What exercise you did during this winter?

It can be tough to stick with your exercise program when winter hits. The shortage of daylight, the cold weather and strong urge to stay in your nice warm bed can all work against you as you try to stay focused on your workouts.

While winter does offer a variety of outdoor activities like skiing, snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing, not all of us have access or enjoy those types of activities. That means being stuck indoors (or shivering outdoors) and, often, doing the same old workouts.

The key to staying motivated during the winter is to, first, make it as easy as possible to do your workouts and, second, to recognize when you're starting to get bored with your workouts and make a change before you really lose interest. The following suggestions will give you some ideas for making winter exercise more comfortable and more interesting

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If you're exercising in the morning and find it hard to force yourself out of that nice, warm bed, put your workout clothes in the dryer for a few minutes before you exercise. It's often harder to get warmed up when it's cold outside, even if you're exercising indoors, and putting on clothes fresh from the dryer is just one way to get your body warm.

When it's cold, your muscles can get extra tight which makes exercise uncomfortable and leaves you more susceptible to injuries. In the warmer months, you may be able to get away with shorter warm ups but, when it's cold, you may find you need a little extra time to get the blood flowing.

• Try dynamic warm ups. Don't waste time with static stretches but, instead, focus on doing activities to get your body ready for the coming workout. If you're walking or running, start with a brisk walk and stay at that pace until you start to feel warmer. Gradually increase your pace and give your body extra time to get the blood flowing.
• Get warm before you head out. If you're exercising outside, try warming up inside before heading out the door. It's much easier to face cold temps when your body is already warm. Try walking or jogging around the house, going up and down the stairs or use a cardio machine if you have one. Just don't get too sweaty before you go or you'll get cold.
• Take a hot shower. If it's really cold outside or you just need a gentler transition, you might even try a quick shower to wake you up and get you warm before your workout.
• Start easy. If you're really reluctant to get moving, start your workout with something easy like this Morning and Evening Yoga Workout. Giving yourself a transition from bed to workout can make exercise much more appealing.

If you're utterly against exercise in cold temperatures (as I am), you can still get outside occasionally for quick workouts without being too miserable. If you stay inside all winter, you'll eventually get bored and forget that there really is a world out there, even if it's cold. Getting out, even if it's just for a few minutes, can be rejuvenating and refreshing - just what you need to keep going until spring.