3 Good Reasons To Go For A Walk In Winter

That's right, it's a cold season. But it's not a reason to stay at home. You should go for a walk in the winter.

To fill up with vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for our good health. Indeed, it is involved in the process of absorption of calcium and potassium by our body and allows us to have strong teeth and bones. The biggest concern of vitamin D is that unless it is consumed as a dietary supplement, it is produced by our body only by taking the sun. On average, you need 15 minutes of sun on the face and both hands three times a week to get its weekly dose of vitamin D.

However, when the autumn and winter months arrive, it is rare to be able to expose oneself to the sun for 15 minutes a day, two to three days a week. First because at this time of year, the weather is more uncertain and the sun rarely out. But also because with the shortening of the days, it is difficult to find moments to expose oneself.

So, as long as you can, and as soon as a ray of sunshine is at the tip of your nose, you snuggle and go out for a walk, even if our walk lasts only half an hour. The key is to take a little sun and, at the same time, a breath of fresh air.

To boost your mood

In winter, we often tend to grind. The cold, lack of light, shorter days lead us to limit our outings to stay warm at home. This is not the best of ideas. Staying at home, going around in circles, not seeing anyone and having no social interaction, don't help to be in the best of shape. So, to avoid depressing, you have to go out! Numerous studies have shown that playing sports helps to combat seasonal depression because, by exercising, our body secretes endorphins., hormones that give us a feeling of well-being, even euphoria. For this reason, It is very important to go out for a walk in winter to chase the blues. Promised, even short walks, 20 to 30 minutes, can make the difference.

To keep the shape (and the line)

We admit: with the arrival of the end-of-year holidays and the gradual fall of temperatures, we are more inclined to turn to comforting dishes (raclette fans, we are talking to you ...) that to put on your sneakers to go running. Yet that's what you should do, and twice rather than one. In fact, exercising when temperatures are low helps to burn more calories because the body has to work harder to maintain our internal temperature, around 37°C. In Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolismscientists at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands say that when exercise isn't an option, regular exposure to cold can be a healthy and sustainable alternative strategy for increasing energy expenditure. So, just going out for a walk in the winter cold can be a way to increase your body's ability to burn calories.

In addition, Professor Alan Mikesky, director of the Human Performance and Biomechanics Laboratory at Purdue University in Indianapolis, says, "Invigorating cold air can brighten your mind and reduce stress, which can help you lose weight. ... Even if you have to walk more slowly because of the weather, you may be burning more calories because walking in the snow or walking in the wind requires more energy. "