By February, the bloom is off the leftover roses from Valentine's Day. Winter's charms are either in abundance by February (ice storms aren't so pretty when you're still waiting for the electricity to come back from the last one) or have barely made an appearance. Either way, most people are ready for a change. Ask anybody who lives in Oswego County, NY.

But spring is (technically, at least) just around the corner. And sometimes the best defense for the winter blues is a good offense. In other words: get yourself off the couch and into the cold.

Hey -- I'm not suggesting you just stand in the wind, shivering for nothing! Get your blood flowing with a good workout. Skiing and sledding won't work if you're not around snow. Ice skating is great if you're graceful, but not everyone is an Elvis Stojko.

So I'm going to stick my neck out and suggest something so pedestrian you may have overlooked it: walking. Walking increases your energy level, can be done just about anywhere and it improves your mood. And it gets you from one place to another.

You probably know the drill on outdoor workouts in cold air, but let's go over important as you prepare to head out for a cold weather hike:

• Make sure you're in the clear for a cold air workout. Get your doctor's okay before doing any kind of cold air exercise.
  
• Dress in layers. Start with a thin layer of manmade material that draws sweat away from your body. A few thin layers on top will trap the heat between layers and help you stay nice and warm.
  
• Head into the wind. Once you start walking off extra energy, you'll want a nice push on the way home.
  
• Water, water, water! Somehow it doesn't seem as necessary to bring a bottle of water (or two) with you for cold air workouts. Guess what? It's just as important to hydrate in the winter as in the summer.
  
• Too cool for school. On days when the wind chill is so low that schools are cancelled, don't be that person who ignores the elements and keeps on exercising. Take a day off.
  
• Treat yourself. Have some hot chocolate when you're done. Made with skim milk, it's a nice cold weather treat to reward yourself for a job well done.
  

Keep tuned to me and to the Weather Plus forecasting team to make sure it's not too cold for a winter walk in your neck of the woods.