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FITNESS FITNESS 

& & 

HEALTHY LIVINGHEALTHY LIVING

Mountain View News Saturday, October 18, 2025

COOL IT


Michele Silence, M.A. is a 37-year certified fitness 

professional who offers semi-private/virtual fitness 
classes. Contact Michele at michele@kid-fit.
com. Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness 
Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness.

UNLOCK YOUR LIFE


When the temperature starts to drop, most people head 
indoors. The gym gets crowded, and the couch starts to 
look more and more inviting. But believe it or not, cooler 
weather might actually be the best time to take your 
workout outside.

Exercising in crisp fall air does more than wake you up 
— it can boost your metabolism, clear your mind, and 
help you burn a few extra calories without even trying. 
Your body loves cool weather.

When it’s chilly, your body has to work a little harder 
to keep your core temperature stable. That means it’s 
burning extra energy just to stay warm, even before you 
start moving. Your heart pumps a bit faster, your muscles 
tighten slightly, and your internal “furnace” kicks on. This 
process helps increase calorie burn naturally. You don’t 
need to be shivering to get the benefit, either. Moderate 
cool weather — between 45 and 60 degrees — is often 
ideal for outdoor activity.

If you’ve ever gone for a brisk walk on a cool morning and felt more energized than usual, 
that’s your metabolism doing its job. The bonus? Cooler air helps you stay comfortable longer, 
which means you may walk, jog, or move more without feeling tired or overheated. Cold-
weather workouts feel easier, but your body is actually working harder. Even walking at the 
same pace can burn slightly more calories in cool air compared to a warm day. That doesn’t 
mean you need to push yourself harder, it just means nature is giving you a gentle edge.

You’ll also sweat less, which helps you stay hydrated and comfortable. Many people find they 
can stay active longer without that sticky, overheated feeling that summer workouts bring.

There’s something refreshing about breathing in cool, clean air. It seems to wake up your 
brain and sharpen your focus — and there’s real science behind that feeling. Cool air increases 
oxygen flow, and that extra oxygen helps your brain function more efficiently. You may notice 
better concentration, quicker thinking, and a calmer mood after even a short outdoor workout.

Exposure to natural light also plays a big role. During fall and winter, many people struggle 
with lower energy or mild “winter blues” due to shorter days. Getting outside for just 20 
minutes of daylight exercise can improve mood, help balance hormones, and help you sleep 
better at night.

While there are lots of benefits to exercising in the cold, a few smart steps can help keep you 
safe and comfortable, especially if you’re older or recovering from an injury,

1.Warm Up Before You Step Outside

Cold muscles are tight muscles. Spend 5 to 10 minutes doing gentle movement indoors
before heading out. Arm movements, leg swings, or light marching in place can all help
push blood to cold muscles and prepare you for your exercise routine. A proper warm-
up reduces the risk of strains or joint pain.

2.Dress in Layers

Wear moisture-wicking fabric closest to your skin, then a light layer for warmth, and
finish with something wind-resistant if needed. Layers trap heat but also let you remove
clothing as your body warms up. Avoid cotton, which holds sweat and can make you
cold once you stop moving.

3.Protect Hands, Feet, and Ears

Your body naturally sends more blood to your core to stay warm, so your fingers, toes,
and ears can get cold fast. Lightweight gloves, warm socks, and a headband or hat make
a big difference.

4.Watch Your Step

Cool mornings can mean wet grass, slick leaves, or even light frost. Choose shoes with
good traction and walk on clear paths. If balance is a concern, consider using walking
poles for extra stability.

5.Check the Air Quality

Cool weather often means clearer air, but sometimes pollutants get trapped close to
the ground on still days. If you have asthma or lung issues, check your local air quality
index before heading out.

Cool-weather workouts can be a great option for people recovering from joint replacements, 
surgery, or chronic pain issues. The cooler temperature can reduce inflammation and swelling, 
making movement more comfortable. Focus on gentle, low-impact activities like walking, 
cycling, or water exercise in a heated pool. Keep your movements steady and avoid sudden 
bursts of speed.

Remember, consistency is more important than intensity. Even 10 minutes of outdoor 
movement each day can boost circulation, improve balance, and help strengthen your 
immune system as cold and flu season begins. Plus, the crisp air and changing scenery can 
make exercise feel less like a chore and more like a treat.

As people who care 
about our community, 
our planet, and 
the people we love, 
we sometimes struggle 
to remember how 
powerful we really 
are. We might say to 
ourselves: “But I’m 
only one person. What can I do? How can I help? 
I wouldn’t know where to start.”

Here’s what I want you to know: We have what 
it takes. Not just for climate change. For everything. 
And when we respond to the desires of our 
hearts to do good, the world transforms before 
our eyes.

When We Paused, the World Breathed

Remember the spring of 2020? When the global 
pandemic forced us to stop, to pause, to stay 
home? Something remarkable happened.

Air pollution dropped dramatically, particulate 
matter decreased by 43% in cities around the 
world. In Europe’s most populated cities, nitrogen 
dioxide concentrations fell by 45-54%. The 
sky turned blue again. Rivers ran clearer. And the 
animals, oh, the animals.

