How To Stay Motivated to Workout in the Winter
The days are shorter. The sun sets sooner and gets up later. Don’t follow the same pattern as the sun, sitting on the couch sooner and sleeping later. You have to find your motivation to continue your workouts during the dark cold days of winter. You can still put on size and strength in the winter, but you have to consistently workout. Stick to the same workout routine you follow the rest of the year. Maybe instead of running or biking, you cross country ski for cardio. Your strength training doesn’t have to change. The following video is a great routine that will help you put on winter size in the chest, biceps, and triceps. You will increase your strength if you continue to work throughout the winter. Watch the video and we’ll have more tips to help keep you motivated in the winter on your fitness journey.
How to Overcome Your Excuses on Why You Can’t Workout in the Winter
You know them all. It’s dark outside. It’s cold when I get out of bed. I need just one more hour of sleep. I have a late meeting and can’t get to the gym. One day off won’t hurt my fitness goals. It will take longer to get to work because of the snow and traffic. The excuses go on and on. You have used these and many others, but not this winter.
Find your internal motivation to keep your workouts going strong in the winter when everyone else is slacking-off. Remove the obstacles that prevent your workouts. Of course a gym close to your house makes it harder to skip. If you can’t afford a membership, then how about a gym in your basement, spare bedroom, or your third car garage. The Fusion Cables Home Training System provides flexibility in your workouts and will help you change your workouts as often as necessary to help with your winter motivation. As you get stronger the resistance can be added to ensure you can put on size and strength during the winter.
Remember how diligent you are with your workouts in the spring, summer and fall. Winter should be no different. To achieve your fitness goals you can’t take off 3 months. Remember this! Fitness is a lifestyle and a choice. You can do this when you set and follow realistic goals. Lose 10 pounds by spring. Complete 100 pushups. Increase my chest size by 2 inches. Write down your goals and stick them on the frige. This will be a constant reminder of what you want to achieve and how to make it happen.
Winter and its short, dark days can be depressing. It’s called SAD, Seasonal Affective Disorder. It’s real and affects people who have normal mental health throughout the rest of the year. If this is you then of course you could try medication and therapy. The experts also suggest a healthier lifestyle. Go outside more and get sunshine. Become active or maintain your already active weight training habits. During exercise the brain releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins throughout the body. This helps your mood and combats the January blues. Exercise also helps to increase your energy levels. You will be more energetic in spite of the cold winter days.
Plan ahead and prepare for your workout. Pick out your work clothes the night before, make your lunch, and have your workout clothes ready to go when you wake up. Now you don’t need to get up as early. You just have to put on your workout clothes not find them. The time you would have spent making your lunch, deciding what to wear to work and finding these clothes, and finding your work out clothes and getting dressed can be used to complete a winter workout.
Find a workout partner. It is harder to miss a workout when you know someone is waiting on you. Workouts also appear easier and go by faster as your talk throughout them. A partner is also a great motivator. Who can do the most continual push-ups? Or the most Seated Incline Fly’s as demonstrated in the video. Turn the workout into a mini-challenge between yourself and your partner. If you don’t have a partner then set your own goals and work to achieve them. By next week I will be able to complete 25 Straight Arm Pull-Downs with the Ballistic Band. Keep track of your progress. Progress is a great motivator.
Finally remember why you started on this fitness journey anyway. You wanted a healthier lifestyle, better quality of life, and a fitter body that people notice and comment on. You can increase your strength and put on size in the winter. Follow the same workout routine you follow the rest of the year. Remember how much better you will look when spring arrives and you haven’t missed a workout. AMAZING! People will notice. There is no age limit to achieving the results you want. You just have to stay focused and work on them every day.
Winter Eating can be Lethal to Your Fitness Goals
The amount of food and alcohol we consume between Thanksgiving and New Years Day can be staggering. You could gain enough weight in these six weeks that it would take the rest of winter and spring to get back to your weight before the holidays. This time of year will challenge who you are and what you are willing to do, or not do, to achieve your goals. You already know diet is key. You can blow it 1 or 2 times but never in the same week. If you know you are going to have a big meal, then try to eat fewer calories the days before and after your bad meal. The smaller meals will help to offset the larger meal and while your calories will still be in excess it won’t be as bad as it could have been.
The video is a great winter workout that will help keep you motivated because it is challenging. It will help increase your strength if you push yourself when you are working out. You have to push yourself to gain size and strength. Closely monitor the quality and quantity of food you consume. Winter doesn’t have to be a time of hibernation and inactivity. Make it the time of year when you work the hardest to break a sweat. Raise your body temp and your heart rate from working out and then it won’t feel as cold outside because your body is warm from your intense workout. And you know you are continuing your active fitness lifestyle.