10 Tips to motivate yourself to exercise this winter

Once we enter the month of December, we officially dial down our training, attend endless Christmas parties and usually believe that we will be able to return to a normal routine in January.

Here are some tips on how to motivate yourself to exercise by modifying your training and nutrition habits during the holiday season to keep fit and healthy throughout the new year.

 

1. Wins of the day

Instead of becoming obsessed with daily goals, a positive process is to write down what we felt good about during the day.

It could be anything, from feeling happy to wake up to the sound of our favourite song, the aroma of coffee or having done 20 push-ups unbroken. The mind needs to be fed with positive thoughts, why not make them optimistic and productive starting this winter?

 

2. Seasonal sports

Cold season is the perfect time to go outside and practice a winter sport. We can plan a winter trip, weekend, or take advantage of the newly set up ice ring in town. Moving in the cold weather surprises our bodies which must tap into unknown resources to keep us safe while working out and battling against the cold.

 

3. Fitness Christmas present

Whereas it is a Pilates ball, a jumping rope, or an elastic band, a new piece of equipment is a reminder of what we have accomplished all year long. No need to wait for the new year to use it, we can do so right away.

 

4. Something new

After a year of attending the same type of classes, we need a change of routine. Boxing day has numerous offers and discounts for us to try a new class, a new coach and a new atmosphere.

 

5. Keep eating the same way

The holidays are for most of us synonym of Christmas parties, food and drinks. We don’t have to quit our entire healthy habits just because we are going out a couple of nights during the week.

We should only have one rule: the rest of the week, we keep healthy meals, as if nothing happened. No need to reduce calories or ‘save up’, this could only lead to disaster.

 

6. Intense fitness routine

The best way to get over an indulgent meal is not to starve the next day but to increase the amount of reps around that meal. Core especially is an excellent body part to work on. If we are sore quickly, it is a great reminder of the amount of work we have accomplished so far.

 

7. Christmas movie and the foam roller

There will be many nights where we will be laying down lazily on the couch. A better way to use up this time without missing our favourite series or movie? Use the foam roller to stretch and mobilize. We won’t end up feeling inactive and our bodies will thank us later.

 

8. Lunch time workouts

If we are used to working out early mornings or after work, perhaps during winter time we need to change our routine and introduce a lunch time workout timeframe.

It is harder to train when it is dark outside. We increase our chances of attending classes by 90% by modifying our workout schedules.

 

9. Warm sweater

If the thought of entering a cold studio room in a tee shirt frightens us, we should make it a habit to take with us a warm cosy sweater. Even if that means carrying an additional piece of clothing in our already over loaded bag.

 

10. Colourful meals and snacks

Dark outside, dark clothes, dark thoughts?

If that is the case, adding touches of colour in foods might cheer us up. There are many Instagram feeds who present morning breakfast in such a delightful and appetising way that it would be a shame not to be inspired by it. Oranges, mangos, strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes, and olives create an array of wonderful colours. It instantly brightens up a minute of our day, leaving us satisfied and winter proof!