How to Stay Active When It's Cold Outside

Brr! It’s cold outside - the last thing you feel like doing is exercise. Winter can be a challenging season to stay motivated to exercise.  However, maintaining a consistent exercise routine during the Winter months is crucial for your overall health and well-being.

Here are practical tips to help you stay motivated:

Mind Over Matter

The first step to staying motivated is to adopt a “mind over matter” mentality. It’s easy to make excuses for why you can’t exercise, but if you make it a non-negotiable task for yourself you won’t be able to talk yourself out of it. Exercise can help reduce stress, boost your mood, improve your sleep, and strengthen your immune system. Focus on the positive effects of exercise and use that as motivation to get moving.

Plan Ahead

Set specific goals for yourself, such as exercising for a certain amount of time each day or week and write them down. This will help keep you accountable and motivated. Additionally, plan your workouts in advance and make them a priority in your schedule. Treat your exercise routine like an important meeting or appointment that you can’t miss.

Eat Right

Overindulging on comfort foods to keep the Winter blues away will make you feel sluggish and diminish your energy levels. Avoid processed foods which are high in unwanted calories that the cold weather may tempt you to reach for. You will not only avoid additional weight gain, but you will also be more motivated to exercise regularly if you are eating healthily. 

Water up

Dehydration can lead to fatigue, irritability, and depression. Drinking water can help to improve your mood and make you feel more energized, ready to tackle the gym.

Find Ways to Stay Active Indoor

Can’t bare to go outside?  Look for ways to stay active indoors, there are plenty of online resources available for home workouts, such as YouTube videos or fitness apps. You can also try incorporating more movement into your daily routine, such as taking the stairs instead of the lift or doing some stretching whilst watching TV.

Buddy Up

Having someone to exercise with can make workouts more fun and enjoyable and can also help keep you accountable.

Don’t give up

Don’t berate yourself if you miss a day or two, the most important habit is to get back into it and keep going.

Remember, consistency is key when it comes to exercise, so make it a priority in your schedule and stick with it. Your body and mind will thank you for it, and you’ll have a beach body ready for Summer when it finally warms up!