I’ve been wondering lately why I constantly find myself sitting around doing nothing, or watching TV when there’s so much I’d rather be doing. You can probably relate if you’ve ever found yourself in a similar situation and coming up with excuses to avoid working out.
When the weather is nice, I enjoy outdoor activities like hiking and camping during my free time. But as soon as it starts raining or snowing, that all stops immediately and I go inside feeling completely unmotivated and uninterested in being outside no matter how hard I try. – Why does this happen? And what can we do about it?
We all know that the winter season can be a difficult time to stay motivated and get in shape. It’s cold outside, you don’t want to have to bundle up and go outside, it is dark earlier, there are more holidays during this time of year (which means less motivation), etc. But did you know that even though these challenges exist, people who focus on fitness as their main goal accomplish more than those who give up before they start? Read this blog post for tips on how to stay motivated through the winter!
1. Find your motivation
A little motivation goes a long way when you are forced to perform an activity that offers no immediate gratification. For those who have ever been really into sports and exercise, you know what I mean. Once you experience that feeling of euphoria following an intense workout, teaching your body how to do things beyond what it thought was possible, it becomes addictive. The more you work out and focus on your health, the better you will feel.
The feeling of sweating profusely because your body is working so hard to keep up with an intense workout can be extremely rewarding, especially when it really presents itself later in life as being muscular and fit. You are capable of more than what your mind tells you when you think about exercising. It’s a state of mind that takes time to develop for some people but once you’re there it feels pretty awesome!
2. Use a health tracking app to help keep you accountable
One great tool to have in your arsenal is a health tracking app. I use the Runkeeper running/walking tracker and it makes it fun to be outside when I’m exercising because I can compete against myself online with my past performances, find other people who are also doing the same activities as me, receive real-time live updates of my run/walk progress.
It’s pretty awesome being able to go back onto the Runkeeper screen at any time and see where you have been and how far you’ve come! This helps me stay motivated knowing that if I showed up for work today or went out in below 0 degree weather to run or walk for 30 minutes, then that makes tomorrow 5 minutes more bearable.
I’d love to see if you guys are using any health tracking apps. This could benefit someone who’s looking for a way to stay motivated and have fun doing it!
3. If you can’t workout outside, find an alternative indoor gym or activity center
Not everyone lives in an area where they can easily workout outdoors but want something more than just hitting the treadmill on rainy days inside the gym where they work. If you find yourself in this position, then it’s time to get creative.
Browse around and locate an indoor gym that has different kinds of equipment and various activities for cardio. Look up nearby yoga studios or boxing classes that may be available in your city. Find something fun to do outside of the normal routine so that when you go there with other people, after a few weeks/months, it stops feeling like going to the “gym” because they offer other alternatives than just sitting on a stationary bike pedaling away!
4. Take the time to warm up before you start exercising
Always plan to start your workout with a warm up so that you can prevent fatigue and injury during the latter part of your exercise routine. Some good ways to warm-up are doing light stretches, jogging in place for 5 minutes, or even playing a game like catch with someone else before you get started. This way you will be more flexible and ready for action!
Some people start their workout by warming up with running in place or on a machine but this is only effective if you are going to get really intense with your workout. The warm-up is about preparing yourself for action, not getting ready for the long haul.
5. Dress appropriately
Dressing appropriately means wearing layers of clothing that will keep you warm and dry if it’s wet outside, or loose fitting clothes that won’t restrict your movements if it’s cold out.
Depending on what time of year it is, you’re going to want to dress warmly enough. Sometimes that means wearing sweatpants, hats/beanies and even gloves when your hands are freezing! A nice way I’ve found to keep my head warm is by getting a hat that has earmuffs attached – It’s like a built-in scarf with pressure points which helps me avoid overheating or getting too sweaty. Although if it’s below freezing temperatures outside, then I’ll be sure to also wear an extra layer on top of what’s already in place so that I don’t freeze solid by the end of my walk/run.
6. Find an indoor workout routine that you enjoy for days with bad weather.
For those days when it’s really bad weather like rain and storms, then it’s time for some indoor exercise. You can find a nearby gym with different types of equipment or even do some things in your house that doesn’t involve stepping foot outside. Find something fun that will keep you motivated by going to an indoor center every once in awhile instead of dreading staying inside on bad weather days!
7. Reward yourself after your workout with something small like a piece of chocolate or coffee .
For whatever reason you have to exercise, the end result is always positive! So if you can’t think of anything else to reward yourself with then it’s time to start doing a little something extra. The trick here is that it’s not all about the physical exercise – It’s also about treating yourself mentally after you do an activity that you don’t necessarily like or want to do.
8. Set up reminders to work out at the same time each day
If you don’t schedule your workouts, then you’re more likely to not do them. So it’s important that if you have time of day in which you want to work out, then block off the hours on your calendar or even set-up some alarms! This will help keep things consistent and remind you that at a certain time each day, working out is something that needs to happen just like eating or showering every morning. You decide what works best for your lifestyle!
9. Watch motivational videos on YouTube
YouTube offers many great videos that can help get you motivated to work out. Watch what other people find inspiring and then use their stories as your own! If you’re going to be doing something like a walk or run outdoors in the cold, then it’s even better if you visualize yourself happily running along while someone is talking passionately about how amazing it feels to exercise outside. Find inspiration in others and show them why they should also be motivated by what they see!
If you are someone who feels they’ll never be able to accomplish anything by working out, then you likely aren’t going to set goals that will help motivate you to stay active. Start small and once you reach one milestone, create another goal that’s even more challenging than the last one. Don’t think about how long it takes everyone else, go at YOUR pace and respect what your body can do instead of trying to make up time by pushing past soreness and fatigue. Adapting to changes in your body takes time and should not be forced. It’s all about progress, not perfection!