The cooler weather is officially rolling in, making it very temping to hibernate indoors with the heater cranking and your dressing gown on.

It’s no wonder that at this time of year, people start to struggle to maintain their exercise and fitness routines that seemed so much easier just a few weeks ago.

Getting yourself into the gym or heading out for a run on cold, dark mornings or evenings require extra motivation during these cooler months. CSSM Osteopath Jaimi Schroen has all the tips you need to keep yourself on track to smash your fitness goals.

1. Have the right outfit
The bad weather doesn’t seem so bad when you are wearing the right outfit, keeping you warm and protected from the elements.

Work out clothing options are endless these days. You can have thermals, rain coats, wind breakers, water proof runners, gloves, beanies, scarfs and that is just to name a few. But let’s be honest – when it comes to having the right fit I am not just talking about practicality but I am also taking about style. Treating yourself every now and again to new workout wear that you love makes it hard to not want to slip it on and get out there to show off your new kit.

2. Plan your workouts
Winter is not the time for spontaneous workouts – who really wants to leave their nice warm bed to head out and exercise? Plan your workouts – lock in when, where and what you will do to help to help stick to your routine. Try referring to them as appointments you can’t miss or cancel.

3. Stay indoors
A great training session doesn’t have to be outside. You can easily workout without even leaving your house. These days there are so many platforms where you can access free workouts – from pilates, yoga, gym routines or anything else you may be interested in. Just because you’re at home does not mean you can’t get in an awesome workout.

4. Get a workout buddy
It is easier to stay motivated to work out when someone is waiting for you and keeping you accountable! Having a workout buddy is a great idea as it makes you more likely to get up and go – it’s much harder to cancel on a friend. Buddying up is also a great way to make exercising more fun and social.

5. Set goals/ remind yourself why it is important
One of the most important things when it comes to being motivated is to have goals for yourself and have something to work towards. Your goal could be to lose weight, build strength, increase fitness, decrease stress or even improve your lifestyle. Whatever your goal is, remind yourself why you are doing this and why it is important to you. Sometimes that can be that little extra bit of motivation you need.

Sometimes you really do just have days where you can’t be bothered, you have something on or are dealing with something or perhaps you really just need a rest day. When that happens, be kind to yourself! Do not get yourself down if you do find you are struggling with motivation. No one’s perfect and sometimes motivation is hard to find. Allow yourself to have some self care days and take time to focus on yourself and what you need.

If you’re in need of some motivation or are wondering how you can keep working out in winter, call in to see one of the CSSM practitioners for some advice!

About the author

Jaimi Schroen is an Osteopath who enjoys seeing the positive effects on a patient when treating them as a whole rather than focusing on a single symptom. Jaimi is available at the clinic Sundays to Thursday.

References:
Workout Pros Share How They Stay Motivated in the Winter – Aaptiv [Internet]. Aaptiv. 2021 [cited 16 April 2021]. Available from: https://aaptiv.com/magazine/workout-pros-share-stay-motivated-winter