[mofromcheboygankalamazoo]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

SAD is bad. I fight it by going outside every time we have a sunny day in the winter. I try to drop what I am doind and get outside for at elast a few hours.

We have an exchange student living with us while visiting from Taiwan. She is always cold. When it gets down to 80, she puts on a coat. I feel sorry for her this winter. She will need a lot of coats and blankets.

I am not one who ever suffered from seasonal depression-except maybe here in philly where i want snow to brighten things up!

but, anyway i wanted to say that out of the three exchange students we had living with us when i was in cheboygan two of them were from warm climates, one from thailand and one from colombia.....we ingrained our love of winter in them....we took them sledding, cross country skiing and we also had them try out the ski club at the high school and they LOVED it all! yes they were cold, but they had fun and we asked all our friends to pitch in some winter clothes and jackets for them....staying inside and drinking hot chocolate or playing board games can be fun too.....going to snow scupture contests is fun..............ice skating....i love it all...and miss it all...and our exchange students tell us they miss it all too!!!

[magellan]

Definitely if you are staying in a house all day, no matter if it is hot or cold, you need to get out and exercise. Driving to Starbucks won't cure anything.

I think it's awesome when there is a new fallen snow, the temps are in the high 20's, low 30's, very little wind, snow on the trees, sound muffled by the snow. Put on some boots, get some earmuffs and gloves, and go for a walk or a run. Walk to Starbucks even. In fact, you can do it with just wearing a fleece or a jacket because your body temp will rise. You'd be amazed at how good it feels. And it feels much better than doing the same and sweating in 80 degree humid temps.

I guarantee it feels better in the fall/winter/spring than in the summer, as I do it each and every day all year round. And the exercise creates Dopamine, a natural "upper" created in the body to help fight depression (if you have it). New studies have even shown that exercise stimulates growth of newly formed brain cells.

[theboysmom]

Aw, I love the winter. I look cute in hats,lol

I was soo bummed out when we were in VA and there was no snow. And when it did, there was less than an inch and our neighbors acted like the sky was falling. Also, when there's no winter, things don't die. I saw bugs down there that I have never, ever seen in my life. *shudder*

I take the boy outside no matter the weather. Just bundle him up and out the door, even if it's only for a few minutes. It's important to get out there and get some fresh air, it can really help morale in the winter.

But as much as I do enjoy it, I admit that when it's springtime and I still see piles of dirty snow plowed up against the curb, I start to get a little antsy for warmer weather.

[khfar]

Originally Posted by magellan

Definitely if you are staying in a house all day, no matter if it is hot or cold, you need to get out and exercise. Driving to Starbucks won't cure anything.

I think it's awesome when there is a new fallen snow, the temps are in the high 20's, low 30's, very little wind, snow on the trees, sound muffled by the snow. Put on some boots, get some earmuffs and gloves, and go for a walk or a run. Walk to Starbucks even. In fact, you can do it with just wearing a fleece or a jacket because your body temp will rise. You'd be amazed at how good it feels. And it feels much better than doing the same and sweating in 80 degree humid temps.

I guarantee it feels better in the fall/winter/spring than in the summer, as I do it each and every day all year round. And the exercise creates Dopamine, a natural "upper" created in the body to help fight depression (if you have it). New studies have even shown that exercise stimulates growth of newly formed brain cells.

Thanks, but Starbucks is about 5 miles away from me. I don't think my small child would appreciate walking 10 miles (if you consider going and coming) in the snow and 20 degree weather. Nor do I think it would be good for the child to be out that long.

I don't think I owe any explanation here. I have already mentioned that we do go out and sled. We go to toboggan runs. We build snowmen. We take advantage of what is around us. But quite frankly, I don't WANT to play in the freaking snow every day, and neither do my kids. A few days a week, sure. But even they get sick of it after a while.

I exercise 5 days a week. Hard core. Going to the gym is fine for me. I meet friends there, we work out together and have fun.

GAH. All I was doing was agreeing that I think it's important to get out when the weather is bad. I never got depressed last winter. For me, I know that I need to get out at LEAST once a day. That's all I was saying.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by khfar

Thanks, but Starbucks is about 5 miles away from me. I don't think my small child would appreciate walking 10 miles (if you consider going and coming) in the snow and 20 degree weather. Nor do I think it would be good for the child to be out that long.

I don't think I owe any explanation here. I have already mentioned that we do go out and sled. We go to toboggan runs. We build snowmen. We take advantage of what is around us. But quite frankly, I don't WANT to play in the freaking snow every day, and neither do my kids. A few days a week, sure. But even they get sick of it after a while.

I exercise 5 days a week. Hard core. Going to the gym is fine for me. I meet friends there, we work out together and have fun.

GAH. All I was doing was agreeing that I think it's important to get out when the weather is bad. I never got depressed last winter. For me, I know that I need to get out at LEAST once a day. That's all I was saying.

Wow, I didn't know any place existed that was 5 miles from a Starbucks. We have two within a mile and a half of our house, almost across the street from each other (one is in a Meijer).

Just kidding, good for you on all that other stuff.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by magellan

I've spent a lot of time in Chicago on business and it's WAY colder than here

Yeah, its a whopping 1-2 degrees colder in Chicago than GR. The wind can whip at times, but it does so in MI, too. Id rather be somewhere like Chicago in winter than Traverse City.

Anyways, I agree with the OP's post. Either grow some big ol nuts and enjoy winter, or get out and go hang with the wimps elsewhere. You know the kind... the weenies who are afraid to have a little fun when the white stuff falls, too afraid to learn how to drive in snow, too whiny to want to go outside, too scared to pick up a winter sport that they just might enjoy.

[Gil3]

I love winter and I'm from the South

[khfar]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Yeah, its a whopping 1-2 degrees colder in Chicago than GR. The wind can whip at times, but it does so in MI, too. Id rather be somewhere like Chicago in winter than Traverse City.

Anyways, I agree with the OP's post. Either grow some big ol nuts and enjoy winter, or get out and go hang with the wimps elsewhere. You know the kind... the weenies who are afraid to have a little fun when the white stuff falls, too afraid to learn how to drive in snow, too whiny to want to go outside, too scared to pick up a winter sport that they just might enjoy.

I feel really sorry for those that are too afraid to learn to drive in snow! They must get REALLY lonely in the winter, never going anywhere! Seriously...there are people that actually refrain from driving when it snows?

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Yeah, its a whopping 1-2 degrees colder in Chicago than GR. The wind can whip at times, but it does so in MI, too. Id rather be somewhere like Chicago in winter than Traverse City.

Anyways, I agree with the OP's post. Either grow some big ol nuts and enjoy winter, or get out and go hang with the wimps elsewhere. You know the kind... the weenies who are afraid to have a little fun when the white stuff falls, too afraid to learn how to drive in snow, too whiny to want to go outside, too scared to pick up a winter sport that they just might enjoy.

I think it's more the wind chill.

[Giesela]

I like winter and snow and ice and skating - all good.
Could do without the lack of sun tho.