Spring can be an unreliable time of the year in terms of the weather. It can be a beautiful day in the morning, only to turn ugly and rainy out of nowhere. This can throw a wrench in your plans, if you were hoping to go on a long walk or hike, for example.

On an ugly, rainy spring day, it can be tempting to sit on the couch, binge-watching a Netflix series or two while snacking on some chips. While this can seem relaxing, it usually isn’t that healthy for us (especially the potato chips!). Your health shouldn’t have to take a hit just because the weather has flipped. We’re looking at a few healthy activities that you can do indoors, no matter what’s going on outside!

Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning is a tradition held by many people, who each take a little time each year to clean the house after a long cold winter. If your home could use a little tidying, a rainy day is a great time to do it! The reason cleaning can be healthy is that it gets you up and moving, as opposed to sitting on the couch. That said, we’ve noted before that cleaning can be an effective workout, burning anywhere from 120 to 600 calories an hour, depending on what you’re doing!

Cleaning can be an effective workout, burning anywhere from 120 to 600 calories an hour!

How many calories you burn while cleaning all comes down to how intensely you’re cleaning, which also makes this activity a good option, since you can take it easy if you get tired. As long as you’re taking care to be safe while you’re spring cleaning, you can avoid injuries and get a lot done around the house.

Interactive Video Games

A little bit of gaming when the weather is ugly can be a nice way to relax, and it can also count as exercise, depending on the type of game you’re playing. There are two genres of interactive games that have come about in the last few years — motion control games and virtual reality (VR) games. Instead of playing the games with a controller, both types of games get you up and out of your seat.

Many gaming consoles have fitness-oriented games that can help you work out while having fun!

Nintendo’s Switch and its predecessor, the Wii, are the two most famous motion-controlled gaming systems, but most of the other big-name consoles have games that have motion control. Many have fitness-oriented games that can help you work out while having fun! VR takes the advancements of motion control and puts you in the game. There are several VR systems to play on, like the Oculus. Other, traditional consoles also support VR, like PlayStation VR. While there are a number of great VR games out there, there are other fitness games to enjoy, too!

Cooking

Another way to stay active on an ugly spring day is to get cooking. The added bonus of this is the end product of a delicious meal! If you have the ingredients, pick a healthy dish you want to try that takes a while to make. Don’t worry, you’ll have the time since it’s ugly outside! While you’ll end up eating after all that work, at least you’re up and moving for a little while.

If you have the ingredients, pick a healthy dish you want to try that takes a while to make.

Since you’re stuck in the house, this is your chance to focus on dishes that take a bit of time to work on. Try your hand at making fresh bread. Cook up a delicious, healthy paella. Really test your cooking abilities by making fresh pasta and use that to create a homemade lobster ravioli! Your options are only limited by your imagination.

Indoor Exercises

Rainy weather doesn’t have to stop you from being fit, either. If you were planning on exercising before the storm rolled in, there are still ways to work out. We’ve already discussed ways you can work out indoors when the weather outside is less than optimal. We don’t suggest going for a walk in the rain for health and safety reasons, so the last suggestion in our that post may not be an option for rainy weather. That said, the other options, like checking out a YouTube fitness channel or going to a nearby gym or mall are smart ways to keep yourself fit on a stormy day.

Checking out a YouTube fitness channel or going to a nearby gym or mall are smart ways to keep yourself fit on a stormy day.

As long as you’re healthy enough to work out, exercise is almost always a good idea. If you’re just starting to get into shape, we’ve also already written about a few exercises that are worth a try!

Your Favorite Indoor Hobby or Craft

Finally, a rainy day is the perfect excuse to do your favorite indoor hobby or craft or pick up a new one if you don’t already have one! In many senses, creating something can be incredibly therapeutic. No matter what hobby you’re taking part in, it’s likely going to be good for your mind in some way. After all, challenging your brain is a great way to keep it sharp. Luckily, many indoor hobbies aren’t that physically strenuous either, like writing, reading, or coloring.

Crafts like woodworking and knitting are shown to have therapeutic benefits and assist seniors with healthy mental aging.

Crafting is another constructive pastime that you can do indoors. For example, we’ve talked before about knitting and woodworking. Both are shown to have therapeutic benefits and assist seniors with healthy mental aging. Woodworking can also be labor-intensive, so you may even burn a few calories while you’re at it!

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If your outdoor plans get canceled due to the unpredictable weather in the spring, that doesn’t mean that you need to be confined to the sofa for the day. While these are only a couple of examples of healthy ways you can spend a rainy spring day, they’re all excellent ways to keep yourself busy and entertained when the weather has taken a turn for the worst.