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Let’s face it, leaving our warm, cocoon-like beds can be difficult to do in the morning, especially when it’s still dark outside and the weather is nippy.
As a result, your morning workout has moved to the afternoon. But by the time the afternoon comes around, there are a hundred different things you need to do. So, training becomes a tomorrow problem, right? Cue the winter exercise cycle of doom.
Winter workout solution
There’s got to be a way to work around it and stay on track with your exercise routine – even if it is the toughest time of year to do so.
The good news is, there is! We’ll take you through our winter-friendly workout tips to keep you active, moving and healthy all year round.
Find your motivation
In case you need a reminder, exercise has so many health benefits. Exercise has been found to improve your mood, reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety and ADHD.
It can also help to reduce stress levels, improve your memory and promote better sleep. In turn, you have a lot more energy to help you get through the day.
And the best part? It doesn’t even need to be a marathon workout! A quick 30-minute session can be just as effective.
6 tips for keeping your summer body this winter
1. Find a buddy
One of the easiest ways to stay motivated is by having someone join you. An exercise buddy who shares the same goals as you will keep you motivated during the not-so-pleasant moments and support you throughout your journey. It could even be a simple matter of getting the rest of the family involved and making it a daily task for everyone in the household.
2. Keep track
The first step on your journey to winter fitness success is knowing when you will be exercising, so create a schedule and stick to it. It may be worth your while to invest in a diary or journal to track your active days and how you have been progressing.
3. Rethink household chores
Simple household chores are a great way to get moving and burn some kilojoules in the process. Instead of vacuuming, why not give sweeping a try? Try some squats in between dusting. There are so many ways that you can work up a sweat while working around the house – it’s all about getting creative.
4. Join the online world
In the digital world, almost everything is available online – including workouts! It’s a simple matter of either searching for online exercise classes on your web browser or heading to your app store and downloading one of the many options available there.
5. The gym isn’t everything
While the gym can do wonders for your exercise routine, there’s a lot that you can do at home. For example, you can dust off your kid’s hula hoop and get in a quick full-body workout or give bodyweight exercises such as squats, planking and lunges a go.
6. Invest in the experience
When it comes to working out, having the right gear can motivate you to do more. Something as simple as buying new trainers could have you excited about going for a run, pushing you to reach your goals while feeling good.
Winter doesn’t need to be a death sentence for your workout programme, all you need to do is find creative ways to stay motivated and active without leaving your home.
Author: Tanja Schmitz
Founder and Editor of Fitness Magazine. You’ll find her behind her computer or on her bike, dreaming up new ways to improve or create content for you.
Taking into account the 6 helpful tips, I’ll be making sure I can influence my partner to join me in getting back on track to living a healthier and happier lifestyle! It makes us both happier to have a balanced day after a hard day of work. I have also subscribed to using an online coach (Tarryn Don/TazzyD fitness) so I have the answers I need and motivation throughout this cold winter. And last but not least household chores have proven to be quite the workout! Nothing like putting on some good music in the background to make it super enjoyable! Xxx
Making fitness a priority and scheduling my daily walk as well as my yoga workout which I can do in the comfort of my own home.
Keeping in mind the 6 tips for keeping your summer body this winter, my training partner and I will keep track of what we eat and how much & what type of training we do. Just to keep us motivated and to challenge ourselves. We plan to give our homes a winter clean iso a spring clean to burn more calories. We also plan to do some online training if it’s to cold to go outside and on days when the weather is nice, we plan to take brisk walks around our gardens or do some lunges etc or other exercises at home. We will even mow our lawns to burn a few extra calories! And to top it off we definitely plan to treat ourselves to some new training gear as a reward!