How To Stay Motivated In The Winter

Now we all know as the winter comes in to stay it becomes a very challenging time to stay motivated and productive while working towards your fitness goals. I don’t know about you, but leaving for work in the dark and coming back in the dark just makes me want to get nice and cosy inside and hibernate for the evening.

 

Your day-to-day work schedule stays the same and you still give it your 110% so don’t let you other goals fall short! Luckily winter only lasts so long and we have some tips which will hopefully help you maintain your productivity and smash your goals through this cold period!

 

KEEP YOURSELF WARM

 

Whether its outdoor training like running or indoor weight training, the best thing you can do is stay warm. When running outside we would suggest adding some extra layers, this will take you seconds and you won’t regret, a hat and gloves along with base layers will make a world of difference. Doing a thorough warm up inside before you run will help loosen the muscles and prepare them for the cold wind outside, this will also promote the blood flow and keep you warm!

 

When training indoors we are fortunate that most gyms will have its own heating system which will keep you warm throughout your session. While extra layers may not be necessary while training, wearing them to and from the gym will be a big help in keeping your warm before and after your session. We would also suggest incorporating a few stretches before you train and also a warm up set before you get after the bigger weight! This is a good way to loosen up your muscles and get into the workout mindset while raising your body temperature.

 

BRING A WORKOUT BUDDY

 

You will not be alone in this period, there are hundreds if not thousands of people out there all feeling the same and losing motivation. Recruit a friend or family member and push each other to get after it, having someone who you can frequently exercise with and keep you accountable will not only motivate you but will also motivate them! This doesn’t mean you have to go to the gym, run, cycle every time. You can schedule a walk and get in some steps, taking advantage of the sunlight on the weekends will boost your body’s vitamin D supply which will then help your body against any colds you may get, it’s a win win! Remember to wrap up and keep warm as mentioned above!

 

DO YOUR WORKOUTS AT HOME

 

There will be days which going to the gym or going outside will be a no go, may this be your snowed in or the heating is hitting different, however after the madness that was 2019 by now we all know that you don’t need the gym to exercise. You can get a solid workout from the comfort of your own home, let’s be honest, we all bought weights in 2019, we see you!

 

Even if you do not have weights, there are plenty of things you can do to keep you working towards your goals!

 

  • Resistance Bands – These come in all weights and colours and are a very good and cheap alternative to weights. You will be able to hit all areas using these bands as you will be able to wrap them round doors, banisters, yourself, the list goes on!
  • HIIT Training – HIIT or high-intensity interval training is a training technique where you give all out over a period of time, followed up with short and sometimes active rest periods. These workouts can even be completed in less than 20 minutes, giving you a sense of achievement in a short period of time!
  • Yoga – Now some of us may have never tried yoga before, but the benefits of it are just unreal! Not only will they help with day-to-day life but this will also help with improving your strength, balance and flexibility all this which can be transferred to weight lifting/cardio work. Definitely give this a go and learn something new!

 

TRAIN AT TIMES THAT SUIT YOU

 

Waking up in a warm bed when it’s cold outside is the downfall for anyone, the temptation to blow off you’re training for a few more minutes in bed is very common and you should not feel bad about this!

 

If you are a morning person and training first thing suits you the most, we would advise having all of your workout wear out and ready to go. This means you can literally roll out of bed and straight into your workout wear giving you the motivation boost to get it done. If possible, you could also schedule your heating to come on e.g. if you wake up at 6:30am and out the house by 7am, you can schedule your heating to come on between 6am-7am, giving you that warm feeling in and out of bed.

 

If the morning isn’t for you and you have given in to the warmth of your bed, we totally get you! Training in the evening will mean that the day has slightly warmed up and you will be able to make sure that you are fully fuelled throughout the day. We would suggest having a complete plan of what you are going to do in your training session, this means that you can get straight into it without waiting around. We would also suggest having either a prepped meal for when you get home or something that you can cook up easily, you don’t want to get home and be starving!

 

NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

 

Even on days which you simply do not want to train, why should your supplement regime come to a halt? Keeping up with your health supplements and protein will keep you motivated throughout the season and help you either maintain your current results or push you to gain further results! Products we would suggest to keep you fuelled and fighting off the winter blues:

 

 

Hopefully this blog has helped you think of ways which you can implement the above into your new daily winter life! Remember, not training and giving yourself extended rest days is not an issue and never will be, listen to your body!

 

If you have any questions please contact us info@alistnutrition.com or leave a comment below!

 

Have a great day!

 

Team A-List

 

 

Leave a comment