More Motivation for Winter Fitness Goals

two woman workout at the gymAs winter sets in, the chilly weather and grey clouds can be discouraging when it comes to exercising. But if you want to be fit in the colder months, don’t let it drag you down.

Here’s a list of motivational ideas to help you stay active and on track with your fitness this winter.

Go for the goals.

Remind yourself of your goals for exercise and staying in shape. The new year will bring you new enthusiasm, but aside from the typical resolutions, you’ll need longer term goals for your routine. Have health issues you’d like to tackle or offset? What about a planned vacation or occasion this summer? These goals can power you through the winter to get out and get moving.

Bring fitness indoors.

During the winter months when you can’t do as much outside, remember there are many ways to stay active and warm indoors. That includes trying new classes at the gym, changing up your routine to include spa time for recovery, and more. Make it all about you on the inside this winter.

Partner up to make promises.

For many people, when you involve another person, you’re more likely to feel obligated to workout than if you were only promising yourself. The simple step of finding a workout buddy or pairing up with someone at the gym for a certain goal (spotting, new to class, etc.) can be enough to make the difference between showing up or not.

Schedule it in pen.

Don’t just pencil it in, make it a point to carve out time for fitness. This can mean signing up for a class, or simply marking your workouts as essential habits on your calendar that you never skip. These are non-negotiable self-care appointments that you keep with yourself. Your commitment will help you make it past the dreary weather and comforts of home when you won’t want to head to the gym.

Don’t let a lack of time get you down.

It’s winter, and that can mean everything takes longer, especially if you live where inclement weather causes commuter problems. But if you live there, you should plan on that! Don’t let the extra time it takes to put on boots and a coat keep you from your commitments to your health. Look for ways you can work around the winter snafus to carve out the shortcuts you need to keep motivation high.

Find ways to make it work.

The dark commute home after work got you down? Why not switch your winter workouts to the lunchtime hour? You can pop in the gym for a light workout to make sure you don’t skip it tonight. And the rest of your day will be better for the extra boost of self-esteem you get from sticking to your goals.

Treat yourself to new workout wear.

Getting into something warm and cozy for your winter exercise can make all the difference. Bonus if the fit is great and you feel good in your new threads. For some folks, upgrading your clothing can symbolize the level of self-care you deserve, and could even help you perform better. Put on those new gym shoes and enjoy your workouts!

Leave a Reply

XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>