15 May Embrace The Suck… Stay Motivated This Winter!
Embrace The Suck... Stay Motivated This Winter!
Let’s be honest, it’s going to get cold whether you like it or not, so there's nothing you can do to avoid that (short of leaving the country), so the best tactic is to embrace it.
Embrace The Suck
Sometimes, you just need to acknowledge that getting yourself to a workout or going for a run when it's freezing outside is going to suck. When it's cold outside and you are still getting a training session in, focus on the fact that you’re learning to embrace the discomfort, which will help you overcome obstacles in all areas of your life.
I believe the Navy Seals refer to this as 'embrace the suck!’
It's true that every time you get through a tough workout, or do something you didn’t want to do you are better off for it!
It’s A Thing...
It's true that temperature and light have direct impact on our body rhythms. Winter brings on a decline in vitamin D and serotonin levels - not to mention the increase in levels of drowse-inducing melatonin - that can make just getting to your training session feel like a workout in itself. But there are some simple things that you can do to encourage yourself to move away from the comfort of the heater...
Turn It Up
Adjust the heater timer to warm your home or bedroom before the alarm goes off. If the temperature outside the bedcovers is as nice as inside, poof! the excuse is gone. Even better, put your workout clothes in front of the heater or fireplace so they are toasty warm and ready for you when you climb out of bed.
Find A Friend
Find someone who will commit to joining you in the morning for walks or workouts, and hold you accountable for showing up. Knowing someone is waiting for you to share the pain of the early darkness & cold might be just the motivation you need to throw back the covers and get out of the house.
Wake Yourself Up
Have a shower or wash your face & get your workout gear on before you even have time to think about putting on your dressing gown on and shuffling into the kitchen to make a coffee.
Warm Up Indoors
Do some jumping jacks, leg lifts or push-ups in your living room before heading out. Not only will it get your heart rate going and your blood circulating, it will make it very difficult to slide back into bed. Excuses be gone!
Get Your Gear Right
If there's ever a time when you should invest in quality new training gear, it's before winter. Get some gloves, a vest, a headband to cover your ears, arm sleeves... whatever it takes! Then you can layer up so you can peel them off as your body warms up.
Switch Up Your Routine
Sometimes, you just need a change in habits to get yourself motivated again. When you switch out your denim jacket for your puffer jacket, you could switch up your workout routine by trying a different style of team training session that you’ve never tried before or book into a P2P session twice a month.
Bonus... changing the way you work out keeps your body guessing. You get the opportunity to work different muscle groups versus targeting the same ones month after month, which keeps your body balanced and injury free.
Remember What Works For You
If you find yourself suitably motivated in the summer, what specifically created that motivation: Targets? Goals? Friends? Personal Trainer? Competition? The great outdoors? How can you tap into the driving force and the feeling it creates in the summer and replicate something similar now?
Maybe you could get a group of fellow fitness enthusiasts together & register for an event, or join one of the s2f CHALLENGES that will motivate you to train even on those days when you really don’t feel like it.
How do you stay motivated to train when you are on one of those days when you really don't want to?
