Posted November 20, 2025 by Rebecca Bell, MSN, APRN-CNP, Lead APP Summa Health, Neurosciences Neuro-Critical Care/Stroke Neuro-science Institute
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It’s getting to be that time of year again. The cold weather is creeping in and our desire to stay in bed or on the couch wrapped up in our comfy clothes is, too. It is common for many of us to lose track of our wellness and exercise goals, particularly during the winter and holiday seasons. Did you know that only one out of five adults gets the proper amount of physical activity on a regular basis? The recommendation from the American Heart Association suggests 150 minutes (or 2.5 hours) of moderate intensity aerobic activity per week.
What exactly is moderate intensity activity? These are activities that increase your heart rate by roughly 50% from your resting heart rate. During this type of activity, you will be breathing harder than usual, but you should still be able to carry on with a conversation.
There are so many proven benefits of sticking to these exercise guidelines. To name a few: you’ll lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s dementia and a few types of cancer. You will see an improvement in:
Inactivity and prolonged sitting are linked to higher risks of conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, and may also contribute to a shorter lifespan.
After reading the above, you may be thinking about starting a regular exercise plan. If you already have a plan but are unsure how to stay active during cold weather or unsafe travel conditions, we can help. Before making any changes, be sure to discuss your exercise plan with your healthcare provider.
Let’s get some ideas for what we can do to meet these activity guidelines in the warmth and comfort of our homes. One of the easiest and most basic categories is body weight exercise. These exercises include activities such as:
All of these exercises can be modified based on your current physical ability.
For example, try setting a timer to go off every three to five minutes. When it sounds, switch to a new exercise from the list. This approach can add up quickly and help you stay active for 25 to 30 minutes. If you want to step it up a notch, you can add in small ankle/wrist weights or light dumbbells to any of these exercises. You can also find many free at-home exercise videos on websites like YouTube. Most require little or no equipment and can be especially helpful if you are new to exercising or have trouble thinking of exercises on the spot.
If you find the above ideas too overwhelming, my advice to you is just to move. Simply decrease the amount of time you spend sitting throughout the day. During each commercial break of your favorite show, get up and take a lap around the house. For every two pages of a book or magazine you may be reading, get up and take a lap around the house.
Make a conscious effort to go up the stairs more often, if you are physically able to do so, throughout the day. If you are more of a numbers person and want something to track - you can track your steps. You can purchase a low-cost pedometer or even download an application on your phone that keeps track of your steps throughout the day.
If you want to aim for a “magic” number of steps – great but know that simply increasing your daily step count will lead to the health benefits I listed earlier. Finding a step count that is sustainable and not overwhelming is more beneficial than the number of steps itself. Remember to keep it simple, any movement is medicine. Start small and stay consistent, and your progress will build over time.