Staying fit through the seasonal slush

New Year's resolution or not, it's difficult staying in shape in the winter.

Getting the motivation to head to the gym in the midst of a transit strike, not to mention the impending onslaught of the post-break workload, can be difficult to say the least. To add insult to a likely hamstring injury, the infamously cruel and slushy Halifax winters are a nasty impediment to those who prefer to take a leisurely walk or jog through the streets to get their daily dose of physical activity with the added bonus of some fresh air.

"It's not just students, winter is challenging for everyone when it comes to exercise," says Amanda Lindsay, manager of recreation marketing and communications for Dalhousie’s Department of Athletics and Recreational Services. "There are myriad of factors, from extremely short days and freezing cold temperatures to really icy sidewalks, that act as pretty tough obstacles for outside exercise.”

Fitness options

While jogging down a poorly shoveled side street may not be your best bet for getting fit, there are plethora of options offered by Dalplex and the DSU that can keep you healthy and happy in the doldrums of winter.

"Dalplex offers some really great programs that won't have you braving the dicey weather," says Ms. Lindsay. "We have everything from squash and racquetball to more traditional fitness options like group fitness classes and treadmills.”

"I really like to run outside, but because some days it really does act like winter, I bought a Cardio Pass so I can use the treadmills and ellipticals at Dalplex," says Kate Barss, an English major. "From that room you can watch the swimmers do their thing, or watch the televisions that are almost always tuned to TLC. Personally I prefer to watch the swimmers and listen to Jay-Z's Black Album.

Ms. Lindsay notes that Dalplex customer service staff will happily change the TV stations in the Cardio Plus room by request – unless, of course, the latest TLC show is perfectly to your liking.

Sticking with it

While many, including Ms. Barss, are able to dive headstrong into fitness plans and healthy lifestyle choices, many can't muster the motivation, or tend to stop adhering to resolution regiments and forgo fitness for more pizza and beer after the first few weeks back.

"We see a huge surge of people the first few weeks back after winter break," says Ms. Lindsay. "After that, it's a pretty steady drop-off. Of course we wish they'd keep it up, but we do realize that it's hard, and many people get discouraged."

If you're someone who tends to be more inclined towards wintry sports like skiing and snowboarding, both Dalplex and the DSU organized trips to local ski hills earlier this month.

"We also initiated some winter hiking trips and an event called 'Hearts on Ice' on Valentine's Day that involved skating at the Emera Oval," says Ms. Lindsay.

If speeding down a mountain at top-speed isn't really your thing, Dalplex still offers up a variety of different activities to keep you moving this winter - swimming in the pool, running or walking on the indoor track, playing badminton, squash or racquetball, and weekly skates at Memorial Arena until April, just to name a few.

For a few extra bucks you can even try out rock climbing if you’re so inclined in the weekly Intro to Bouldering 101 or Intro to Ropes 101 sessions offered in the Rock Court.

Do what you enjoy

While it seems there is a smorgasbord of options for students when it comes to shaping up, making the initial effort and the summoning the conviction to continue on are serious barriers on the road to getting ripped. Whether it's thinking you live too far away, feeling like you'll just fail anyway or being too quick to transfer memories of last semester's hectic schedule onto your current one, you can always find a reason not to swim a lap or do some yoga.

"People will come up with any excuse they can to avoid exercising if they don’t enjoy it," says Ms. Lindsay. "But if I've learned anything, it's that the best thing you can do is simply to try. Anything is better than nothing. Exercise, even if it's just a little walk during the day, makes you feel so much better physically and mentally. Even if you try something and it's not your thing, just keep looking.

"There's something out there for you, and when you find it you’ll actually enjoy it and then being active won’t feel like such a chore. The important thing is you just keep trying to find what works for you."