Tips to Stay Motivated during Winter Exercise

Many of us find it difficult to keep to our diet and exercise plans during the gloomy winter season. Even though we have worked hard all year to lose weight and get in shape.

Don’t let all of that hard work go down the tube just because it’s cold and gloomy out.

It’s easy to get physical activity when it is warm and sunny outside. We tend to spend more time outdoors working in the garden, walking in the mornings or evenings, riding bikes with the kids, and so on. When someone says “hey, let’s go…” we tend to get up and go.

We seem to have more energy to get out and do things.

Of course a major factor in this motivation is looking great in a bikini or more revealing summer clothes. There isn’t anything wrong with that motivation at all.

We all want to look our best for as long as possible. Besides achieving enourmous health benefits when you lose weight, you look fantastic and feel great.

However, when winter rolls in we want to curl up in our favorite chair wearing a big sweater, or wrapped in a warm cozy blanket with a cup of hot cocoa. It may not be cute, but we don’t care at that point because we are warm and comfy.

That big sweater lends us a false sense of security. We lose our image underneath that big bulky sweater. We don’t see how much damage we could be potentially doing to ourselves by eating and being sedentary.

It is natural, and okay, to want to lay off of your regular exercise routine but completely dropping all physical activity is a BIG NO-NO.

Here are a few things you can do to keep you motivated during the winter.

Start by setting a regular time to work out, and more importantly stick to it. The gloomy weather may cause you to not want to go to the gym, or meet a friend for a class, but you can always put in a DVD and work out in the comfort of your own home. Instead of bundling yourself up to go out in that cold unforgiving weather, you can stay home nice and warm but still get your work out in.

Perhaps you find it easy to skip workout sessions because of the holiday hustle and bustle. Remember that every little bit of activity and exercise adds up, so split it up if you need to. Fifteen minutes in the morning or afternoon, plus another fifteen minutes in the evening or just before bed still adds up to a thirty minute workout or physical activity for the day.

You don’t have to jump up and down for an hour to a specific routing for physical activity to count as exercise. Read your favorite magazine or that new novel you’ve been dying to read while you walk on a treadmill. Dance with the kids or while you vacuum and clean the house. All of this counts as exercise!

Talk to your workout buddy every day, even if you don’t meet up to work out together. Use the phone to keep each other motivated. Use this method especially if you find yourself sitting on the couch not wanting to move…a great motivational friend will have you pumped up to get moving again after a short pep talk.

You know how hard you’ve worked all year to get where you are so why throw it all away just because the winter season lends itself to be the season of frivolity and food?

It may not be easy to stay motivated, but good friends and family can help. Use that help for a boost when you need it.

Stick to your routine as much as possible during the winter and you won’t feel all the after effects of a self-indulging holiday season when it’s over and the sun comes out again. You’ll be one step ahead of everyone else when January rolls around. (And even more importantly, when bikini season returns!)

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