Even as winter approaches, there is still time to enjoy exercising outdoors. Grab a partner, a warm jacket, and comfortable shoes, and don’t let the colder weather keep you from being healthier, especially as the new year draws near. 

If you want to avoid indoor activity, there’s plenty to do in the north Bronx, home to several beautiful parks in Norwood. There are several perfect areas for you to boost your heart rate and enjoy the scenery along the way:

The Williamsbridge Oval: The park has basketball courts, a soccer field, running track, a playground, and a recreation center with classes for both youths and adults. It will soon be home to a skating area for skateboarders. The Oval has something for everyone.

Van Cortlandt Park (West Gun Hill Road and Jerome Avenue): Trees, trails, and grassy hills await you at New York City’s third largest park. If you are exercising with your kids, or your pets, further down the block is the Dog Bone Run and Sachkerah Woods Playground.

Jerome Park: Next to the Jerome Park Reservoir between the Bronx High School of Science and Lehman College, a jogging path with great views is one of the best parts of this park.

Getting started is easy. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults should aim to do a combination of cardio and strength training exercises for at least two and a half hours each week. These hours can be broken up throughout the week, translating to just over 20 minutes of a workout each day.

Brisk walking, dancing, and biking for at least 10 minutes or longer are all examples of cardio as they raise your heart rate in a good way. Strength training exercises include lifting weights, working with resistance bands, sit-ups, or any type of activity that make you use your body weight and hopefully shed some pounds.

While keeping the body active, you should also watch what you eat. A low-calorie diet combined with exercise is a surefire way of keeping yourself trim, particularly during the holiday season as parties and get-togethers can jeopardize that waistline.

For more information on physical activity and how to get more active, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at www.cdc.gov. For more information on Bronx parks, visit www.nycgovparks.org.

Shirley Symister is a project manager for Montefiore Health System’s Office of Community & Population Health.