Physical activity during cold temperatures

Dawn Earnesty<wilcoxd4@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - January 09, 2014

Whether it is zero degrees or 100 degrees, the recommendation of 150 minutes of physical activity still remain that same.

Reaching your goal of 150 minutes of physical activity or more per week still applies when the temperatures are in the single digits or below zero. Although you may feel like hibernating, physical activity is still important.

Outdoor physical activity can be invigorating, including activities such as cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, ice skating, sledding, snowshoeing, shoveling, running/walking or even free play in the snow. The chart below shows the average calories burned per hour for various winter activities and various weights.

Physical activity	Calories burned per hour, per weight
Physical activity	130 pounds	155 pounds	180 pounds	205 pounds
Cross-country skiing, moderate pace	472	563	654	743
Downhill skiing, moderate pace	354	422	490	558
Ice hockey	472	563	654	745
Ice skating, moderate speed	413	493	572	651
Sledding	413	493	572	651

When being active outdoors it is important to wear the correct protective attire, including gloves, a hat, warm socks and appropriate boots or shoes. It is appropriate to layer clothing so that if you begin to sweat you can decrease the layers. Breathable layers can provide your body opportunity to immediately dry the sweat instead of allowing it to chill your body. You also need to continue to drink water, although you may not be thirsty.

It is important to be aware of the symptoms of hypothermia. Michigan State University Extension identifies signs of hypothermia as intense shivering, loss of coordination and fatigue. Pay attention to your area’s weather forecast and use common sense when faced with extreme weather conditions. For more information on hypothermia visit Mayo Clinic.

If the wind chill, freezing rains/sleet or snow accumulation does not allow for outdoor activities, try an indoor physical activity. This can include using a treadmill, visiting a gym, following a workout video at home, lifting weights at home or just having a dance party!

MSU Extension offers nutrition education classes for adults and youth that include information on positive dietary lifestyle habits that will provide education on physical activity. More information can be found at http://msue.anr.msu.edu/topic/info/nutrition.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).