The days are becoming shorter, darker, and colder. You leave the house in the dark and return home in the dark as well. When you finish your day, you want just to go home, snuggle under a blanket and not go out unless necessary.
It’s difficult to stay focused on your training during the winter months because nature doesn’t adapt to you; so, you must adapt to nature. Total Body in Atlanta wants to encourage you to embrace the winter season, and plan, so your exercise goals don’t suffer.
Keep Moving
Resist the urge to just sit there – Get up and move! During the summer, we tend to get exercise out of the way early, before it gets too hot. Now that it’s winter you should keep the same mindset, and do your workout early as well. So, this tip is simple, don’t change a thing, but stay motivated and keep your morning exercise habit throughout the winter months.
Reflect and Set Goals
Re-focus, re-group, and set new goals. It’s critical to take a breath to give yourself some well-deserved accolades to maintain your confidence level. Identify and applaud what you’ve achieved but aim for new heights this winter. And this is important – Write it down! Visualize what you want to accomplish and review often. Track your progress and don’t dwell on what didn’t happen but focus on what you’re going to make a reality.
These goals must have a deadline and must be achievable. Remember, total body fitness is a marathon, not a sprint!
Accept the Reality
The weather will only get worse so don’t dwell on the situation but embrace the challenge. Also, transition your workouts indoors. Have a plan in place which will motivate you to be faithful to goals and not binge-watching Netflix at home. Join a facility which stresses the importance of fitness and health.
Ditch the Excuses
Make your fitness routine mandatory and avoid making lame excuses about why you shouldn’t. Repeat after me, “weather is not an excuse.” Find new motivations or find a training regimen you will enjoy which will keep you off the couch eating Doritos while watching Andy Griffen reruns.
Put your training sessions in your diary and treat them like a business meeting. Make it a “must do,” priority.
Hydrate
Warm weather workouts are easily focused on hydration because you get very hot and very thirsty. But when the cold temperatures are present it’s easy to forget the necessity to hydrate. Unfortunately, dehydration causes a drain on your energy level and in turn, your motivation. It also makes you think you’re hungry and causes unnecessary snacking.
When hydrating, the best thing to drink is water. It will hydrate your body and decrease its appetite. If cold drinks are less inviting during colder weather aim for water with ginger and lemon.
Make It a Team Effort
Engage with an accountability partner or group. When others are involved in your routine, it makes it harder to miss and let them down. An organized training regimen with others will hold you accountable and make you show up. Shared goals with an individual or group will keep you motivated, and what is more motivating than training with other motivated people who will root for you and want you to succeed? As a bonus, working out with others is not quite as boring and can be more fun than doing it by yourself.
Look Good While Working to Look Good
Okay, ladies, it’s time to go shopping. See how fun this can be. Go out and get some new gear so you can feel great while you exercise. New kicks and some stylish gear can go a long way to make you get out of the house and look good while you work out with others. If you’re having difficulty accepting this, think of the hot new outfits you can wear with confidence at every special occasion.
Always Have a Plan B
We have all been there. You wake for that bike ride or outdoor run only to find a monsoon sweeping through the neighborhood. It is wet and miserable, and no way are you going out there to burn a few calories. This is a situation where an indoor workout option can come in handy. If you utilize a work out facility, then the problem is easily resolved.
Get Enough Sleep
Getting your proper shut-eye is critical, especially to stay motivated in the mornings. When you wake refreshed and ready to conquer the world, that may include the workout before you. But when you wake sluggish and tired, motivation often goes out the window for a quick pull at the covers and an extra hour of sleep.
You should go to bed early enough to get seven to eight hours of sleep. The easy part is, your workout regimen will make this easier.
If you would like help with maintaining a workout regimen during the winter or perhaps starting one, we can help at Total Body of Atlanta. Contact us here to set up a free consultation and start to getting healthy and looking great.
