Month: December 2015

Do you dread the arrival of winter? Does cold weather make you want to stay inside, binge watching Netflix while curled up in a blanket on the couch? Have you already started counting down the days until spring? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you simply don’t have the right outdoor gear to keep you warm during the winter months. But with the proper clothing, you can actually stay outside for hours on end, enjoying all of the activities the season has to offer while remaining comfortable the entire time.

Staying warm during the winter starts with a proper layering system. That doesn’t mean throw a thick sweater over a flannel shirt and cover yourself in a big, bulky coat, however. Instead, you want to wear layers that are designed to work efficiently with one another to keep you warm, dry, and comfortable. Each of those layers has a specific role to play, and when they are correctly paired with one another they can keep you surprisingly warm.

Better still, a good layering system can add a level of versatility that you simply don’t get when wearing heavy sweaters and coats. For instance, if you find yourself getting too warm, you can shed an article of clothing to help cool things off. On the other hand, if you’re not warm enough, adding another layer is simple too. This mix-and-match philosophy is part of what makes a layering system work so well, and why it is the preferred method for staying comfortable outside in the colder conditions.

A true winter layering system is made up of three components: base layer, mid-layer, and an outer layer. How they interact with each other is crucial to their performance, and while each can provide a measure of warmth on its own, their true value doesn’t show itself until they are combined. Here’s what you need to know.

Base Layers

The base layer sits closest to the skin and performs the important task of moisture control. Generally made from merino wool, silk, or specially designed synthetic fabrics, base layers help to wick sweat and other moisture away from the body and have the ability to dry quickly too. This helps you stay warmer during winter activities, particularly after you’ve worked up a sweat. Oftentimes you won’t notice the cold at all while you’re active, but stop for a short time and the perspiration on your body can soon bring on a chill. Good base layers can help prevent that, however, and fend off potential threats of hypothermia in the process.

Mid-Layers

The purpose of a mid-layer is to provide insulation and trap pockets of warm air close to the body. They work in conjunction with your base layers by allowing moisture to evaporate and escape while retaining heat in an efficient way. Mid-layers are generally made of wool, fleece, or down, with some synthetic options, such as Thinsulate, as well. They come in a variety of weights too, which allows you to alter your wardrobe based on weather conditions and activities. If it’s very cold outside, you’ll want to opt for a thicker mid-layer. But if you’re going for a vigorous run, something lighter makes more sense. This is where a good layering system starts to show its versatility, giving you options that more closely fit your needs.

Outer Layer

The final layer in the system consists of a shell jacket, which provides protection not just from the cold temperatures, but other weather conditions too. A good outer layer will repel rain and snow, block the wind, and also keep you warm. Once again, you’ll have a lot of options to choose from depending on the conditions, with outer layers ranging from lightweight windproof jackets to full-blown mountaineering shells built to keep you warm in the harshest conditions on the planet. Most of us won’t need something that dramatic (or expensive!) however, as a good weather-resistant, insulated, and breathable jacket can fulfill all of our needs quite nicely. On the other hand, if you partake in a number of different winter activities or face widely varying weather conditions, you may find that you’ll need several jackets that can perform different roles.

With a layering system, the base layer will be the one constant. The mid- and outer layers can be mixed and matched or added and dropped depending on your needs, but the unique properties of the base layers will always remain. That means on some days you may not need extra insulation, but you’ll still need a shell to keep out the rain. On other days, conditions might be so good that a jacket may not be required at all. But underneath it all, you’ll still want to wear those all-important base layers.

Learning which pieces of gear work best with one another takes a bit of time and experience, although ultimately personal preference plays a big role. But with these articles of clothing in your wardrobe, you’ll soon discover that even Old Man Winter won’t be able to keep you locked inside for weeks on end.

Most people find it pretty challenging to stick to a diet and exercise routine over the holidays. Between all the extra activities filling schedules and the delicious holiday sweets floating around the office, it’s nearly impossible to stay on course.

One of the best things you can do is cut yourself a little slack and try to look at the big picture. While exercise and good nutrition are always important, maintaining a healthy balance is important too.

Here are six tips to prevent you from falling off the sleigh (I mean wagon) this year.

1. Don’t beat yourself up.

It may be easier said than done, but beating yourself up only makes things worse. Instead of beating yourself up for everything you are doing wrong, focus on what you are doing right. Even though you may be used to working out five times a week, one workout a week is better than none at all.

As long as you are trying your best to maintain an exercise routine and eat healthy when you can, you are doing better than most. If you can’t do what you want to do, just do what you can.

2. Prioritize.

If you are limited on spare time, decide what type of workout needs to take priority. Do you need to burn calories or lift weights? Does your body need yoga more than the elliptical? If you do what you want to do, and avoid doing what you need to do, you may still walk out of the gym feeling guilty. If you tackle your priorities first, you’ll walk away feeling proud (and healthy!) instead of full of regret.

3. Make the most of your time.

Since time is precious during the holidays, it is important that you use your time wisely. Instead of doing cardio and strength training separately, combine the two in a circuit training program or high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout. By increasing intensity and decreasing rest time, you will not only burn more calories but also strengthen muscle.

