11 tricks to stay motivated during winter
My mate Moodi Dennaoui is one of the greatest nutritionists and trainers I have ever worked with. He has gotten me cover girl ready for a health magazine in a matter of weeks. Here he shares tips on how to stay in the Zone when its too cold to imagine leaving the house.
It's true that winter and daylight savings have a direct impact on our body's circadian rhythms. However there are basic principles you can follow to motivate yourself to leave the comfort of your warm bed.
1. Create heat. Adjust your heater at home to warm your home and bedroom before the alarm goes off. Much easier to get up and get ready.
2. Recreate early sunlight by investing in a bedside lamp that simulates natural daylight. Several companies have lamps that are endorsed by the National Sleep Foundation that gradually increase the light and comes with a built in clock and alarm. These lamps help activate your internal clock to get ready to take on the day.
3. Don't use your typical alarm tone. Rather than a normal, annoying alarm clock that begs to be snoozed, use your iPod or similar device to play songs that get you going. Music you enjoy can instantly lift your mood and energy and will do wonders for your ability to get out of bed.
4. Find a reliable training partner. Being accountable for showing up changes the dynamic of that doubt you feel in the morning. Knowing someone is waiting for you to share the pain of the early darkness might be just the stimulus you need.
5. Shower as soon as you get up. The water will help awaken your senses and body clock. Getting dressed right away also will help get you past the urge to get back into bed.
6. Dress the part. I personally can't function without my Bodyscience Compressions. They keep me warm and start the recovery process even before I've started! The right active wear will get you going.
7. Warm up indoors to get your heart rate going and your blood circulating, it will make it very difficult to slide back into bed.!
8. Tap into technology by voicing your intention to workout each day on your social media or blog. This will definitely strengthen your commitment to avoid the guilt of not following through!
9. See the big picture. Use this to plan and track your workouts and the winter events you'd like to participate in. Winter can seem long but if you focus on the big picture, you'll see that spring and summer are is just around the corner!
10. Use mini-goals for major rewards. Set small targets that lead to higher intensity, focus and discipline to stay on track each day. Whether that be duration of training, training intensity or breaking your PB on the squat rack. Create your own challenge!
11. Step out of the ordinary. Maybe you need a physical break from what you've always done to give your body time to recover and heal? No that doesn't mean time off but working out at a lower intensity to what you are normally accustomed to. Active recovery! Take a yoga or pilates class. They are easy on the joints but provide great lasting benefits.
