Through rain and snow and bitter cold, my friend and I have done our twice weekly stroller walks for several months, almost without fail. There is a paved trail near my house and when you do the roundtrip, it is about 5 miles. I like that the trail has mile markers so I know how far we've gone, although I rarely look at them because my workout partner and I are solving the problems of the world instead. Activity and adult conversation, talk about time well spent for stay-at-home parents! We both have older kids in school so we meet after school drop off for our walks. How much easier it is to stay consistent when you have a workout partner depending on you! I know I would have bailed on those rainy days if it weren't for her!
My other workout partners are my dog, Roxxy, and my baby, Lila. Somehow Roxxy knows when it is a walking day and she shakes with excitement from when we wake up until we hit the trail. I am able to push the stroller and walk the dog simultaneously, very easily. Lila almost always takes her morning nap in the terrain. I use the rain cover to keep the wind and rain off of her and she just sleeps and enjoys the ride. We are hoping to work up to running, but for now we are just happy to be walking.
It feels great to move, especially in winter. What is great is that once you build it into your routine, it is easier to branch out and try other things. I just took a Pilates class yesterday and got in touch with my abs for the first time in 2 years. I did Pilates years ago and loved it, but time flies when you are having babies and it has been a while!
How are you staying active this winter?
