June/July in Australia always brings about a seasonal change where the temps drop and we begin to feel winter peering over the fence.
Saying goodbye to our warm, cosy bed and facing the dark mornings is enough to stop many winter fitness plans in their tracks. Bears hibernate in winter, so can our workouts. Some people take it as a warrantable excuse, in that something as simple as the cooler weather can dictate their wellbeing. Usually, though, the summer heat also provides a similar excuse…
I find the change in season refreshing. It encourages us to swap things around while removing the boredom of what is familiar. Perhaps you dislike sweating in the summertime? Then working out in winter is the perfect opportunity to don your walking shoes and enjoy watching the later sunrise. You’ll be surprised at how much further or longer (assuming there is no snow!) you can workout without feeling like you are going to keel over in the heat. If you feel less motivated by a high-intensity workout try something tamer such as yoga or pilates to work with your natural rhythm
Let’s debunk one myth. You may assume waking early for a workout becomes second nature if you’ve done it over and over…well, I don’t mean to burst your bubble but it doesn’t. I’ve experienced a good 20 years of early morning alarm wake ups and each one was as hard as the previous days, so there is simply no point waiting for it to magically seem effortless, especially during winter. It can be a huge mind game to actually react positively to an alarm. I know the first thing many of us do is look for excuses, excuses why you need to stay in bed, why you need more sleep, why you’ll do it tomorrow instead…I know, we all do it but if you have a few reasons why you should get out of bed up your sleeve it can make a huge difference.
7 Ways to Easily Find Your Winter Fitness Mojo
Keep these mind next time your alarm goes off
1. Seeing the sunrise never grows old, it’s one of life’s simple pleasures.
2. It’s the perfect time to pull off wearing full-length tights without the fear of overheating.
3. Knowing that you are in the population minority is totally ok if that means being able to welcome springtime with excitement and energy. Being the first footprints on the beach that particular morning is special feeling.
4. Most days are spent indoors during the cooler months so it’s nice to actually soak up some vitamin D and fresh air before the day begins (and run out of light in the afternoon)
5. Staying active helps sparks the immune system cells which helps to fight off colds and cases of flu, plus research at Duke University in the USA found that cardio work will not only up the serotonin in your skull, but that it is four times more effective at reducing symptoms of depression if you feel you suffer from the winter blues.
6. While you’re warming up you’ll burn more energy trying to stay warm
7. Instead of craving stodgy comfort foods, you’ll feel like and make healthier choices throughout the day.
So, yes there are ways to help overcome the feeling like you’re waking in the middle of the night but don’t talk yourself out of it, talk yourself into it and give yourself a purpose to kick the covers. In the end, our motivation stems from the values we place on maintaining our health and wellbeing and hopefully, these small hints may help plant a seed.
PS – I do live on the GC so, winter is very mild, so we still go surfing 😉
what tricks do you use to stay motivated during winter?
