated in the core. These are sensitive areas that can carry cold to your core. Always wear warm gloves, preferably lined with wool or fleece, and thick, warm socks. Wear a hat or beanie to prevent heat loss from your head and protect your eyes with sunglasses.

Sun Protection and Hydration

Even in winter, sun protection and hydration are essential many people believe that you only need it to avoid tanning, but that is not the case. Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, even on cloudy days, and use lip balm with SPF. Drink water before, during, and after your workout, as cold air can suppress thirst.

Choosing Safe Routes and Footwear

Choosing safe routes and wearing appropriate footwear can prevent slips and falls if you see that your usual route has water or some icy layers, avoid it.. Choose routes with good footing and clear pathways. Wear shoes or boots with good traction and consider using walking poles for added stability on potentially slippery surfaces.

Prioritizing Safety

Always listen to your body and prioritize safety during cold-weather exercise, while the mindset of pushing your body past its limits is understandable, during winter season you need to be more aware. If you feel too cold, lightheaded, or experience any discomfort, stop your workout and warm up immediately. Safety should always be the primary concern during outdoor activities.

For many people, completing a daily step goal feels like a sign of an active lifestyle. Fitness trackers, wellness challenges and social media trends have popularized the belief that 10,000 steps can undo the negative effects of long hours spent at a desk. However, vascular experts warn that this assumption is misleading. Prolonged sitting continues to damage the veins and circulation even if one walks later in the day.

Vascular Surgeon and Varicose Vein Specialist Dr Sumit Kapadia recently posted a video on his Instagram channel explaining why step counts alone cannot protect vascular health. He said this is something he tells his patients almost every day. Even if someone completes their step goal in the evening, the body has already endured hours of immobility that strain the veins.

According to Dr Kapadia, circulation does not depend on how much a person walks in total. Instead, it depends on how frequently they move. Long stretches of sitting from nine in the morning to seven in the evening cause blood to stagnate in the legs. This stagnation triggers a progressive cycle: vein valve weakness, swelling, varicose veins and, over time, an increased risk of developing blood clots.

Why Sitting for Long Hours Harms the Veins

When a person sits for too long, blood flow in the legs slows down. Veins must work harder to pump blood upward toward the heart, especially against gravity. The longer blood pools in the lower legs, the more pressure builds inside the veins. Over time, this weakens the valves that keep blood moving in the right direction.

Dr Kapadia explained that even a healthy step count cannot reverse ten hours of immobility. The veins experience stress and pressure throughout the day, and walking later does not undo the hours of stagnation already endured.

People with sedentary jobs, long commutes or limited movement throughout the day are especially at risk. Additional factors like being overweight, having a family history of venous disease, or standing for long hours without moving can worsen the impact.

Movement Frequency Matters More Than Step Count

According to Dr Kapadia, vascular health depends more on how often you move than how much you walk. The solution is not long-distance jogging or intense workouts after work, but small, consistent breaks during the day.

He offered a simple rule for preventing vein damage:

• Get up every 45 to 60 minutes.
• Stretch briefly to activate muscles.
• Walk for at least two minutes.
• Move your calf muscles, which act as the body’s “peripheral heart.”

Calf muscles play a major role in circulating blood back to the heart. When they contract, they push blood upward from the legs. But when they remain still for long periods, this pumping mechanism weakens. Small actions like ankle rotations, standing on tiptoes or short hallway walks can activate this pump and support vein health.

Small Breaks Make a Big Difference

Dr Kapadia emphasized that the veins do not need marathons. They need movement. Tiny breaks spread across the day help prevent swelling, heaviness, varicose veins and long-term complications such as deep vein thrombosis.

In a world where work, travel and digital life keep people sitting for most of the day, this message is more relevant than ever. Steps matter, but frequency matters far more. The key to healthy veins is simple: move often.

Strength training, also known as resistance training, involves working your muscles against some form of resistance, which helps them grow stronger and larger. It is an essential part of any fitness routine. While lifting weights is the most common form of strength training, there are several other ways to practice it.

One such method is calisthenics, which relies on your own body weight as resistance. Though both weightlifting and calisthenics fall under strength training, they produce different outcomes. Choosing the right one depends on your personal fitness objectives. Lately, calisthenics has been gaining renewed attention in the fitness world. Below, we break down what calisthenics is and whether it might be better for your workouts.

What Is Calisthenics?

Calisthenics is a workout style that primarily uses your body weight and often requires minimal or no equipment. Common calisthenics exercises include pushups, squats, crunches, planks, burpees, pullups, and lunges. These movements typically involve large muscle groups, like those used in pushups. Most people perform them at a moderate pace to improve coordination, flexibility, and overall strength. The practice of calisthenics dates back to Ancient Greece and continues to be popular today. It is accessible to people of all fitness levels, and many exercises don’t need any equipment at all.

