With daylight savings time ending, the clocks roll back with brighter mornings and darker evenings. As the daylight and temperatures lower, so does our motivation. But it’s important to remember, summer bodies are made in the winter. Don’t waste all the hard work you put in the summer. Instead, stay motivated during the winter months with these 10 tips and tricks:
1. Go straight to the gym – For many of us, our momentum slows down (if not make it abruptly stops) the moment we get home. So avoid losing your motivation and making excuses by going straight to the gym after work.
2. Keep a pair of gym clothes in your car – Sometimes we’re in such a rush, we forget to grab our gym bag - which means we have to go home after work to pick it up (refer to tip one). Keep a spare pair of clothes and shoes in your car so you have no excuses to avoid the gym.
3. Avoid eating on the couch – Between cozy blankets, hot coco, and hours of binge-worthy Netflix series, losing track of time and calories can easily slip up your nutrition and health game. Stick to eating at the table with a pre-portioned plate.
4. Bake don’t buy – With all the holiday sweets, it’s easy to over-indulge in sugary treats. If you are one of those people who look forward to the holiday desserts, bake them instead of buying them. This way you have to put in a little extra effort to eat them, and you’ll know exactly what ingredients are in them. Plus, you’ll burn a few extra calories mixing, sifting, and rolling!
5. Get a happy light – Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is common for many people during the winter months. Sunlight is essential for a healthy lifestyle. With longer nights and gloomy weather, getting sunlight can be nearly impossible. Happy lights mimic the sun rays to help improve your mood and energy.
6. Create mini goals – Every big picture goal starts with small achievable ones. These goals can be anything from skipping dessert at the Thanksgiving table, or only pressing snooze once. Whatever goals you create, make sure to write them down, check them off, and celebrate! No goal is too small.
7. Find an accountabilibuddy – Get motivated with a fellow gym member or coworker. A gym buddy will keep you accountable to actually show up at the gym and a coworker can sneak in a lunch time workout with you.
8. Track your progress – Keeping track of your progress and effort can give you tangible daily feedback. So all your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed, create small-achievable goals for those long-term goals. Tools like MYZONE are a great resource for tracking.
9. Set a timer on your heater – Sometimes the hardest part of getting motivated is simply getting up. The cozy comforter can be your worst enemy with early morning motivation. Set your heater on a timer for an hour before you wake up so it’s not painful to get out of your bed in the early mornings.
10. Embrace the winter – It’s inevitable, it’s part of life, so don’t fight the winter months. Try a winter sport like ice skating or skiing, and splurge on better-winter clothes. Because there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing choices.
Need a little extra help to stay motivated this winter? Book a private training session to help keep you accountable, healthy, and motivated!