Winter & Exercise Motivation
It can be the trickiest time of year to motivate yourself to go out and exercise.
When Joel from More FM Queenstown asked for my take on how to best tackle it, it got me thinking. Here are 3 easy and simple tips to help get you through.
Gift Your Future Self
Think of yourself in 3 months.
My busiest months are September and October. I get slammed. Winter subsides and people are faced with the prospect of Spring, Summer, Holidays and socialising again.
Dammit. Panic. I need to short my s**t out.
They want a quick fix in time for Christmas. All those niggling feelings of being uncomfortable in your own body that have been masked by nights at home and winter layers, come bubbling to the surface.
When you're feeling like exercise in the winter is just too hard.
Think about this article and ask what your Spring self would beg you to do.
Pleasure Not Punishment
Vitamin D is an incredible mood booster and it can be hard to come by in the South Island of New Zealand in the middle of Winter. Getting out for a walk, run, hike or bike ride in the morning or at lunchtime when the sun is at it's peak will give you so many benefits.
As well as upping your daily movement (a far more effective strategy than an hour at the gym), it will boost your mood, your energy levels and fat loss (if that is your goal).
It shouldn't be a chore but something that you do for yourself. Every person that starts a programme with me and begins to move more NEVER regrets the decision. They enjoy it. They just needed a push.
You have two choices. Stay comfortable with the niggling feeling that you should be doing more, or give it a go.
Make it fun for yourself and if it helps your motivation, invest in some new winter workout gear, a new hat, new hiking boots or trail running shoes. Anything that makes the experience more enjoyable for you.
My investment for myself last year? New Timberland hiking boots and boy have I used them. The alternative; putting off morning walks and hikes because my feet would get too cold. I actually lost around 7kg last year (story for another day), without the gym, just simply focusing on food and walking up hills. Would I have achieved that if I had been suffering through with a pair of old trainers and being freezing cold? Probably not.
My other tip? Motivational/ fun podcasts and audio books. The wealth of knowledge you can get from just these sources these days is colossal. You have the equivalent of a university, comedy shows, fitness motivation at your finger tips.
Don't Succumb To The Anonymity Of Winter
We all know this feeling... Ahhhh. Winter's coming. Time to relax and get out the wooly jumpers. Crack a glass of pinot and eat lots of cheese. Just me?
I certainly do do those things, but with less socialising and less of our bodies on show on a daily basis, it can be all to easy to tell ourselves our health and fitness doesn't matter. With a lack of external accountability in the winter (seeing other people... or ourselves to a certain extent) we are more likely to let ourselves go more than we would at other times of years.
What's Your Winter Exercise Plan?
Do you have a plan of how you're going to tackle winter? Even taking a moment to think about it and write down a plan of action can make a huge difference.
The old saying goes that summer bodies are built in the winter and they weren't wrong. I would argue that we shouldn't even live in a world where we consider summer and winter bodies.
If you want to stay healthy.... start now.
If you want to get to the bottom of the key mistakes you're making, get in touch.
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