How to Stay Motivated to Exercise during the Cold Months
It can certainly get challenging to keep up with your workout during the winter. The mornings and evenings are dark and cold, and sometimes the daytime is frigid. Bad weather can set in, as can illnesses like colds and flu.
What can you do to stay motivated to work out during these cold months? It is possible! Here are some tips.
Stay Healthy
Take a good multi-vitamin and make sure your diet is excellent to help stave off illness. Getting a good night’s sleep is important for wellness, too, and puts you in a much better mood for working out. You start the day with more energy, and it’s a lot easier to get up early (if that’s when you work out) if you’re well-rested.
The Right Gear
If you have the right workout gear, it’s much more comfortable to work out if you are going to be outdoors. Moisture-absorbing, thermal underwear and lightweight, insulating layers are the way to go.
Also, investing in some new gear and clothing could be another way to stay motivated — it’s more fun when you have new things to wear!
Find a Friend
Exercising can be more fun with a friend, and he or she can hold you accountable. It gives you someone to talk to and can be social time you look forward to rather than just workout time. And if someone will be waiting for you to show up for your workout, you’re more likely to get there.
Indoor Activities
Even in a small house and in the absence of a gym membership, you have options for aerobic exercise. Consider a yoga ball, for example, or workout videos. You also might invest in a small trampoline to do some jogging in place – the springy cushioning of the trampoline is easier on your joints than running on pavement.
Fun Stuff
Try to find activities you enjoy for your winter exercise. You’re not likely to stay motivated if you hate your workout!
Winter might be the time to join that yoga or belly dancing class you’ve been wanting to take; it might be a good time to sign up for martial arts classes or dance-based aerobics. Paying for a class and making an attendance commitment can go a long way toward keeping you motivated.
Get Ready
Nothing puts you off your workout like being disorganized — you can’t find your gym bag, or your running shoes, or your gloves. You may use up all your workout time hunting for items you need!
The night before, lay out your gear. Fill your water bottle and put it in the fridge. Lay out shoes and socks by the door, and pack your gym bag. This only takes a few minutes, but can take up all kinds of time in the morning when you have other distractions!
These are only some of the ways you can stay motivated to keep exercising throughout Winter.
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