Tips for staying motivated during Winter

Blog | Justin Shaw, Sports Development Coordinator

Winter is coming! The last thing you want to do on a wintery day is to get into your activewear, especially when your bed seems a lot more comfortable than the gym (we do have heaters in our gym… just saying!). However, it’s important that we maintain our training even during the winter months to help keep our immune system pumping and our body strong! So here are a few tips to help keep yourself motivated during the colder months.

Get on top of your Gear

The hardest thing about exercising in winter is the cold, obviously. Having the right gear can ensure you get the most out of training through winter! A top tip is to dress in layers, this way you can maintain a comfortable body temperature and avoid getting a chill. People think winter and immediately go for warm, but you also need DRY! Winter means frosts, rain, and general moisture. Staying dry is so important for staying warm. It’s also a good idea to focus on your hands and feet, they are the furthest away from your center of mass, so they will get cold quickest! Some warm gloves and socks are a great investment if you’re training outdoors. And finally, remember that the sun still works even when it’s overcast and you can still get sunburnt under a grey sky – so be sure to wear sunscreen when out and about!

Extend your warm-up

Winter is cold! This means it will take longer for your body to warm up before a workout. Make sure you dedicate some more time to warming up the old muscles. A good way is to add some bike or treadmill before your normal dynamic warm-up. This will help prevent injury and reduce muscle soreness the next day.

Cool all the way down

In winter, it takes longer to cool down as well. You tend to sweat for a lot longer after you stop exercising! If you are like me and you like to get the workout in before work, this can be made so much harder in winter because getting changed too quickly after the session means you’ll sweat through your work clothes! To stop this, extend your cool down with some more static stretching and toweling off before you get changed.

Get on top of your breathing

Step 1 to exercising better = breathing better.

In winter, breathing is made more difficult by the colder air. Cold air can make the airways restrict which makes it harder to breathe. To combat this, your body has an inbuilt humidifier called a nose. Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth can help condition the air for easier flow into the airways. Try and breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth and see how that improves your training during winter!

Hydration

Drinking water is very important in your winter sessions. The cold wet air tends to trick your body into thinking you don’t need to drink so you tend to drink less – this combined with wearing warmer clothing that makes you sweat more which can lead to dehydration. Your body can only absorb about 100ml at a time so take small sips between sets. Make sure you are also getting your electrolytes if you are exercising for extended periods of time.

We hope these tips help you get sweaty through the winter!

Looking for that extra bit of motivation?

We have a range of weekly group fitness classes on offer, check out our classes here. Or to learn more about fitness and wellbeing and connect with like-minded people, visit the Wellness Hub.