Less rest time also means you will get more done in less time. Use an interval timer, like Gymboss, to help you stay on track. You can pack a lot of punch in a 30-minute workout when it’s done with the right intensity.

If you don’t have time to drive to the gym, you can always work out at home even if you don’t have the equipment. There are plenty of workouts available online, including thousands of 10- to 40-minute workout shows on LIVEexercise.com.

4. Don’t try to do too much.

Sometimes we make things much harder than they need to be. Are you putting too much pressure on yourself to get everything done? You’ll have more time left over to exercise or spend with the family if you aren’t stressing over maintaining a clean house and attending every holiday function that comes your way.

I’ve learned it’s not the end of the world if I don’t send out Christmas cards or put all the decorations up. Christmas is already stressful as it is. You don’t need to add more stress by trying to be a perfectionist during the busiest time of the year. Your real friends will understand and love you anyway!

5. Plan ahead.

One of the easiest ways to waste time is to procrastinate on Christmas shopping. You can save loads of time and money by planning ahead. Whether you shop online or organize shopping when it’s most convenient, planning ahead is key. If you aren’t organized, you will be making a lot of extra trips and fighting crowds trying to find that “perfect gift.” More time saved shopping means more time you have to exercise or get other important things done.

6. Don’t give up.

Many people just give up over the holidays and decide they’ll work on their diet and fitness in the new year. That’s silly. I recently saw a meme that said, “Giving up on your goal because of one setback is like slashing your other three tires because you got a flat.”

If you want to have a Christmas cookie, have one without any guilt at all. Just don’t have ten. Try to budget calories like you budget Christmas shopping. It’s better to try–and go over a little–than not to try at all.

The mere fact that you are reading this article means you are willing to do what you can to maintain your fitness. So, see? You are already on the right track!!

Running can be a taxing, painful endeavor for the average person. It’s not always an easy task for seasoned runners, either. Kayla Montgomery knows that all too well.
Montgomery was a bonafide star in cross country and track and field at Mount Tabor High School in North Carolina. Her credentials are impressive. As a senior, she won the North Carolina Class 4A cross country championship. She also took home a championship in track and field in the 3200m. Additionally, the young runner finished the 2013 Foot Locker South regional 5K in 17:22, missing nationals by a few footsteps.
She’s also afflicted with multiple sclerosis.
Every race ends the same way. Montgomery collapses into her coach’s arms at the finish line, succumbing to numb legs and stressed nerves. The painful ritual is an inevitability that has remained constant since her diagnosis freshman year.
“Every day that I run, it might be my last day–I could easily wake up tomorrow and not be able to move,” Montgomery told CNN.
Yet, she still runs.
Montgomery’s diagnosis came after an accident playing soccer. It was a long, burdensome process that took her to a dark place. She was angry and closed off, refusing to discuss the issue.
“I tried to pretend I wasn’t sick or anything–I wanted to go on with life as normal as possible,” Montgomery told CNN.
Running saved her from the turmoil, though. She was determined to use her legs while she still could.
“I wasn’t amazing by any means, but I was eighth on the team, so if somebody got hurt then I was there! And I wanted to be there if they needed me, so I trained so hard all the time and that definitely helped to deal with the things I wouldn’t talk about,” she said.
Eventually, her determination would pay off.
Despite an impeccable record and being ranked a top college prospect, college coaches were hesitant to recruit a runner with MS. Montgomery’s medication keeps the degenerative nervous system disorder in check for the most part. And her performance didn’t suffer, but, still, it was a difficult sell to most college programs. Well, except for one.
Bill Taylor, of Lipscomb University in Nashville, decided to take a chance on her.
“Before Kayla’s official visit, I talked with my athletic training department and team doctors, to try to understand what we’d be looking at,” Taylor said to Runner’s World. “And what I learned is that symptoms are different in each person and they change, so there really wasn’t a clear sense of how things might go once she got here. But we felt very comfortable with her character and personality and fit with our program and school. And later I also talked with her high school coach [Patrick Cromwell] to learn what we could do to prepare and if she’d need any modifications to workouts.”
Montgomery immediately bonded with her new teammates at Lipscomb, who admired her perseverance. She admitted, though, that it was a tough adjustment moving from the high school to a D1 college program. The learning curve was steep, but Montgomery managed to run as No. 6 or 7 on the team for most of the season.
“There’s just been a lot of changes and I had to get used to the higher level of competition. And the team knows we can do better. I guess we’re tired of taking small steps and hopefully next season we’ll take a few big strides, to get where we want to go,” She told Runner’s World.
Lipscomb won its fourth straight Atlantic Sun Conference title and just missed a nationals bid–due in no small part to Montgomery’s contribution as a freshman. She said she’s been heartened by Taylor and the rest of the of the team and will continue to push herself.
It’s uncertain how much longer Montgomery will be able to compete. For now, she’s making the most out of running.
“I keep running because it makes me happy,” Montgomery said. “It makes me feel whole and safe, just because I know as long as I am running and still moving, I am still OK.”