I was chatting with some of my bootcamp ladies recently, on a crisp December evening. Despite the chill in the air, we all agreed how warming a good workout can be! Then somebody piped up “But I always get cold about an hour afterwards.” And then several mutterings of agreement followed.
It’s true. You might feel plenty warm once your workout is in full swing, but it’s easy to cool down quickly and feel the chill later. The good news is that you don’t have to stop exercising outside during the winter, and can avoid the post-workout chill by following these simple steps:
1. Dress in layers. Not only does this mean you can peel off as you warm-up, but it means you can stick layers back on at the end. This is KEY! Even if you’re still feeling warm, as soon as you stop exercising, stick another layer back on while you stretch and another layer once you are done.
2. Keep moving! After you’ve worked out, do not stand around in the cold. Get yourself home pronto.
3. Once home, get out of your workout kit immediately. Chances are your clothes will be damp, either from sweat, drizzle or both! This is no good for your core body temperature, even if you think you’re all warm and toasty back in your central heating. If you aren’t going straight home, try to have a change of warm, dry clothes on hand. Especially socks!
4. Jump into a warm shower or – better still – a bath. I know this isn’t always possible (so at the very least, see point 3 and get out of your gym kit into fresh, dry clothes), but try to make it a priority. A long soak in the bath will warm you right up, and soothe your muscles post-workout. Throw some epsom salts in for an added bonus.
5. Get a hot drink down your throat. Hydration after a workout is crucial, so ideally hot water with lemon, or a herbal tea. But quite honestly, anything warming will do the trick so get stuck in.
Stay warm peeps!
Don’t catch a chill!