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Winterize Your Walking Program
Posted on Dec 2nd 2009 4:33PM by Prevention
Provided by Prevention
Footwear for Nasty Weather
To prepare your feet for winter walking, often all you need is a pair of walking shoes and a thick pair of socks. Then as you warm up, your feet warm up too. Just make sure that your shoes can accommodate your socks, or your feet will get cold from lack of circulation.
For keeping your feet toasty on bitterly cold days or for navigating sidewalks that are wet, icy, or slushy, you may want more rugged footwear. One place to look is in the hiking-shoe display of your sporting goods store. Hiking shoes have heavy-duty soles that grip better on sloppy or uneven terrain. They have elevated foot beds (because of the thickness of the soles), so your feet are higher than the water or slush that you're walking through. They're often waterproof, or at least water-resistant. And their tough exteriors stand up to the elements better than the average walking shoe.
A pair of hiking shoes made for trekking dirt trails should provide enough flexibility for fitness walking. And if you're expecting to end up with a pair of big, clunky "stompers," you're in for a pleasant surprise. These days, you can choose from lots of low-cut styles that are very lightweight and comfortable. (To get a pair that fits well, check out our We Test It: Walking Shoes chart.)
Slippery Sidewalk Solution: Slippery sidewalks keep many people indoors during the winter months. But you can venture outside safely, provided you have the right equipment. Stabilicers are detachable soles that can make you so surefooted that you'd feel safe walking across a river of ice. Built like sandals with Velcro straps, they slide over your walking shoes quite easily. The top of the sole grips your shoe, while the bottom, which is imbedded with steel cleats, digs into ice and hard snow. They're perfect for winter walking or any slippery situation.
Stabilicers sell for about $40 a pair. You can buy them in many department stores and sporting goods stores as well as through mail-order catalogs.
Show Off Your Skin Smarts
When you're walking in wintry conditions, protecting your skin is just as important as protecting your feet. Cold and wind are no kinder than heat and sun. All can be quite drying. And don't let the chilly temperature fool you: The winter sun has ultraviolet rays that are strong enough to cause sunburn, age your skin, and increase your risk of skin cancer.
During the winter months, your hands and face are most vulnerable to the elements. You may wear gloves, only to have your hands get all sweaty as they warm up. But if you take off your gloves and expose your wet hands to the cold air, they may become chapped. That's why you should wear two pairs of gloves: thick ones on top, thin ones underneath. Leave on the thick pair until your hands feel warm, then slip them off and wear only the thin pair to protect your skin.
To save your face from the effects of wind and cold, invest in a ski mask. A thin one made from silk might be most comfortable, but check what's available. New, lightweight fabrics keep popping up everywhere.
If wearing a ski mask irritates your skin or obstructs your vision, you can go without one. But do wear a hat to keep body heat from escaping through the top of your head. To protect your face from the elements, first apply sunscreen and allow it to dry, then add a thick layer of a protective moisturizer, petroleum jelly, or hand cream. Choose a sunscreen that's waterproof with an SPF of at least 15. Be sure to reapply both layers if you sweat a lot or wipe your face frequently.
If there's snow on the ground, you need to be extra-vigilant about your sunscreen use. Snow reflects 85 percent of the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays right back at you, nearly doubling your exposure. The average person gets about 19 hours of sun each week, regardless of the season. That exposure accumulates from routine activities, such as walking your dog and driving a car (UVA rays can penetrate most windows).
According to one dermatologist, if you don't wear sunscreen between September and May, the damage to your skin could be the same as if you spent about eight straight summer weekends on the beach. Unfortunately, while 52 percent of Americans wear sunscreen in the summer, only 2 percent bother to slather it on in the winter. So here's your chance to do something good for your skin.
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