How to Stay Motivated to Exercise in the Cold Winter Months

21 Nov How to Stay Motivated to Exercise in the Cold Winter Months

The winter months can be a brutal time for some people’s fitness routines, even the most dedicated exercise enthusiast can have a hard time.

When the weather outside is frightful, it can be difficult to get out of bed, let alone get the body moving. However, there are simple ways to stay motivated, even on those days when you just want to lay in bed all day:

Book a group fitness class

Joining a group fitness class at your local gym is another excellent approach to improve your fitness. Kickboxing, circuit training, zumba, yoga, and spinning are all fun ways to motivate you to exercise and you might make new friends along the way!

Invest in home gym equipment

If you really can’t bear the cold, have some workout gear available at home. Start simple and buy a yoga mat and free-weights. YouTube has a wide variety of exercise videos to choose from including yoga, cardio, HITT, strength training, kick-boxing, stretching, zumba, etc!

Remind yourself why it’s important

Sometimes we have to remember why we’re doing something in order to motivate ourselves. Exercise is not only important to our physical health but our mental health as well. Exercising on those gloomy, cold days can help enhance your body’s “feel good” endorphins, which can help you beat the winter blues.

Keep track of your training 

There are a variety of apps and gadgets available to assist you in keeping track of your exercise. It also doesn’t have to be overly technical. Making a note or putting a dot on a calendar or chart will help you see how much you’ve accomplished so far.

Try a winter sport

Skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice skating, and cross-country skiing are all great winter sports to try with your friends or family!

Use the tips above to stay on track with your exercise in the cold winter months. The idea is to remove as many barriers as possible and make small changes that will help you stay active until spring arrives!