How to Stay Motivated to Exercise During Winter

Don’t know about you, but when the dark nights start kicking in, finding the motivation to exercise can be tricky. We wake up when it’s dark and we also finish work when it’s dark. As the days get shorter, finding the time and motivation to exercise can feel like a mammoth task!

As it feels so much easier to get up and get the body pumping in the summer months, when winter hits, so does our motivation to exercise. Now, if we want to exercise outdoors, we have to drag ourselves out of bed in the cold and get soaked by rain!

As it is key to remember, you only ever regret the workout you didn’t do. Read on to find out our top tips for staying motivated when the dark mornings and nights arrive.

Top tips for getting up and moving in the winter months

Below are our top tips for getting up and getting moving in the winter months:

• Stop hitting that snooze button
• Find a workout buddy
• Keep your body well hydrated
• Make nutritional changes
• Invest in some gym gear
• Make sure you always warm up!

1. Stop hitting that snooze button!

Don’t lie, we all do it! We set an alarm for the perfect time in the morning to get up and be productive – then when the time comes we hit snooze about 5 times and end up waking up an hour later!

However, if you actually get up on the first round of your alarm and turn snooze off, you will feel much more productive and proud of yourself for not being lazy.

As a tip, we recommend leaving your phone on the other side of the room, so when you wake up, you physically have to get out of bed to turn the alarm off. Don’t get back into bed though!

2. Find a workout buddy

There’s no excuse to say no when your friend wants to go to the gym. Having a workout buddy can help you on those days where you really don’t want to go to the gym. Believe you me, after you have gone, you’ll feel great.

As staying motivated is much easier when you have someone else at the side of you, think of all your friends that would be interested in gym activities and encourage each other to keep on track!

Furthermore, before you arrive at the gym or do any form of exercise, set yourselves a goal. If you plan a joint workout with someone else, you’ll be more inclined to stick to your plan and reach your fitness goals.

3. Keep your body well hydrated

We all know water is key and maintaining good hydration levels can help you stay motivated too! As it is important to drink enough water, to keep your body healthy, little did you not know but, water can work to aid weight loss too.

We recommend drinking a glass of water before bed every night and drink another one first thing every morning. Keeping your mind and body hydrated is a great way to fuel your body and flush out toxins, setting yourself up for a productive day. If you’re working from home or studying make sure you keep drinking water throughout the day, it will leave you feeling great and productive.

4. Make nutritional changes

With Christmas just around the corner, we all fall into bad eating habits with unhealthy food. As chocolate and mince pies are hard to resist, try making simple changes to your nutrition to stay on track.

We’re all tempted with Halloween sweets and Christmas chocolates, however by saying no this will help you in the long run. Maintaining proper nutrition is important to help you reach your physical fitness goals, but it also helps to keep you in that healthy mindset and stay motivated to continue with your fitness journey.

5. Invest in some gym gear

Whether your male or female, let’s face it, we all love new clothing, especially new gym gear. Getting some new gym leggings will help you feel comfortable and confident, encouraging you to be much more motivated in the gym.

As a top tip, try laying your gym clothes out the night before exercising. In the morning you’ll be raring to go and you don’t have to waste time deciding what to wear.

6. Make sure you always warm up!

Getting that heart rate pumping and muscles working before you workout can give you that much needed push to  carry on with your workout. Loosening the muscles and keeping them flexible will mean you’ll have better form and be less likely to suffer from injury.

As injury can set you out of working out for weeks, it’s important to warm up and build up motivation before you begin exercising.

As our final tip, we recommend using a foam roller or massage gun as part of your warm up routine. These products work by stimulating the blood flow in the muscle to repair tissue, improve flexibility and increase range of motion.

Tips for staying motivated in winter

Staying motivated in winter is a tricky one, but don’t worry, follow our top tips to stay motivated this winter. Give some of the above a go.