Justin Grinnell, a strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer at The Michigan Athletic Club, 2900 Hannah Blvd., said winterizing a fitness plan is about incorporating particular interests and abilities.

For people who prefer to exercise in their own space — whether it’s the 10-by-15-foot area of a dorm room or a large living room — Grinnell said basic fitness accessories are relatively inexpensive and allow people to do a variety of strength and cardio movements.

“As far as not wanting to go outside, there’s tons of things you can do at home with stability balls, exercise bands and body weight training, so you don’t necessarily have to have a gym membership,” Grinnell said.

For those who do have gym memberships, attending various aerobic and strength training classes offers variability and a break from running on a treadmill or elliptical. Using stairs or bleachers is another option for switching up a training session, Grinnell said.

Winter conditions also provide a chance to warm up the body and even break a sweat, he added.

Running hills or nature trails in the winter is another way to crank up your heart rate, Grinnell said, as clambering through snow is similar to running on sand.

Grinnell doesn’t think it’s just the weather that keeps people from staying fit, though.

“People don’t carve enough time out for themselves,” he said. “With our busy lifestyles, people don’t value their health as much as they should, and there’s also a lack of (fitness) education as well.”

And the great outdoors also tends to get a bad rap when it comes to winter workouts.

Jon Kermiet, a health educator and coordinator of Life: Rx at Olin Health Center, said myths about the cold’s effect on the body prevents some people from exercising outside during the winter. From upper respiratory problems to catching a cold or flu, Kermiet said the assumption that chilly temperatures will cause more harm than health benefits is simply incorrect.

Aside from running, some suggestions Kermiet gave include cross-country skiing or snowboarding.

“For me, I look forward to cross-country skiing more than anything because it’s close to the nature center, and there’s hardly anyone over there when I’m skiing,” he said. “It’s a real quiet time of the year and you get in the woods, and it’s probably one of the best exercises because you’re using both your upper and lower body.”

No need to rule out the childhood pastime of sledding either, Kermiet added.

“Even if it’s just sledding — if you’re walking up and down a hill, you’re getting good exercise,” Kermiet said. “Sledding is great — find something you enjoyed as a kid, and find someone to do it with and do it.”