Historic weather data, and the fond memories we have of bountiful snow and outdoor rinks, seem to be of little use when planning our winter fitness regimes these days. Yet there are definitely exercise and activity-related positives to be taken from our milder Niagara winters if we search for them.

There are some activities such as swimming, tennis, pickleball and others that can move inside in inclement weather, so remain mostly unaffected other than that indoor participants miss vitamin D-delivering sunshine. Golfers have high-tech indoor simulators that provide the exercise of swinging and the mental stimulation of conquering virtual courses from around the world, but without a walking component.

In northern climates such as ours, on average we do eight minutes less exercise per day in winter, and also reduce active travel compared to summer. Easy-paced walking and housework-related activities decrease while sleep and sitting time increase. As expected, planned exercise such as classes or specific training routines, as well as dog walking, do not change; implying those that exercise to achieve a goal or for personal enjoyment are more likely to continue in the winter.

Loss of motivation may be a factor for others. Shorter days and less-intense sunlight reduces vitamin D absorption, which can lead to feelings of fatigue and seasonal mood swings, especially in women. Couple this with humans’ prehistoric natural instinct to store calories as fat during cold winters, and we need more, not less, exercise in the winter.

We all know the many benefits of exercise: reduced occurrence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, improved immune system function, better stress management, etc. We’re learning, however, that certain restorative mental health benefits such as optimism, self-esteem, anxiety and life satisfaction are tied more closely to outdoor exercise activities and exposure to even low-angle winter sunlight.

Runners, walkers, cyclists and those participating in mild-weather outdoor team sports, but not to the level of commitment that demands rigid training plans, face unique challenges when trying to maintain their fitness and mental health levels in winter.

In a pinch, we can get sufficient vitamin D from a diet high in the flesh or oil of fatty fish (best source), egg yolks and some poultries, fortified dairy and non-dairy milk, and supplements rather than the sun’s ultra violet rays.

We have a huge selection of treadmills, elliptical and bike trainers to help us maintain our cardio and muscle health. They range from basic units that simply allow us to run or pedal effectively, to models that capture heart rate and other cardio-vascular information. At the top end, trainers interfacing with laptops and massive screens or monitors allow us to ride or run with backdrops and topographical challenges from around the world. If we go to a club or gym to ride or run on these devices we’ll often get important social support from others in attendance. If we choose to participate in our own homes, virtual or live on-screen companions from around the world can join us, also adding a social element.

This is all good, but for many of us it can’t replace the anticipation of donning exactly the right layers of clothing to be warm, but not hot, precisely ten minutes into our run or ride. A virtual backdrop of Tuscany’s rolling hills or Great Ocean Road in Australia might be interesting for a while, but it can’t match the feeling of sunshine and a crisp breeze on our faces. And no virtual or digital companion can provide the boost that a post-ride coffee or other drink with a flesh-and-blood friend or partner offers.

The average daily temperatures in Niagara for the months of December 2023 through March 2024 were 4 C, 3 C, 2 C and 8 C. These are not the daily high temperatures, but the average for the day. A Fonthill-based cycling group rode twice per week last winter almost without exception, and Niagara running groups were out there even more frequently.

Slipping out to Harold S. Bradshaw Memorial Park for some cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing in Shorthills Provincial Park may no longer be a reliable winter replacement for walking and hiking; but inexpensive footwear accessories allow improved safety when walking on sidewalks, on Pelham’s amazing local trail network, or on off-trail excursions in Shorthills or Balls Falls when conditions include frozen ground and little snow.

For walking, running or hiking on well-defined trails with ice patches or limited snow, traction cleats and grips are available locally from $12. They’re generally easy to put on and take off, but if this is an issue because of personal flexibility or impatience, put them on those old boots in the box downstairs you never wear and leave them on all winter.

For hiking more rigorous trails when there’s just not quite enough snow for snowshoes, fit your hiking boots with mini-crampons or one of many spiked pull-on traction aids. They’re more expensive than walking cleats, but will provide traction in deeper snow and the slippery uneven terrain of the Bruce Trail or Shorthills’ paths.

There is something very special about winter trail walking in low morning light and surprising a deer or coyote doing the same. Shorthills’ Swayze Falls off Cataract Road and Terrace Falls accessed from the Wiley Road parking lot are much more spectacular in winter than summer in my opinion. Park on Glen Road in Vineland to access the Bruce Trail below Balls Falls without a fee, then hike along twisty and fast-flowing Twenty Mile Creek upstream to Lower Balls Falls for incredible views.

Our milder Niagara winters have opened fresh opportunities to view the natural side of Pelham and the surrounding areas. Indoor exercise opportunities during winter are easy to find or create. Combining them with outdoor activities can take the fun of healthy fitness to a new level.