Friday Five – Winter YAY or Winter BLAH?

19 January, 2018 Off By Renée

It’s FRIDAY!  Time for another Friday Five!

I’m linking  up with Running on Happy & Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five 2.0 linkup! Check out their blogs for other Friday Five Goodness.

 

 

I know a lot of people who are fair weather fitnessers (is that a word?).  And that’s ok.  Not everyone has the motivation or even feels the NEED to keep going in the winter.  But what if you do feel the need?  How do you keep from feeling blah and unmotivated?  Here’s 5 things I do to keep me going:

 

  1.  Remember that this is the only body and life I have and it’s not going to stay at this particular level of fitness (or improve) if I stop.  OK, that’s already a bit deep to start off with, but it’s true.  I mean just because it’s cold outside do we stop doing everything else?  We still go to work right?  And we still have social stuff going on?  Anyone here completely hibernate for 3 months?  No.  So yes, it’s cold.  It could be snowing, it could be raining, but that’s no reason to NOT take care of myself. Still hate snow and don’t want to run in it, but hey.
  2. Find something ELSE to do.  Don’t want to run in the snow?  How about a spin class?  How about a cardio blast class?  Maybe some yoga to clear and freshen your mind?  You can even stay at home and do burpees, planks and pushups.  Just sayin’.  You don’t even need equipment.  You can do stuff with your own body weight.
  3. Take an active break by going skiing of skating.  I am always frozen to the core afterwards but I definitely have a blast skating.  Check out any indoor rinks near you.    Reward afterwards:  Hot chocolate with whip cream for the non lactose intolerant.
  4. Sign up for a race in the spring and then find an appropriate training plan.  Guess what?  My training plan for my half-marathon in March starts next week.  That’s right.  Even though we just had one of the worst wind and rain storms in the last 50 years, you can bet I’ll be out hitting the pavement, gritting my teeth and cursing the weather gods perhaps, but I’ll be out there!
  5. How about just do the minimum then?  Really don’t feel like doing anything?  Move anyway!  Get in your 10,000 steps each day.  If that means you walk around the office or at home or you take stairs instead of elevators or escalators, then that’s the way it gets done!

 

Exercise is proven to help when you are feeling blah so don’t let the winter get you down!  Keep going!

What’s your top tip for staying motivated in the winter?  How do you keep going?