Winter is coming. Which, for many of us, means that getting out on the road for a run or dragging ourselves to the gym moves into the category of “things I want...
Winter is coming. Which, for many of us, means that getting out on the road for a run or dragging ourselves to the gym moves into the category of “things I want to do but won’t,” and so the consistent workouts slow down while the guilt and irritation at our lack of commitment grows.
I know I’m not alone in this.
Gym attendance steadily drops off over winter (at least, until January comes by with a truckload of new gym enthusiasts for about two weeks) and people choose an extra hour in bed while the icy drizzle drives into the window in the morning or Netflix and an unreasonable amount of carbs in the evening.
It’s not like we don’t want to get out there and exercise. We do. But the motivation drop is real and there are too many excuses we can reach for (like the sudden flare up of a rotator cuff injury, or an overly-tight hamstring…)
In fairness, there are real reasons for the slowdown. Psychologically, the cold and dark certainly affect motivation. And maybe this is a giant cope, but I think it’s basically hard-coded into us to work during the daylight hours and retreat into the cave when it’s dark and dangerous out, and that makes winter difficult.
But let’s make this winter different.
But can it be done? Many of us have said “this time, for sure” right before rolling over and going back to bed.
Well, it can be done. There are plenty of people who have done far greater and more difficult things. And there are any number of people who you will meet on the road or come across in the gym as you push through the comfort barrier.
And there are things you can do as well.
Commit to go with someone when you run or hit the gym. Having someone who is going to be waiting for you is terrific for getting you to follow through when you otherwise wouldn’t. It’s easier when you go with a friend.
Allow a certain amount of slowdown, and forgive yourself if you miss a day, but set limits to it. If you want to be consistent but know that four times a week isn’t going to happen, set your minimum expectation to three. And if you manage four trips to the gym in a week during winter, that’s beating the expectation.
And that links with stacking the wins. Set yourself small objectives every morning and every day that will get you to the gym and mentally take note of the successes. Getting up on time, going through a proper routine, getting to the gym, going through a full programme, etc. are all victories to be won. It builds momentum.
Put your schedule on a calendar that you have to check off. Leaving reminder notes around the house has proved to be an effective way to build habits, and it works for this as well (because part of what you’re doing is creating the habit of going to the gym in winter).
Lower the bar for success if you need to. Before you get to the gym, you can tell yourself that half the routine is fine for the day, or tell yourself that 2 miles is fine instead of the normal 5 miles. This helps because you’re more likely to do it if it’s easier, but once you get into things, you’ll probably carry through with the full routine because the workout is easier when you’re into it.
(Shameless plug: you can also get some great Dream Runner gear to make sure that you’re equipped for the cold)
You might also find that there are some unexpected benefits to your winter workouts. Although it’s true that there’s a higher injury risk and flexibility decrease in the cold, endurance increases because your body doesn’t overheat. So for the runners, there are some PBs to be had.
But it’s more than that. Working out helps boost the immune system, keeps energy levels high and boosts our mental state. We know all this stuff, but it’s especially powerful in winter.
So l et’s push through the psychological barriers and conquer winter. Let’s aim to get to the other side being able to take pride in having persevered throughout the winter-cold and, in some way, conquered ourselves.
The real aim isn’t going to gym or running through the lung burn. The real goal is cultivating discipline and overcoming discomfort, and that’s an invaluable step towards larger and greater success.
Let this be the year.
