Just as summer heat is a serious factor to consider, the chilly winter months can put a freeze on your outdoor workouts. When you exercise in a cold environment, you must keep in mind how much heat your body will lose. Otherwise, you could suffer from hypothermia (too much heat loss).
Luckily, our body fat helps insulate us from the cold temperatures, wind and air. Those with more body fat -- including babies -- are better insulated and will lose less heat. Fat isn't the only thing that helps keep us warm, however.
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Clothing can also help you maintain your body temperature. Even in the coolest temperatures, you should expect to sweat. Thus, you should always choose clothing that will allow the sweat to be passed through and taken away from the body.
By wearing clothing in layers, you have the ability to change the amount of insulation needed. While many new products can provide such a layered barrier, it's important to avoid heavy cotton sweats or tightly woven material that will absorb and retain water. Because these materials cannot provide a layer of dry air near the skin, they can increase the amount of heat your body loses as you exercise.
Keeping the hands and feet warm is a common concern when exercising in the cold. Lower temperatures cause blood to be shunted away from the hands and feet to the center of the body so that internal organs stay warm and protected.
Superficial warming of the hands will return blood flow and prevent tissue damage. You can place hand warmers in your gloves for added protection against the cold. Blood flow will not return to the feet unless the temperature of the torso is normal or slightly higher. So to keep your feet warm, you must also keep the rest of your body warm at all times.
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