Winter is coming! Venturing out of your cozy bed in winter to stick to your fitness plan can seem like torture. But sticking to your routine is crucial. It can yield fruitful results that your future self will thank you for.
Here are ways that you can stay motivated and moving even in winter.
Dress in layers
As much as you would love the only layer to be the warm soft covers of your bed to be the only layer that is covering you, it is important to dress right to keep you warm. Have a base, middle, and outer layer to keep you warm while your body is heating up. The base layer can consist of synthetic material that will help keep sweat away from your skin.
Your middle layer is useful for days when the weather is extremely cold. Throw on a soft warm fabric like fleece to help boost the retention of your core heat. The outer layer shouldn't be as thick as you will be sweating it out. Therefore, choose waterproof material for when you decide to go for a run outside.
Pace yourself
Consistency is key when it comes to training. However, it is also important to remember to listen to your body. Avoid doing too much in a short space of time, but focus on gradually building your stamina. Warm-ups and cool-down stretches are a great way to ease your way into your morning or evening sessions. However, should you feel sick you may want to slow down on exercising until you feel better as exercising while you are sick can do more damage.
Mix things up
You don't always have to go to the gym to get on a good session. Instead, focus on mixing it up with home workouts, especially on days where the weather is terrible. The same goes for your workout routine. Sticking to the same workouts every day can be demotivating and cause many of us to lose interest. Therefore, including different exercises to make things more interesting can be the motivation you will need to keep going this winter.
Get an accountability partner
Choose someone who can help you to keep at it. They do not necessarily have to join you for your workouts, but knowing that there will be someone checking up on you to see if you are reaching the goals you set out for yourself can be a driving force to get up and get moving. Remember to set out targets that will be realistically achievable for the week so that you don't end up feeling guilty or doing more than you should to make up for the lost time in the following week.
Always stay hydrated
We may not lose just as many fluids in winter compared to summer, but we still lose them. Make sure that you stay hydrated throughout the day. One of the benefits of winter is that you can strike a balance between hot and cold liquids to keep you going. Drink plenty of water, teas such as green tea or rooibos, and even add natural juices that are high in vitamin c to keep you going. Try to avoid drinks that have added sugars to avoid crashing your system.