How To Stay Fit, Healthy and Motivated During Winter

As we get ready to put the clocks back this weekend and the nights have started to draw in, I have been asked a few times recently as to the best ways to keep motivated over the winter month and how to give a bit of life and energy into your current fitness programme.

This made me think about what I do this time of year with my own personal fitness programme to keep myself motivated and it is a very simple answer....Variety....by this I mean cross training, so mixing up the types of exercise that you do.

One of the major factors in keeping your motivation levels high during the winter is change, as this will ensure that you don't get stuck in that same old routine that you have been doing for the past year. For example if you like going out on long runs or bike rides then over the winter months avoid getting wet outside and head to the swimming pool. Swimming is one of those great exercises were you get a whole body workout (some cardio and resistance) and what is even better it is non weight baring so it doesn't have such a harsh effect on your joints as running.

Another way is if possible why not flip your day on its head? During the win
ter months as it gets darker earlier it becomes easier to talk yourself out of doing exercise after work and just to go home, sit in from of the fire and watch TV all evening. If you get your stuff ready the night before, set the alarm for slightly earlier then head to the gym, go on a run, for a swim, take a class before work. This will lead to you feeling more motivated and energised for the day as well as freeing up your evening too.

Buddy up. having an exercise partner with similar goals to you is great as you can motivate each other support each other and work together towards your goals. As well as bouncing different ideas off of each other. Why not try out some new or different group exercise classes. With this you will keep your training fresh and interesting and it can also be good way socially to meet new people.

One of the most important things that you need to think about as always is nutrition and hydration. It is still important to keep your hydration levels up during the winter, and I also say that it is better to take small sips throughout the day and try to avoid gulping it down. When it comes to nutrition then it is really important to think about what you are eating and my best advise to my clients is to make sure that you are eating a well-balanced diet.

Hiring a Personal Trainer. Having a PT over the winter months is also a great way to stay motivated as firstly you know that you have someone waiting there for you each session that you booked which makes it harder for you to talk yourself out of exercise. As everyone has different goals then as a qualified fitness professional it is part of our job to help you through your journey to achieving them, understanding your needs and goals, being on your side and giving you our best professional advice to help you stay motivated and reach your goals. Another advantage of having a PT is that you don't have to think about what you are going to do each session, just turn up, exercise and go!

Over the winter months we can often become fatigued and feel tired a lot quicker than we think so it is important that we give our body enough time to relax and recover and spend some time treating yourself. Think about taking the time for a deep tissue massage, which can be vital in keeping your motivational and energy levels high, but also giving you that time to just relax and let your body heal.

The benefits of having a nice soft tissue massage is that it will help remove lactic acid from tight muscles, breaking down tight facia resulting in better tone in muscle mass and relaxed body of muscle. This in turn can benefit and improve future performance, which is key if you are training for a long term goal such as a marathon next year.

I hope this helps you on your way to staying fit, healthy and motivated this winter.

Many thanks for Reading

Pete

P.S. If you would like any further information or to book Personal Training or a Soft Tissue Massage then please click here.

P.P.S...Remember