There are plenty of ways to stay active in the winter, and there is no need to give up on your fitness goals until next spring.
Being active during the winter can be challenging but not impossible! Here are some ways to keep your motivation throughout the winter:
- Be creative. Keeping things fresh and exciting can help you stay motivated. If you do the same activities in the winter, you will get bored and not want to be active. Think outside the box! Instead of walking on the treadmill, go ice skating; instead of doing yoga, go snow tubing. There are numerous activities to have fun with in the winter months.
- SMART goals. Set yourself a Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-based goal during the colder months. Setting a goal can help you stay on task when things get tough. Having a goal to accomplish over the winter months can support your goals going into the spring.
- Have a buddy system. Having a buddy who supports you and wants to do activities with you can be very beneficial. You can rely on each other to stay motivated. If you don’t feel motivated, your partner will, and vice versa.
- Make it a game or challenge. Turn your winter activities into a game! Making your exercise a game can help with motivation and keep the gloomy months exciting. Set up a scavenger hunt in the yard with the snow, see who can build the tallest snowman, or even see who can run the quickest through the snow. Also, make sure to laugh!
- Start a fitness group with friends or co-workers. Everyone will feel some winter blues, so starting a fitness group can be beneficial. You can set times or days to meet up with one another to be active outdoors. Schedule a hike to see the snowy terrain or go to an outdoor festival (such as an ice festival).
- Sign up for an event. Exercise events don’t just happen in the spring and summer; they occur in the winter too! Sign up for a 5K walk/run, a bike ride through the city, or a cross-country skiing tour through mountain trails. Being able to sign up for these events can motivate you to try new things and keep winter motivation at an all-time high!
References:
- How to stay active this winter | UPMC MyHealthMatters. https://www.upmcmyhealthmatters.com/stay-active-winter/
For help making lifestyle changes, email contactknovasolutions@workpartners.com or call 1-800-355-0885 (TTY: 711). We are available Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time.