Peacocks strutted through towns. Road mortality 
rates for wildlife dropped by 50%. Nature pressed 
the reset button, simply because we stopped.

We saw, in real time, how quickly the world responds 
when we change our behavior. It wasn’t 
about grand plans or billion dollar programs. It 
was about millions of people, simultaneously, 
doing something different. Or rather, not doing, 
what they usually did.

It's Not Always What We Do, Sometimes It’s What 
We Stop Doing

This is crucial to understand: Goodness multiplies 
not just through our actions, but through 
what we choose *not* to do.

When we don’t waste food, we’re doing more 
than saving money. Food waste generates 8-10% 
of global greenhouse gas emissions, almost five 
times the total emissions from the aviation sector. 
The world wastes one billion meals every 
day while 783 million people go hungry. Every 
time you use that leftover chicken, finish that banana, 
or freeze those vegetables before they spoil, 
you’re part of solving this.

When we don’t share rumors or spread negativity, 
we’re choosing to turn down the volume on 
darkness. Think about it: Negativity doesn’t need 
our help. It will spread just fine without us. But 
kindness? Hope? Encouragement? Those need 
champions. Those need you.

The Math Still Works for Everything Good

You are one of 8.2 billion people. If all 8.2 billion 
of us say “I’m just one person,” then collectively, 
we surrender our power. But if all 8.2 billion of us 
act, if we help a neighbor, smile at a stranger, save 
our leftovers, switch one light bulb, refuse to pass 
along gossip, we change everything.

One Small Move That Matters

Here’s something beautifully simple you can do 
this week. Choose one:

Replace one light bulb with an LED. Asingle 18-
watt LED used in place of a 75-watt bulb will prevent 
half a ton of CO2 from entering the atmosphere 
over its lifetime.

Use up something in your fridge before buying 
more. Plan one meal around what’s already there. 
Those wilting vegetables? They’re begging to become 
soup.

Help someone without being asked. Hold a door. 
Carry groceries. Send an encouraging text. Notice 
someone who seems invisible and see them.

Stop one negative habit. Don’t forward that inflammatory 
post. Don’t join the complaint session. 
Don’t add fuel to someone else’s fire.

Pick one. Just one. Then watch what happens.

What Would Happen If…

Imagine this: What would happen if everyone 
in the world did the very thing, that very good 
thing, that lit them up, that made them come 
alive?

I want to suggest to you that we would change 
the world.

We, the good readers of the Mountain Views 
News, good people of Earth, all 8.2 billion of us, 
have the power to create the world we want to 
see. Not someday. Not when conditions are perfect. 
Now. Today. With what we have.

The pandemic showed us: When we pause, nature 
flourishes. When we change, the world responds. 
When we care, it matters.

Who Can Stop You?

What can I do? The better question is: Who can 
stop you?

Don’t believe the lie that you are small and insignificant. 
Don’t believe that your one choice, your 
one kindness, your one decision to do good or 
stop doing harm doesn’t matter.

It does.

You matter. Your choices multiply. Your goodness 
spreads.

We have what it takes, not just for climate change, 
but for everything. Daily kindness. Refusing to 
waste. Choosing encouragement over criticism. 
These aren’t small things. These are the things 
that, when multiplied by billions, transform our 
world.

Let’s go. 

Lori A. Harris helps her clients get award-winning 
results. You can learn more about her at Loriaharris.
com.

WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES: 

The Power of One Good Action

Lori A. Harris

ALL THINGS by Jeff Brown


WHY DO WE CARVE 

PUMPKINS AT HALLOWEEN?

The jack-o’-lantern has a long history with 
Halloween, although our favorite demonic faces 
haven’t always been carved out of pumpkins.

Their origin comes from an Irish myth about 
Stingy Jack, who tricked the Devil for his own 
monetary gain. When Jack died, God didn’t allow 
him into heaven, and the Devil didn’t let 
him into hell, so Jack was sentenced to roam 
the earth for eternity. In Ireland, people started to carve demonic faces out of turnips to frighten away 
Jack’s wandering soul. When Irish immigrants moved to the US., they began carving jack-o’-lanterns 
from pumpkins, as these were native to the region.

But how did jack-o’-lanterns become associated with Halloween? Halloween is based on the Celtic 
festival Samhain, a celebration in ancient Britain and Ireland that marked the end of summer and the 
beginning of the new year on November 1. It was believed that during Samhain the souls of those who 
had died that year traveled to the otherworld and that other souls would return to visit their homes.

In the 8th century CE, the Roman Catholic Church moved , All Saints Day, a day celebrating the 
church’s saints, to November 1. This meant that All Hallows’ Eve (or Halloween) fell on October 31. 
Traditions from Samhain remained, such as wearing disguises to hide yourself from the souls wandering 
around your home. The folklore about Stingy Jack was quickly incorporated into Halloween, 
and we’ve been carving pumpkins—or turnips—ever since. Have a safe fun Halloween.


FEDERAL SPENDING PRIORITIES

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