How to Stay Motivated to Workout in the Winter Months

It can be hard to find motivation to work out in the winter. The days are shorter and it’s easier to make excuses. Here at Liberty Belle, we’ve compiled a list of ways to stay active and fight those winter blues:

Make use of daylight where you can:

Going to the library and lying in bed are the same whether it’s light outside or not. Working out isn’t.

Exposure to sunlight stimulates serotonin production, a neurotransmitter associated with improved mood. Outdoor workouts during daylight also contribute to better sleep quality by regulating the body's circadian rhythm. This not only enhances sleep but also makes it easier to wake up on those cold winter mornings.

Try and prioritise your workout while it’s still light outside and leave the extra library work or Netflix time for later on.

Morning workouts:

Going one step further than just daylight workouts, is morning workouts.

Working out in the morning, before you start any work, makes it easier to fit everything into a busy day.

A study published in the "British Journal of Sports Medicine" found that individuals who engaged in physical activity before a cognitive task had better performance than those who didn’t.

So getting your workout in the morning not only aids productivity, but also academic performance.

Plan days to go with friends:

But what if you can’t fit your workout into daylight hours? There are still countless benefits to staying active.

To battle lack of motivation, it helps to have a set day that you go with a friend. This way, not only is it part of your weekly routine, but it also forces you both to hold each other accountable. It helps make exercising fun and is a way of spending time together, while being productive too.

Join a group class/ running club:

If you don’t have a friend willing to go with you, join an exercise class or group running club.

These classes mean you don’t have to think of a workout beforehand. They’re also usually only around an hour long, making them extra time efficient.

It’s a fun environment where you get to meet people that motivate you to keep coming.

Ask at your gym for free included classes or have a look on Facebook for local fitness groups.

Invest in some exciting new workout clothes (especially winter appropriate ones):

If you make the gym a fashion show, you’ll always want to show up. Looking good in the gym makes you feel confident and more likely to stick to it- after all, who wants to waste a good outfit.

Have a look on Vinted for cheap second hand gym wear that will motivate you to get involved.

Make it fun:

The main reason people stop working out is because they don’t enjoy it.

It comes down to making sure you’re moving your body in a way that suits YOU.

There is no point doing exercise that you hate, just because someone else told you it’s optimal. Doing something that you will stick to is far more valuable than forcing yourself through a few torturous workouts.

A walk in the park is just as valid as a 10km run- it’s just about getting out and doing it.

Set up a section of your room as a ‘home gym’:

Let’s say you hate the gym, and don’t want to workout outside in the cold.

Set up a designated ‘home workout zone’ in your room.

Then, set alarms and write down a schedule that you can stick to, so that you’re not tempted to skip a workout.

There are countless online workout videos to choose from but start with one 10-minute video a day.

You can even do some of the workouts from your bed.

With these tips you have all you need to keep up that workout routine all year round!

Edited by Faith Suronku-Lindsay