Frosty the Snowman, not a good body image

  • Published
  • By SrA Kristopher Levasseur
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Winter is a time of year many people spend indoors and away from bad weather, but with limited physical activity most people end up adding notches to their belts.

By following the advice of the Health and Wellness Center, Liberty Warriors can stave off the detrimental effects of harsh fitness conditions and maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the winter.

"Hypothermia or frost bite are risks, but can be prevented by dressing appropriately and reducing the amount of idle time when exercising outside," said Anthony Cook, 48th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, fitness program manager and exercise physiologist. "Do your warm-up inside and continue with your run outside. Move to the inside again for cool down and stretching."

According to www.fitness.gov, when the weather is very cold, it's better to wear several layers of light clothing than one or two heavy layers. The extra layers help trap heat, and it's easy to shed one of them if you become too warm. Layer clothes as follows:

1. Clothing that is next to the skin should help move sweat away before the body's cooling process occurs, and have high wicking properties such as polypropylene.

2. The second layer, if necessary, should be a thicker material such as fleece for warmth.

3. The third layer should be a waterproof material such as the Air Force physical training uniform.

4. Gloves, hats and thick or layered socks help keep extremities warm once the blood begins to evacuate back to the body's core.

"If it gets too cold, people's health can be affected," said Mr. Cook. "That's why we cut off official testing at 20 degrees Fahrenheit."

Dehydration is also a serious concern with cold weather fitness. Staying hydrated in both hot and cold weather is necessary when working out to help prevent both dehydration and a decline in athletic performance.

According to Mr. Cook, As long as people acclimate to the cold weather, begin running when it's cooler and continue when it's cold, they will be able to prevent the weather from having a negative impact on their fitness. This will allow Liberty Warriors to maintain their physical health throughout the year.