How can I motivate myself to exercise during the winter?
Dark mornings and evenings, plus cold and wet weather make everyone feel like hibernating! In order to see on-going improvements with your fitness, though, it’s important to stay consistent and the best and longest-lasting results happen when people exercise regularly throughout the year – not just in intensive bursts leading up to summer holidays or special events. Try to think of the longer-term benefits of staying active all year round, which should act as some motivation to keep going.
Accountability is another way to stay motivated. My clients often say that one of the main benefits of having a personal trainer is being accountable to someone – they know I’m waiting and don’t want to let me down! But if your budget doesn’t stretch to a PT, see whether you can find a workout buddy, then write your sessions in your diary and stick to them as you would a personal training session or an important meeting. Knowing you have someone to exercise with you, but also someone depending on you too, will make you much less likely to skip your workout.
One of the major benefits of almost every form of exercise is that it helps to boost blood flow and circulation, so you can also think of your workouts as personal central heating for winter! Whether it’s yoga, swimming, running or a dance class, they’ll all increase your heart rate and help you stay warm, even when it’s cold outside!
