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Winter is for burrowing. I know this, bears know this, everyone knows this.

Or, at least, that’s what I thought until I spent some winters in Boston, a city known for getting very cold in the winter and also for being populated by people who are suspiciously enthusiastic about jogging. When the temperatures dipped and I nestled deep within my radiator-heated apartment, I’d still see hordes of people outside running—smugly, it seemed, though it’s possible that I was projecting—across the frosty sidewalks.

What do they know that I don’t? I would think, swaddled in my blanket on the couch.

The answer, it turns out, is pretty simple: It basically boils down to layers of sweat-wicking fabric, a good pre-run warmup, some visibility gear, and maybe some YakTrax if it’s slippery.

The Nessie dove deep on what makes outdoor running in the winter not just safe, but also… enjoyable. It’s possible! But before you head out, you’ll need to ask yourself three questions:

1. Can I keep myself dry?

2. Can I keep myself warm?

3. Do I have good visibility?

If the answer is “no” to even one of those questions, it’s best to do an indoor workout instead. If you’re good to go, you can bundle up, throw on some winter running shoes, do some calisthenics to get the blood moving, and trot outside.

I plan to do some outdoor running this winter myself while holding very close to this pro tip: If it gets too cold, you can always go home.

Sara, editor of The Nessie

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Oat milk chocolate peanut butter cups! They’re vegan, use coconut oil instead of palm or peanut oil, and the sweeteners are natural and on the low-glycemic index

I wanted this neck and shoulder relaxer before I even knew what it was—the woman in the photo lying in a supine position with her neck cradled by the little ergonomic wave… I want it to be me

Some of the best products are born not just out of necessity, but by the people that actually need and use them. Like Snibbs shoes, made by and for people regularly on their feet. (They recommend the Orbit for people regularly on the move during their shifts and the Spacecloud for people working around liquids and standing in place.)

I’ll forever recommend Hoka for yourself, for loved ones, as a corporate gift to your employees… the cushiest, coolest shoe out there right now IMO, and they have a bunch on sale

That being said, the VIA Olympus sneaker from Altra looks like it could come for Hoka’s cushy title

I don’t typically love when brands drop holiday editions of their products—they are a little too Yuletide for my taste—but Material’s Chive knives set is agnostic enough in aesthetic that I’d enjoy it on my countertop year-round

If I had just 100 more square feet in my apartment I’d probably take the plunge and order a treadmill, but not one of those fancy ones, this highly reviewed folding one that’s under $400

A great gift if you’re tired of more things is a subscription. You can give someone a whole year of AllTrails, which is essentially a ton of free, downloadable maps and incentive to go on an adventure somewhere new

Another gift idea: A subscription to The Coconut Cult. As someone who has driven to their local fancy supermarkets trying to find it on the shelves to no avail, I’d be super stoked to be gifted a month or two of this dreamy looking probiotic yogurt

Just a really cute puffer vest for running in the cold

Pretty cool that Xbox has partnered with Calm to bring video game soundscapes to the meditation app. They’re only available if you have the Premium subscription

Shoutout to our readers for some cool recs this week. Melany S put Asutra’s Melt Pain Away magnesium body butter with capsaicin on our radar. She says it smells like lemongrass “instead of that awful medicinal smell of so many pain aids”

Kyle H shared Wellow with us. The brand makes compression socks out of sustainable bamboo, and Kyle says that people have been loving the Just The Basics bundle. We’ve got a deal for you below : )

Shopping for a toxin-free kitchen

If it feels like everyone is sick right now, you’re not wrong

A good cold does not exist

And of course there’s a TikTok trend to relieve your symptoms—just drink onion water!—only there’s no scientific evidence to prove this actually works

End-of-life care is now an exploitative $22-billion-dollar industry

Another study says that eating ultraprocessed foods is not good for you

Pulse oximeters—the little devices you clip on your finger to read your blood oxygen level—don’t always work as well for people with dark skin tones

“But these specific menopause skincare lines don’t seem to provide anything that you can’t find in a good cream from Sephora”

Compression socks have a number of health benefits, like improving circulation in your legs and lymphatic drainage. They do this by applying a gentle pressure to your legs and ankles. Typically, I don’t align circulation-friendly socks with a cool aesthetic, but Wellow’s compression socks are cool! And our readers can get 20% off their first order with the code NESS20 (One of my favorites is the Hiker’s Trio)

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We write for people looking for approachable health and wellness finds and insights. All products and services are independently selected to provide recommendations you can trust. We may receive commission on purchases made from some of our links, but that’s not why we’re here. We just want to help you find good stuff.