Finding yourself wondering how to stay motivated this winter? We all know the challenges that make it easy to get derailed…shorter days, busy holiday schedules and colder weather make cuddling up on the couch so much more tempting than that evening run you told yourself you’d stick to. By adding home fitness equipment to your arsenal, you’ve already found a way to beat the weather and work with your schedule. Try adding a few of these motivational tricks to your winter routine, and you’ll find yourself ahead of the pack this spring.
Play the mind game. Working out makes you feel like…working out. Succeeding at sticking to your workouts is its own motivating factor. We all want to be that committed exerciser, keeping our workouts strong year round. Use this to your advantage the next time you feel like skipping your workout. Think about the self satisfied feeling you’ll have while wrapping presents or baking cookies after your morning run. Consider how much more enjoyable that Christmas dinner will be when you aren’t feeling guilty about letting yourself go over the holidays. Schedule your workouts and look ahead to where you’ll be at the end of the winter. One more way to win the mind game? Whenever possible, schedule your workouts for the morning. Morning exercisers are the most likely to stick with their workouts over time. When your workout is the first thing on your plate in the morning, it’s harder for other things to get in the way.
Head for the Light. Even if it’s temporary, move your fitness equipment in front of a window to take advantage of daylight during your morning workouts. Exercising in daylight during the shorter days of winter lifts our moods (and our motivation). Again, if possible, schedule your workout for the morning so you can take advantage of the mood lifter before you head into your day.
Dress the part. New clothes and gear make us feel good, or at least guilty if we don’t use them. If you haven’t already put new workout clothes or a fitness related treat (perhaps a heart rate monitor?) on your Christmas list, now’s the time to add them. If your loved ones don’t take the hint, take advantage of the post Christmas sales to treat yourself after the holidays.
Keep it Entertaining. Nothing on TV? Many models of fitness equipment integrate a docking station for your iPod, making it easy to download audio books to keep your mind busy during your workouts. You can also access audio books for free from most libraries, giving you a low cost option to keep the winter blahs out of your workouts. Several of Horizon’s treadmills, ellipticals and bikes are either iPod/MP3 compatible or even Made for iPod®, allowing you to dock, charge and control your iPod directly from the console.
Get outside. Even during the coldest months, there are usually a few nice days (believe me, I live in Wisconsin!). Keep your workouts flexible enough to take advantage of a mild Saturday to head out for a winter run or snow shoeing. Enjoying the beauty of winter can make the season seem less oppressive and even (gasp!) enjoyable. Find an excuse to complement your day to day fitness routine with a chance to hit the great outdoors.
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