Six Ways to Stay Active When You Can’t Go Camping

Here in Michigan, the off-season for camping is officially upon us (collective sigh). Unless you’re traveling somewhere warm for the winter, you may be faced with the challenge of staying active over the next few months. Resist the temptation to hibernate and huddle by fireplace! These active ideas will help get you moving when the sofa is calling your name.

If you’re anything like me, the excuses you make to yourself may range from "It's too cold" to “I’m too busy” to “It gets dark so early”. Yes, it can be tough to get motivated when the wind is howling or the snow is blowing, but don't give up all thoughts of staying active – indoors or out. A little planning will help you get through the winter months ahead. There are lots of great ideas on the wonderful world of the web, but here are some ideas that I’ve personally found to be helpful. 

1. Be open-minded to new activities. As the seasons change, consider trying new outdoor activities such as ice skating, cross-country skiing and snow-shoeing. I discovered ice skating with my daughters last year and realized that I’ve been missing out on a fun sport for all these years! It isn’t as difficult as I expected it to be, even for a 40-something mom like me. You’re never too old to find a new activity that might spark joy in your life, along with a few bruises, but they’re worth it!

If you’re in the West Michigan area, check out two of my new favorite places for ice skating and other winter fun:

Rosa Parks Circle Ice Rink, Downtown Grand Rapids

Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park (luging, cross country skiing, ice skating, sledding and more!)

2. Insulate your body. The best approach to dressing for outdoor activity is with layers. Layering provides the most effective way to stay warm and dry. The layer closest to your skin should allow moisture to be wicked away; avoid cotton because once it gets wet, it tends to stay wet. The top layer should be both wind- and water-resistant.

I must admit, I steered clear of outside activities in the winter for many years because I really don’t have much tolerance for being cold. My husband bought me a North Face Parka a few years ago for Christmas, and I have to say this was a game changer for me! Combined with Columbia snow pants, UGG boots and North Face gloves that I scored second-hand (Hey, I’m all about a good deal!), I'm finally a fan of winter. I am not normally a name-brand shopper, but I have to say that these 3 brands have made all the difference for me in the winter because I can finally stand being outside for longer than 30 seconds! Moral of the story, go for quality when it comes to dressing appropriately for winter activities. You’ll be glad you did!

3. Take advantage of daylight hours. If possible, it's best to be active outdoors while it is still light out. But shorter days may make that difficult. If there’s one good thing that has come out of the pandemic, it’s that many companies have realized that flexible work schedules are a good thing for overall productivity and employee wellbeing. Are you able to start working a little later in the morning, squeeze in a walk at lunch time or leave a bit early? Be creative with your daily schedule and see if you can soak up a little Vitamin D while you’re at it. Your immune system will thank you!

It's also common to have a few unseasonably warm days that pop up throughout the winter. Take advantage of these! Being spontaneous and taking a day off for golf, hiking or other outside activities is something that will rejuvenate your soul. I love the AllTrails app for finding new hiking spots in the fall and winter months.

Special tip! If you haven’t discovered Rosy Mound Natural Area in Grand Haven yet, I highly recommend taking advantage of the next nice day and making the trip to check it out. This is a hidden gem along the Lake Michigan lakeshore, and the view at the top is nothing short of breathtaking (well, the hike up several flights of stairs is literally breathtaking, but so is the view.)

4. Reward yourself for steps in the right direction. If you need extra motivation to get yourself going, start keeping track of your steps! Join a walking group or start your own with family, coworkers and friends. Are you a competitive person? Use a smart watch to track your daily steps and challenge your group to a friendly competition to see who can get the most steps each week. If competition isn’t your thing, choose something to reward yourself if you reach your personal step goal for the week. If you’re anything like me, you may gravitate toward unhealthy rewards when you’ve accomplished a goal, such as ice cream or your favorite donut. Try to fight the temptation to use sugar as a reward and find something else that will motivate you. A skinny vanilla latte is my personal favorite, or you could reward yourself with a new book, go to a movie, or come up with something else that will motivate you. This positive reinforcement is a great incentive to keep working toward your goals each week.

If you aren't able to walk outside, check out this list of 10 places to walk indoors in Michigan.

5. Go hunting. My husband is an avid deer hunter from October through December. As much as I dread being a hunter’s widow each fall, I do love that he gets so much enjoyment from this hobby (er, obsession). Being the salesperson that he is, my husband never fails to sell me on what a great workout he gets from trekking out into the woods, and how good for the soul it is to be in nature. I have girlfriends who hunt as well, so hunting isn’t a hobby just for the guys. Maybe I’ll try it one of these days too!

6. Give the lawn and snowplow services the season off. This might not work for everyone, but if you’re able to tackle your own fall cleanup and snow removal this season, your body will reap the rewards. As a busy society, we’ve gotten accustomed to hiring help with these kinds of chores. Bundle up and challenge yourself to some good old fashioned manual labor! Could you hire a company that will snowplow on an as-needed basis so if a snowstorm catches you off guard you have help on standby? This is what we’ve done at our house for the past two years, and every Michigander knows there’s nothing quite like the workout you get from shoveling snow! It could actually pass for a form of torture, truth be told, but it’s definitely a way to accomplish your goal of being more active this winter.

There are many more ways to prevent yourself from becoming one with the couch this winter. A simple Google search will uncover more ideas than you can imagine, but I hope you’ve enjoyed a few of my personal favorites. Keeping your body in shape through the winter months will help you immensely when camping season rolls back around, and you don’t want your “rolls” to prevent you from enjoying the best of Michigan’s prime season! 

Remember, if your RV is in need of winterization services give our amazing service department at Price Right Auto & RV a call today! You can also schedule your service appointment right from our website by clicking here. 

Is it time to think about upgrading your RV for next year? We can help with that too. I've got my eye on the Alpha Wolf 3880 Suite! 

About the Author: Karen Rozanski is the Digital Marketing Director for Price Right RV & Auto in Dewitt and Metro Detroit. As an avid camper, trail hiker, and mom of 5 girls, Karen loves exploring new campgrounds and loves the peacefulness of being in nature.