Fitness and exercise should be lifelong activities to help you keep healthy and help you stay on track with your goals. But let’s face it, there are times of the year where it becomes a little harder to stay motivated – we’re looking at you, winter! So let’s talk about how to stick to a fitness routine in winter.
While it’s a common instinct to want to hibernate in the winter months, you need to break past this mindset and make sure you stick to your goals.
Need some help sticking to your fitness routine this winter? Take a look at the following tips.
Adjust your training plan
Long runs and outdoor workouts are the perfect way to exercise during the summer months, but they become much less appealing with it’s cold, dark and wet outside.
Adjusting your training plan will help you find workouts you can do indoors, in the middle of the day and at times that suit you. You might want to swap some workout days to the weekend, or train later in the day to avoid the darker mornings.
If you want to keep up your training but avoid the gym, check out these winter-friendly workouts that will help you stay fit throughout the colder months.
Train with someone else
One way to help you stay motivated, and accountable, is to train with someone else. A workout buddy can stop you flaking out on your workout, making sure you keep going, even on the days you don’t feel like it. Sharing workouts can mean sharing the motivation, so on the days your partner isn’t feeling it, it’s up to you to push them through it.
Rediscover your motivation
The winter months are long, which can soon make you feel bored or tired of your fitness routine. It doesn’t have to be this way. By finding your motivation, you can push yourself to keep it up. Perhaps you need a new challenge or goal to help you get through winter, but it will be worth it to make sure your training doesn’t slip as you head into the new year.
Support your training with the right diet
The comfort food is always calling in winter, but most classic comfort foods aren’t great for your training routine. Maintaining a healthy diet throughout the winter months will help you stay on track, as well as helping to keep your immune system healthy. Choose a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, and make sure you keep it balanced. Be sure to stock up on weigh protein to help you get an extra protein boost to help support your training. While you can still treat yourself now and then and enjoy the holiday festivities, you’ll be glad you kept your nutrition healthy when everyone else is trying to drop the added pounds in January.
Training in winter is difficult, and it’ll be a strong test of your motivation and resolve to stick with it. Making small changes can help make your winter workouts more appealing, helping you stay on track of your goals and avoid going into hibernation. Start thinking about your plan of action to help you stay on track with your fitness routine and that’s how to stick to a fitness routine in winter.