Winter can be a tough time to keep to our training regimes. The mornings are colder and the evenings are darker which can lead to us snoozing our alarms and dashing to get home in the evenings without giving much thought to our usual workouts. This doesn’t need to be the case, we can follow simple steps to keep ourselves motivated through the winter months well into the new year when the weather gets better and the days get longer.
Embrace The Weather & Early Starts
Instead of avoiding the cold, embrace it. The famously disciplined Shaolin monks train in any conditions because it builds character. You don’t have to go to the Himalayan mountains, but getting outside for some fresh air/dip in the pool will be good for your mind as well as your body. If it rains? You toughen up!
Hook Yourself Up With New Gear
On that note, you’ll want some new clothes and/or shoes to help you get outside, or into the gym more often. Clearly, this will help you look better while working out, but more importantly, it will provide you with the proper apparel to face the cold, and the monetary investment should motivate you to make your purchases worthwhile. Try to find a happy medium with your budget – don’t feel the need to spend too much but don’t automatically go for the cheapest available thermal leggings or gloves unless you can tell that they will be effective.
Focus On The Benefits
The gravitational pull of the bed is very strong at 6am, especially when it is cold and dark outside. That’s why you need to remind yourself of the benefits exercise brings you. You want to manage your stress levels, have an abundance of energy and feel good about yourself rather than falling asleep at your desk, feeling overwhelmed and overweight. So get a piece of paper and write down all the ways exercise adds to the quality of your life. Stick it on the fridge, along with your photo, and read it regularly, particularly when you are feeling flat.
Refresh Your Workout Playlist
It’s a new year and the weather sucks, so it’s time for some new music to get you going. Bear in mind that the best exercise music has been found to be between 120 and 140 beats per minute, and try to work out to some material you’re not that familiar with for a change.
Reward Yourself
When you reach your goal, reward yourself. Not with a big cake, but with something special like a new outfit for your new body. There’s nothing like working towards a goal, achieving it, then splashing out to say: “Well done me”.