Nine low-cost ways to stay healthy in bad weather

If motivation is a problem, come up with a personally meaningful goal, such as getting in shape for a summer hiking trip or completing a local 5K charity event. On a calendar, work backward to set up an exercise schedule that will get you in shape by your target date. Then stick to it.

An exercise mat, some dumbbells, resistance bands, and a stability ball will set you back about $100, and you can use them for all manner of muscle- and core-strengthening exercises. Guidelines say you need to exercise your major muscle groups at least twice a week.

If it's sleeting or snowing, or if roads and sidewalks are too slippery to safely walk, do a few laps at a local mall. Many open their doors to walkers before the start of the regular business day. Just be sure to steer away from the food court.

A recent study shows that 77 percent of Americans don't have enough of that critical vitamin. The only ways to get it are to make it in your skin in the presence of sunlight or to ingest it in food or supplements. Sunlight in the northern half of the U.S. and all of Canada is too weak in the winter to generate vitamin D, and it's hard to get enough in food. The solution: Use supplements to help achieve 800 to 1,000 international units a day.

An hour with a personal trainer can range from $40 to $125, comparable to a month's membership in many health clubs. The trainer can help you develop a safe, customized, home-based fitness program that you can continue on your own.

A daily 30-minute brisk walk will help keep you in fine health at minimal cost. If it's cold, wear layers that you can shed as your body heats up. Avoid cotton next to your skin because it holds on to moisture. And wear something reflective if you're going to be outside at dusk or after dark.

Do push-ups in the bedroom, resistance bands in the hallway, jump rope in the living room, squats in the kitchen, and crunches in the TV room. You get the idea.

YouTube has plenty and so does on-demand cable TV. You may want to avoid videos that feature celebrities or that promise instant six-pack ab muscles or rapid weight loss. Instead, look for videos that show the correct way to do exercises.

They don't cost much more than a pair of running shoes, and if you can walk in regular shoes, you can walk in snowshoes. You can enjoy pristine snowy landscapes without sinking in and you can burn about twice as many calories as you would walking on bare ground at the same speed. For more information on snowshoeing, go to www.esnowshoes.com.