You finally have your fitness routine down. You finally figured out what you enjoy doing to stay active through the spring and summer…then winter hits. Now that the days are getting shorter and cooler, it’s becoming harder to keep up with your routine and easier to skip your workout. However, it doesn’t have to be this way!
Even with the cold winter days, there are some wonderful ways to stay active this season.
Trick Your Mind
Waking up early to workout or getting the energy to do so after work can sometimes be challenging. The cold weather may make you want to stay in bed a little longer and the shorter days may trick you into thinking it is time to shut down earlier than it really is. Instead of possibly feeling overwhelmed by focusing on the entire workout you planned to complete, just focus on starting. If your goal is to complete ten push-ups, tell yourself you will only do one. Once you are up and moving and have completed one push-up, you are more likely to keep going to hit your goal of ten than you are to stop. Similarly, if you have a thirty minute workout video you would like to complete but are having a hard time getting started, just tell yourself you will complete five minutes. Once five minutes are done, you may be very happy and surprised with yourself that you have decided to keep going. Try this trick for any activity you are struggling to begin and you just may end up completing the entire thing.
Use Work to Your Advantage
What better way to get active than to spend some time at work doing so. If you are someone who is fairly sedentary at work, take advantage of your breaks throughout the day. If you are sitting at a desk, get up and stretch every hour or two. This will allow your blood to get flowing, and can help boost your energy, concentration and efficiency throughout your work day. Are there stairs you can walk up and down? Are there long corridors you can get some steps in? How is the weather outside? Are you able to bundle up and walk a loop or two around the parking lot? These are all questions you can ask yourself and ways you can use your work day to your advantage. If you’re looking for a challenge, start track your steps. You may be very excited to see just how much you can walk in a few ten minute breaks.
Take Advantage of an Emptier Gym
Although the gym may not be your number one priority right now, think about where you would be in a month if you began to go a few times per week? The holiday season may be a very busy and hectic time for you, but it may also be the best time to get ahead of the game. During this time of year, prior to the new year beginning, the gyms are usually emptier. This will allow you to not have to stress about finding that parking spot or getting on your favorite machine. It will also give you the space to try out new machines, learn your way around, and begin to build a routine for yourself. The best way to begin an exercise routine at a gym is to just get started. Getting started is the most challenging part, but the feeling of accomplishment you will have afterwards will make it worth it!
Even though the cold mixed with the shorter days can seem like it gets in the way of our exercise routines, there are still ways to increase your activity during the winter months. The next time you are struggling with staying active through the winter, check out these tips for trying something new.
If these tips resonated with you, be sure to check this out to learn how to begin to prepare for winter now!