Winter is actually near a close here in Montana, but that doesn’t mean a few sneaker winter storms won’t continue to roll in through May! Thankfully we’re past the red-nosed, frozen-fingered part of winter.
I’m normally quite a motivated person, but even I get caught up in the dark mornings, day spent at the office and dark evenings hump. I swear the darkness zaps the life out of me.
Well, below are three ways to keep your movement motivation in winter! And not to worry – even if you don’t live in a winter wonderland, I’ve still got you covered.
Do Things You LOVE
Although as mountain lovers, your first instinct is to get yourself outside, but if you’re stuck with cray winter weather, then it’s important to pursue those other things that you enjoy. Really allow yourself to dive in so you can come back to your non-winter activities with a new sense of refreshment.
Maybe you love running big trail races in the summer? Of course, you may find days here and there in which you can get outside to run. You might find heading to two yoga classes a week and add in three strength training days make you feel balanced so when spring rolls around, you’re ready to hit the trails feeling strong.
If you dig winter weather (like me!), then let yourself be immersed in your winter fun! Get out and ski as much as you can – snowshoe, cross-country ski, whatever works for you, just get on it. Even if you work the standard 8-5, take advantage of your after-work hours and weekends and you’ll feel a world of a difference.
Try Something New
Don’t have indoor or cold-weather things that you already love? Take this time to explore new activities! Allow yourself to be a true beginner at something – it’s good for you, I promise (because we can’t be good at everything).
Trying something new might be dependent on where you live and what the community is like, which is why I’ve broken out these activities by different geo areas. Don’t forget you can always take a winter vacation (to places like Montana ;)).
Winter wonderland…
- Downhill Skiing
- Snowshoeing
- Winter Running
It gets cold AF and there aren’t mountains around…
- Yoga (duh)
- CrossFit Gyms
- Barre Studios
- Indoor Climbing Gyms
- Spin Classes or Studios
There’s absolutely nothing going on here…
- Winter Running
- Home Workouts
- Yoga
Side Note: If you’re new to yoga, check out my post dedicated to starting yoga here.
Constantly Remind Yourself How You Will Feel
Simply moving is hugely important, regardless of the season, but especially in winter months. Make a commitment to yourself to simply feel good. That’s the end goal, isn’t it?
Whatever you decide to pursue, it can be hard after a long day to convince yourself to move your booty and not sink into the couch with a glass of wine and watch Netflix for the evening. Been there, and it’s completely normal. However, it’s important to notice when you truly need to move versus needing rest. If you need rest – take the rest. But if you’ve been energized all day, come home and then priorities shift, come back and remind yourself how amazing you’ll feel once you’ve moved your body.
