So you’re working out regularly, eating right and getting plenty of sleep – but as the nights gets colder and darker can you keep up the motivation?
If you feel that the weather is going to hinder your motivation after all the progress that you have made during the Summer, then listen up! Here are some ways you can stay in control of your health and fitness regime and withstand those achingly cold days!
- 1) Remember Why You Started
“I’m not telling you it is going to be easy, I’m telling you it’s going to be worth it” – remember WHY you started exercising. Your summer body is created in the winter and all of the hard work and effort that you put in now will be worth it in the end. It takes on average 4 weeks for you to notice a difference in your body, 8 weeks for your friends to notice, and 12 for the rest of the world so KEEP IT UP!
Both your diet and exercise regime is crucial when it comes to your over all health and wellbeing, as well as weight and body fat percentage, so stay motivated throughout the year to have the body that you’re happy with throughout the year too!
- 2) Plan Plan Plan!
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail”. Preparation is key when it comes to any health and fitness regime which means it’s a good idea to plan both your meals and workouts at least a week in advance.
Plan what you’re going to eat depending on where you are (and don’t forget to write a shopping list!), as well as what workouts you’re going to do when, and with who – a great tip is to get a friend involved so that it makes you ACCOUNTABLE for your fitness date!
During the colder season you’ll also have to think about wrapping up as nothing quite beats a brisk winter’s walk in the fresh air; whether it’s on your lunch break or with friends at a weekend, walking really is one of the best things that you can do for your health.
- 3) Make the Healthy Option the Easy Option
It seems that most people do know what it takes to eat healthily; it’s just putting it into practice that seems to be the hard part! In fact, out of 1,200 men & women surveyed by Ramsay Health Care, the majority reported that eating a healthy diet to them meant eating a balanced menu, reducing intake of sugary foods and introducing more fresh foods. The key then is to focus on changing your HABITS & ENVIRONMENT.. make healthy living easy and a way of life by changing the foods that you buy in a weekly shop and treating yourself to a decent pair of workout trainers.
If you’ve got a spare space, a mini home-gym (or in my case my living room with a workout mat, dumbbells and kettle bell!) can transform your fitness during the winter – simply because it’s right there! No more excuses for putting off exercise because of the bad weather and you may find that a change of location brings a whole new level of motivation. Not only this but you are less likely to injure yourself from any icy weather; staying happy and healthy is always priority. I love following workouts on YouTube and my favourites are by Fitness Blender.
When it comes to food options, make sure to have healthy wholesome snacks such as fruit (always keep a filled-fruit bowl out on the counter!) or vegetable sticks and hummus, as well as meals prepared in the freezer (bulk cook and freeze leftovers!) so that going out in the cold for a take-away doesn’t seem as appealing!
- 4) Don’t Let the Festive Season Defeat You
Between the parties, dinners out and all of the other festivities that come with this season – don’t be tempted to give in. If you plan ahead you can conquer the winter months by following these simple steps:
- Plan shorter workouts so that they fit around other events happening, this will make keeping up your regime more manageable – a YouTube video or at home fitness DVD is perfect, or even a quick walk around the block!
- Make sure you have a good amount of rest and sleep on a night.
- Have a healthy snack before you go any events so that you’re head does the choosing, and not your stomach!
- Ask for presents that will help you with your workouts such as an activity monitor, fitness equipment or new gym swear.
- Set a target for the end of the year. Working towards a goal will help you stay focused and then you can start to think about your targets for 2017.. whether it be your health, fitness, body weight, body fat or clothes size – it’s up to you!
Wrap up and take pleasure in exercising during the winter months whilst enjoying wholesome healthy food (get the slow-cooker out!), by the time it comes to New Year you will feel confident in yourself for continuing with your fitness goals during the most difficult season!
*Thank you to Ramsay Health Care for inspiring this blog post.
