Winter weather is around the corner with December already here. Cold weather can be unpredictable at times, especially on Long Island. But what do you do when you don’t have a bulky winter coat or choose to be a chic fashionista at your own expense? Or, don’t want to wear a bulky coat you’ll have to lug around 10 minutes later? We’ve got you covered from clothing hacks to how to keep warm in this wintery season.
Here are five ways to keep warm without a coat:
- layering
- warm accessories
- moving
- warm drinks and fatty foods
- hand warmers
Staying warm is good for your health in colder climates. Coats can be a hassle. Hang up that coat and let’s get into the specifics of how to use these tips to keep yourself warm.
layering
The generic answer to this predicament would be to have three layers of clothes, minimum. Start with a base layer like a long sleeve shirt. Add a middle layer with layering on another long sleeve or a t-shirt. Third and final layer is either a sweater or sweatshirt. Honestly, the most important part of layering is to keep the torso covered. Flannel and vests are other options for the third layer yet layering the legs are also important. Wear leggings under sweatpants or baggy jeans. Get creative with the layers.
warm accessories
Hands, neck, head and face are the parts more likely not to be covered. Let’s cover them up. Scarves, gloves and hats are the basics when it comes to keeping the extremities warm this season. The most important extremities to keep warm are the feet and hands. Since our bodies cut off circulation to our limbs in colder temperatures, keeping the hands and feet warm is crucial to increase circulation. With the flu going around, scarves are accessories with a critical advantage in protecting the mouth and nose during the flu season. Using a scarf to cover your face and neck, much like a KN95 mask, can help prevent the cold.
keep moving
This seems like an obvious answer since staying active and moving causes the body to heat up and sweat in return. Keeping active in the winter months, though, helps circulation and increases heart rate. The thing to keep in mind is to not sweat when doing these activities. When sweat is produced we lose heat and become colder. Walking, dancing or simply shifting your weight from foot to foot are ways to stop being stationary yet help the body keep moving and stay warm.
warm drinks and fatty foods
Need something to warm your hands? Get some coffee, tea or hot chocolate to fuel the warmth. Instead of getting the usual iced Starbucks drink, make it a hot latte or coffee with an added flavor shot. Try to add in some fatty foods too since they raise the pH of our blood which tends to be lower in cold weather. When the body is cold it burns calories, so fatty foods will provide more calories for the body to burn. It is also nice to have a warm drink to hold while surviving the wind and cold which will help warm the body and the hands.
hand warmers are your best friend
Hand and foot warmers are easy-heating products that can be slipped into a pocket or shoe. They can be found at any convenience store or a chain like Target or Walmart. Hand warmers are helpful for long-term exposure to cold, windy weather. Foot warmers, too, are good for long exposure to the elements and help with circulation to the feet. Circulation to the extremities is super important for circulation, as mentioned earlier.