Winter Training: Keeping Motivation High When Temperatures Are Low
When days get shorter and evenings get colder, it’s easy to fall out of your fitness routine. Whether you usually embrace the morning grind or you enjoy ending your day with a sweat, finding the motivation to get a workout in during winter is far harder for most people compared to the summer months.
If you’re finding that your motivation levels are dropping faster than the outdoor temperature, try the following tactics to beat the winter fitness blues.
Change Your Routine
While fitness journeys are built on the back of strict routines, there’s nothing wrong with mixing your routine up from time to time. Winter is one of those times when it can be advantageous to play around with your fitness routine.
Your change in routine could come in a number of ways. If you enjoy working out in the morning, it might be worth pushing your workout back to later in the day when the temperature is warmer. Another option you have is to change the location of your training. Indoor training is far more appealing for most people during winter, so it could be worth switching your outdoor runs for indoor gym sessions.
Change Your Goals
Your goals can also change along with your routine. If you are finding motivation hard to find, make consistency the priority instead of results. A great way to do this is by focusing on the number of times you work out during a week rather than setting goals based on bodily changes and personal bests.
Another good option is to set yourself the goal of learning a new skill, which can be achieved by taking up a new sport. This should make your training more enjoyable, and you may find that you don’t even notice the cold weather.
Update Your Wardrobe
We’ve all experienced a boost in motivation after treating ourselves to a new gym set, and winter is the perfect time to update your wardrobe. Try treating yourself to some premium activewear from brands like A-Game if you really want to see motivation levels increase.
But don’t just see this as a fashion decision; winter workout clothing offers safety from the harsh conditions. If you don’t already own any of the following items, consider adding them to your wardrobe:
- Long sleeve training tops
- Waterproof training jacket
- Workout gloves
- Running tights
- Base layers
Book An Event
A great way to force yourself to keep training throughout winter is by booking an event for the following summer. A marathon, Ironman, or similar will require you to stick to a strict training programme for the months leading up to your event. Failure to do so will leave you underprepared on the big day, which should prevent motivation levels from dropping no matter how cold it gets.
Work With A Personal Trainer
If you’re still struggling to find motivation to work out during winter after trying the above tactics, it might be time to call on the help of a professional. Working with a personal trainer or even a nutritionist is a great way to stick to a plan.
As you’ll be paying a substantial amount of money, you’ll naturally want to get the most out of your time with a personal trainer. Consider this as an investment in yourself rather than an unnecessary expense.
