Aerobic Indoor Exercises for Cold Weather

Aerobic exercise is great for your heart, great for burning calories and great for your health overall. According to the American Heart Association, a healthy adult should get at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise every week. In other words, they recommend 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week.

According to the AHA, dividing your daily exercise into two still gives you the health benefits of aerobic exercise. In other words, you can just do two 15-minute bursts instead of one extended 30-minute session.

Getting aerobic exercise outdoor in cold weather can be tough. Not only is the weather uncomfortable, but getting ready to go out can take a long time. People often just don't exercise, instead of going through the trouble of putting on layers and layers of clothing to venture out into the cold.

Instead of exercising outdoors, one of the best ways to continue to burn the fat during winters is to just work out inside instead. Here are a few different aerobic exercises you can do, all in your own home.

Jumping Rope

A simple jump rope can be purchased for between $5 and $10 and can give you a hardcore workout. Jumping rope burns about twice as many calories as running. A 15-minute jump rope session will burn as many calories as half an hour of running.

The best way to jump rope is in 3-minute increments. Jump for 3 minutes, then take a 30-second break, then jump for another 3 minutes. Rinse and repeat for as long as you want to jump.

If you don't have a rope, you can also jump with a "phantom rope." Just make the hand motions and the jumping motions as if you had a rope.

Dance

Another great way to burn calories while having fun is to dance. You can either do it on your own, or dance to a dance video.

Dancing allows you to not only move your body, but also release serotonin as you get into the music. It's much more fun for a lot of people than running or other forms of aerobic activity.

If you have trouble letting go, try ordering a dance DVD that'll guide you through the workout.

Kickboxing or Shadow Boxing

Throw punches or kicks while standing in place or moving in a small circle. Spar as if you were fighting an imaginary opponent. Again, there are many DVDs and YouTube videos you can use to guide you through kickboxing exercises.

Jumping Jacks

Stand up in a straight line. Then with an explosive motion, spread your arms out horizontally and jump your legs out wide. Then jump back to your starting position. Repeat and use a timer to gauge your progress.

Try varying up the at-home aerobic exercises you do so you don't get bored. Also, try exercise outside at least once a week to get some fresh air and sunlight.