Jack Frost is back in town and he has brought the cold bite of Old Man Winter with him. Keeping a toasty home with these two winter buddies around can be expensive and staying warm outdoors is nearly impossible. So how can you outsmart the winter bite without blowing your budget? Whether you’re hibernating indoors or sucking it up and getting out, here are some tips to prevent your sunny smile from turning into a frigid grimace.
Inside
Blow Dry Everything
If you can’t seem to shake the chill that came from being outdoors, put a pair of billowy sweats on over a tight, skin-hugging bottom layer and blow some hot air into your sleeves, pant legs, or even kangaroo pouch for toasty hands. The same goes for getting into a bed with sheets so cold the thought of them makes you shiver. Blow some hot air under the covers and suddenly you won’t feel so obligated to sleep in 3 pairs of socks.
Get Cookin’
Anyone who continues to mill around in a kitchen while the oven is on can tell you- it gets seriously warm in there. So use an especially chilly day as an excuse to prepare meals for the week (or however long you see fit). Make a batch of delicious and healthy homemade granola to save money and grams of sugar compared to store bought brands. Throw together a veggie medley and roast them for great side dishes, salad toppers, or soup components.
Warm Up From the Inside Out
If you don’t have time to be a kitchen dweller, you can still reap the advantages of a warm tummy. Before bracing yourself for the cold in the morning, put aside 10 minutes to throw together a warm crock pot meal that will be waiting for you on the other side of your chilly afternoon. From vegetarian chili to chicken and biscuits to chocolate lava cake, having something warm and comforting ready for you the second you walk in the door means you can nip that cold front in the bud. Pair it with a cup of tea, coffee, or even just warm water with lemon to keep both your hands and your core warm.
Outsmart Physics
Okay, that might be a bit of an overstatement. But heat rises, and you don’t. Focus on bringing the heat to you. If you have a ceiling fan, turn it on at its lowest setting. It will gently push the hot air that’s risen back down to warm you up. And if you have a posted bed, consider hanging something like a sheet or a canopy on them to trap the body heat that you give off while you sleep.
Outside
Protect Your First Line of Defense
It may not be nearly warm enough to spend time sunbathing, but fresh snow can reflect up to 80% of the sun’s UV radiation. Combined with the brutally cold and dry air, your walk to and from the office every day can leave you with some seriously vulnerable skin. And since skin is your first line of defense against the germs that are oh-so prevalent this time of year, it’s important it’s at its strongest. So lather up with sunscreen, and if you haven’t already, check out our list of ways to keep your skin healthy and strong.
Make Like a Mummy
Wind chill can take a 32 degree day and make it a 7 degree day with one gust. The way to beat it? Cover your skin. Preventing the direct contact of wind on skin is what keeps the cold burn at bay. Be sure to invest in gloves, ear warmers and scarves to prevent knuckles, ears and necks from being blown raw. Seriously cold air hitting even the teeniest of skin surface area can throw off how warm you perceive your entire body to be. Walking behind other pedestrians to stay aerodynamic doesn’t hurt either.
Top It Off
Disclaimer before we start the next sentence: your mom is awesome. But when she told you to put a hat on because you’d lose half of your body heat through your head, she wasn’t technically correct. Scientists have shown that no more than 10% of your body heat leaves via your head and neck. But mom was onto something. That region of your body has a whole lot to do with how cold (or not) you feel. So put a lid on it! A messy hairdo is well worth the prevention of day-long shivers and the silencing of the bitter voices in your head scolding you for purposely leaving your beanie on the kitchen table.
Keep Moving
When your body recognizes especially cold temperatures, blood flow to your extremities lessens in an evolutionarily-based attempt to keep your vital organs well-oxygenated. The downfall? Seriously. Cold. Limbs. But there’s an easy fix- use them! Working muscles demand blood flow to bring oxygen and remove waste. And blood flow=warmth. So if you’re waiting to cross the street, hanging out at a bus stop or even standing in the 2-block long line for the cronut of the week, be sure to keep your muscles from idling. Bounce back and forth between your feet, wiggle your torso, rub your arms. Plus it helps you focus on something other than the freezing temps.
