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It’s minus what outside?!?! Even for those of us who exercise regularly, this cold weather has made it challenging to get outside and be active. Going for long walks is harder, and cross-country skiing in -30? No thanks. And some of us can’t summon the courage to jump into the pool when it’s freezing cold outside. What do we fair-weather folks do?

First of all, consider being active on a daily basis; it provides so many benefits. It gives you energy, perks up your mood, improves cardiovascular health, helps curb overeating, and so much more. Daily exercise is an excellent idea, no matter your age or ability.

Secondly, you don’t need to join a gym to be active. There are many ways to stay fit that you can do inside, right in your own home. Gentle yoga is a good way to move your body indoors and warm up at the same time. Want something a bit more challenging? Pilates will warm you up for sure and get you strong and limber, too. You’re never too old to start lifting weights; not only will you gain strength, but also bone density and coordination. Even if you don’t want to start a new exercise routine, it’s important to stretch and move your body all winter long. YouTube is a great source of free fitness videos. Just search for an activity of your choice and choose a pace and instructor that suit your mood.

So now that you’re committed to moving your body each day, here are some things you might want to consider during wintertime. I'm sure you see people of all ages on a daily basis who are hunched over. Rounded shoulders, neck straining forward to see their cell phones, people’s backs curving out like a letter C instead of sitting up straight. If our collective posture is already slumped over, winter weather doesn’t help much either. When we bundle up and go out into the cold, we hike our shoulders up to our ears to stay warm. Even indoors, we cross our arms across our chests and curl into ourselves to stay warm.

As a fitness instructor who helps people restore their bodies to their natural position and functioning, I encourage folks to do lots of chest openers and back extensions at this time of year. Here are some names of exercises that open up your chest and release tight shoulders:

Upward-facing dog, cobra, back bends, shoulder shrugs, clasping your hands behind your back, clasping your hands behind your head and arching over the back of a chair, rolling back over a ball. Stretching these tight muscles on the front of the body is a good way to allow the muscles in your back to do what they do best: keep you upright and improve your posture.

Here is one way you can incorporate chest expansion into your daily routine:

 1. Lie down on a long foam roller or even a rolled-up towel or blanket. Ensure that, from your head all the way to your buttocks, you are completely on the foam roller or towel, and it’s aligned with your spine, straight down the centre of your back.

2. Place your arms by your sides and breathe for 10 slow breaths.

3. Flip your palms up to face the ceiling, and stretch your arms out at an angle from your body. Feel your shoulders melting into the floor. Breathe.

4. Take the stretch farther by sliding your arms to shoulder level so your arms are now perpendicular to your torso. Breathe into the stretch.

5. For a deeper stretch, slide the arms higher into more of a Y position, palms still facing the ceiling. Ensure your shoulder blades are still flat against the ground and breathe into the deep stretch across your chest.

Try to move each day, even if you feel tired. Your body will thank you for it!

Caroline Speirs is a Pilates instructor and personal trainer. Find her at Pilates Fusion on Donegani.