The winter weather might make you feel like hibernating, but you don't have to hang up your sneakers until spring. It's easy to continue your fair-weather workouts indoors. And with some common sense, you can usually exercise outdoors year-round.

To keep yourself motivated, focus on what you'll gain if you keep exercising from fall straight through winter. You'll continue to reap the short- and long-term benefits of exercise. You'll be in better shape come spring. And you'll have a way to burn off those extra calories consumed over the holidays.

Exercise can help shake those winter blues, improve your mood, increase your energy level and help you sleep better. Try to set aside 30 minutes or more on most days of the week for physical activity. It doesn't have to be all in one stretch. You can work it in a little here or there. And it doesn't have to be strenuous. Make a workout of household cleaning. Or walk the stairs in your home. Whatever you choose, balance the four main types of exercise — endurance, strength, balance and flexibility.

For example, mall walk for endurance, and on alternate days lift hand weights for strength. Try tai chi for balance and flexibility, and stretch slowly for flexibility before and after you exercise.

Don't be too hard on yourself if you miss a day. Just get back on schedule as soon as possible. For extra motivation, work out with your spouse or a friend.

Don't let the cold weather sidetrack your personal fitness program. Here are some ideas to consider.

• Walk at the mall. The hardest part about mall or indoor track walking is getting there. But once there, you may be amazed at how quickly you finish your workout. You might even meet new people and make new friends.

• Join a health club. Find one where you're comfortable. Have someone show you the different equipment. You may find something new to try.

• Dive in. Working out in water is easier on your joints than most other forms of exercise, so it may be a good choice if you have bad knees. Don't let a fear of deep water keep you from trying a water workout. Most water aerobics classes are taught in the shallow end of the pool.

• Buy some exercise equipment. Set the machine in front of a window or read while you work out. Plan your workout around a favorite TV show. If you like biking, buy rollers that turn your regular bike into a stationary one. Don't waste too much time searching for the ideal piece of exercise equipment. It doesn't exist. Instead, try to find equipment that's practical, easy to use and enjoyable — one that you'll continue to use.

In winters past, the standard advice was to bundle up with cotton long underwear, a thick scarf, a heavy parka, and so on. Today, winter sports and fitness enthusiasts know that a layered system of high-tech, lightweight fabrics is more comfortable.

"Layering helps you hold onto your body heat and prevents the retention of perspiration on your skin," says Edward Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and co-director of Mayo Clinic's Sports Medicine Center.

"The idea is to have layers that you can easily put on or take off as conditions change. Many winter fabrics are now lightweight and so compressible that you can carry them easily in a small backpack, fanny pack or pouch."

How should you prepare yourself for an outing on a cold, wet and windy day? Dr. Laskowski offers these tips to make the most of your layers:

• Layer 1. Closest to your skin, wear a thin layer of synthetic microfibers, such as polypropylene, which draws sweat away from your body (wicking). Look for long underwear products and turtlenecks that feature this wicking action. Avoid cotton, which absorbs and holds moisture close to your body.

• Layer 2. This is your insulation layer. Try fleece — a lightweight, quick-drying material that provides good insulation. A front zipper on your insulating layer allows you to release excess body heat and perspiration. Fleece can be treated to be water-resistant, and it may be sufficient alone as your outer layer when it's not too cold.

• Layer 3. This is your shell, your front-line defense against the elements. You want it to be as windproof and waterproof as possible. If the day gets warmer, you can take off this outermost layer. The technology for wind and waterproof fabrics has steadily advanced. In extreme cold, a windproof shell with goose down lining provides excellent retention of body heat without weighing you down.

• Hands and feet. Your hands and feet — the farthest points from your heart and the least insulated — are highly vulnerable to cold. Wool or polypropylene socks are a good choice for insulation and to wick moisture from your feet. Boots that are too tight, either because they’re too small or because you’re wearing too many layers of socks, can reduce circulation and make your toes even colder.

  All-climate shoes are available for winter jogging or hiking. These shoes have a water-resistant outer covering and soles that provide traction and stability.

  In extreme cold, use gloves or mittens that employ the same three-layer system described above. Polypropylene glove liners are a relatively inexpensive accessory that may help keep your hands drier and warmer inside your gloves or mittens. In general, mittens are warmer than gloves because they retain more heat around your fingers.

• Neck and head. You can lose a lot of body heat if your head is exposed to the elements. Again, you'll appreciate something like wool or fleece that wicks away perspiration from your head. Cover your ears. Some skiers favor a fleece head sock (balaclava), which covers your whole head and neck and provides openings only for breathing and vision. Face masks that cover your nose and mouth also are helpful for protecting your face on cold, windy days, and they keep the air that you breathe warmer and more humid.

  Goggles or wraparound sunglasses will protect your eyes from both wind and ultraviolet radiation. Wear sunscreen, especially at high altitudes. Look for a lip balm that contains sunscreen.

Here are more some ideas to keep you safe as you enjoy winter exercise.

• Plan ahead. Putting on snowshoes for a walk in the snow? Let others know your route and when you'll return.

• Start slow. Don't forget to stretch and warm up. It's OK to feel a little chilly when you start exercising outdoors in the cold. You'll soon warm up. But if you go outdoors and you're already perspiring, you can get chilled very quickly.

• Make sure you're visible. Days are shorter in the winter, so if you walk or run before or after work, it may be dark outside. Exercise in daylight, if possible. If it's too cold or icy, head inside for a different physical activity. If you choose to walk at dusk or at night on a city street or a country lane, wear reflective clothing so that drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians can see you. Anticipate that drivers may not be able to stop quickly

• Stay steady on your feet. Choose footwear with enough traction to prevent falls. Beware of slippery surfaces.

• Head into the wind. End your workout — when you're likely to be the sweatiest —with the wind at your back. That way you can avoid frostbite on uncovered areas of your face, which might be covered with perspiration.

• Drink plenty of fluids. Even in cold weather you need to drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. Avoid alcohol.

• Wear a helmet for downhill sports. If you're skiing or snowboarding, you'll notice that helmets are becoming increasingly in style on the slopes — and for good reason. Most ski fatalities occur when skiers hit objects or other skiers. It's especially important for children or adults just beginning to ski or snowboard to wear helmets.

• Talk to your doctor. Some medical conditions make working out in the cold unsafe. Exercising in cold weather can bring on heart-related chest pain (angina). It can also trigger asthma in some people. Wearing a face mask or a scarf over your mouth can warm the air that enters your lungs. If you're older or fairly inactive, talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise program.