Although the first of the year offers a convenient time to start healthy diet and exercise programs, it isn’t always easy to leave a warm house for the rigors of cold outdoor exercise.

To help overcome common motivational obstacles, what follows is a guide to productive indoor and outdoor exercise during the winter months.

Let’s start with the basics. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recently released updated guidelines on Recommended Physical Activity for healthy adults. For most healthy adults, moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity is recommended a minimum of 5 days a week, for at least 20 to 30 minutes each bout.

Previous guidelines encouraged the development of activities of daily living to promote health, including taking the stairs instead of the elevator and taking time to walk around the office during the day.

These activities are commendable, however cannot be substituted for aerobic physical activity that is truly beneficial to the heart. Updated ACSM guidelines stress the importance of aerobic activity in addition to everyday activities, with “aerobic” defined as activities that elevate the heart rate into a target range (based on age and gender) and maintain this heart rate throughout the course of the activity.

Examples of aerobic activities commonly include brisk walking, jogging, bicycling, engaging in dynamic activities such as kickboxing and jazzercise, or aerobic sports including soccer and basketball.

Completing these activities during the frigid winter months presents predictable dilemmas that are easily solved with proper equipment, creativity, and of course a little grit and determination.

The first key to winter exercise is to broaden activity locations available to you, without limiting yourself to the gym. You may be surprised at how refreshing a walk or jog outside can be on a sunny winter morning, if properly dressed. Instead of walking around the neighborhood, take a short drive to a local park where you can hike up mountainous terrain with increased elevations.

Be creative and try new activities that involve the outdoors. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are excellent aerobic activities that are sure to elevate your heart rate. If you don’t have access to snow sport equipment, substitute a walking stick to aid a long hike, or pull your kids on sleds through a clear pasture.

A second important key to winter exercise is adding creativity to monotonous indoor activities.

To fight the boredom of treadmill runs, download a book on cd or engage yourself in a good movie while you run. Incorporate a lot of variety into indoor workouts, to include biking, utilizing the stair master or elliptical machines, or joining fun and interesting cardio classes at the local gym or YMCA.

Although often a problem throughout the year, motivation to exercise during the winter months can easily drop to yearly lows. To help get over the lazy winter blues, exercise with friends and family members and work to make exercise a part of your daily schedule.

Mixing up the intensity and mode of exercise will also keep you interested and motivated. Join a lunchtime racquetball or basketball group, or design interval programs that provide new challenges on the treadmill or bike.

The most difficult part of starting any exercise program may be just getting started, however once you begin to see the benefits, that in itself will motivate you to continue. Be sure to set realistic goals at the outset, beginning with short bouts of exercise and progressing at a reasonable pace.

The variety of activities available to you is nearly limitless, as long as you open your mind (and sometimes your wallet). The physical and emotional benefits you receive from maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle are enormous and can lead to a happier, longer life.

Upon reading this article, it’s likely you didn’t discover any miracle exercise ideas or quick fix fads sure to solve all of your exercise and motivational dilemmas. It’s not surprising, as you already know, because the true efficacy of any workout program relates directly to the motivation and desire of the participant.

Make 2008 the year you finally follow through on a New Year’s resolution by taking control of your destiny and working hard to make exercise a part of your life. Visit www.acsm.org for more information on exercise tips and guidelines.

Christine Jenkins is an athletic trainer and freelance writer.