How Effective Is Calisthenics?

Research indicates that calisthenics can improve everything from muscular strength to cardiovascular fitness, according to Anatolia Vick-Kregel, director of the Lifetime Physical Activity Program at Rice University. “Body weight is phenomenal,” she noted.

However, there are some limitations, said John Raglin, professor of kinesiology at the Indiana University School of Public Health, Bloomington. “It can be effective,” Raglin explained. “But thinking it can fully replace even simple equipment isn’t entirely correct.” Using equipment can sometimes make exercises easier or safer. Many people, for example, perform pushups with incorrect form. “If someone lacks strength or has joint problems or arthritis, lying on a bench and using light hand weights can be both safer and more practical,” he added.

Is Calisthenics Better Than Weightlifting?

Calisthenics tends to burn more calories, which can help reduce body fat and support weight loss. That’s because these exercises involve continuous movement, requiring more energy, which the body gets by burning calories. The higher the energy expenditure, the greater the potential for weight loss. Healthline notes that calisthenics can also be included in high-intensity workouts like HIIT or circuit training, further boosting calorie burn.

Weightlifting, on the other hand, focuses on isolated movements that don’t demand as much energy. Still, it contributes to weight management by increasing muscle mass, which raises your basal metabolic rate—the calories your body burns at rest.

Can You Combine Calisthenics And Weightlifting?

Combining the two methods is an excellent way to enjoy the benefits of both.

There are a few approaches to merging calisthenics with weightlifting:

• Same-day approach: Include both calisthenics and weightlifting exercises in one strength-training session.
• Alternate-day approach: Focus on one method per day, alternating between calisthenics and weightlifting throughout the week.

Since both forms provide resistance to your muscles, it’s important not to overdo it. Include rest days and listen to your body. For the best guidance on blending calisthenics and weightlifting, consult a personal trainer. They can tailor a program with the right exercises to suit your specific goals.

As of November 19, 7am, Delhi's AQI as per the official data stands at 388, however, as per aqi.in, the average AQI of the city stands at 601 at 8.50 am. While there has been data discrepancies, as a result of which, people have come to street to protest against the continuous worsening air quality of the national capital. Amid this, Dr Manan Vora, a Mumbai-based orthopedic surgeon and sports doctor shared some tips to stay safe amid polluted air.

While watching a video of a person cleaning their clogged air purifier, Dr Vora says, "Your air purifiers can change filters but your lungs cannot," and suggests the following 5 tips:

Creation Of Clean Room

The first tip Dr Vora shares is to create a clean room, which can reduce exposure of pollutants by 60 to 70%. This could be achieved by an air purifier. He suggests everyone to decide one room in the house and shut its doors, and windows during peak hours, and turn on air purifier only in that room. "This alone curbs your exposure by 60 to 70%," he says.

Wear N-95 Mask

The doctor advises to wear an N-95 mask whenever someone is stepping outdoors. He mentions that a cloth or a surgical mask won't protect them against the pollutants, as N-95 masks are the only protective gears with filters that can keep the pollutants out when you breathe. "Only N-95 blocks the same particles clogging the purifier," he says, referring to a video of cleaning a clogged air purifier's filter.

Skip Morning Walks

"Skip your morning walks," he suggests. "AQI is highest at the sunrise and breathing rate triples while exercising. This means you inhale three times more pollution per minute," he says.

This happens because pollutants accumulate overnight, and without wind or sunlight, PM2.5 or the particulate matter stays trapped near the ground, leading to pollution being at its peak by sunrise. As per the data by aqi.in, highest AQI is always registered between 6am to 9am.

Use Wet Mop

Dr Vora suggests that while cleaning your house, instead of dry dusting, use a wet mop, this reduces dust particles. "Dry dusting pushes all the particles back into the air," he says.

Hydrate Your Self, Check On Your Check

The fifth tip he shares is to stay hydrated and consume vitamin C and other antioxidant-rich foods. As per the National Institutes of Health (NIH), US, vitamin C increases resistance to various viral and bacterial infections. A 2007 study published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine noted that vitamin C or its supplement could in fact help patients with pneumonia or other lung-related disease. Thus vitamin C is a good boost for when lungs are at high risk, all thanks to the pollution.

The doctor also suggests the consumption of amla or Indian gooseberry and turmeric to boost your immunity. However, the doctor notes that while they do not cure pollution, but consuming these may reduce inflammation caused by pollutants.

"You cannot fix the AQI of your city, but you can control how much of it enters your body."