It takes way more than motivation to stay disciplined during Winter. Discipline is what keeps you consistent and on track to reach your goals. Motivation helps, but doesn’t have the same staying-power as discipline.
We all know that Winter is the worst for us to train in. It’s cold, dark and all you want to do is get home and into your comfy pjs on the couch (with hot tea and Netflix, obvs). The problem with doing that is that you’ll be storing all of the calories you’re consuming, and it’s not a vibe, especially when Summer rolls around! I love training through Winter, because then I know when I eat that extra piece of cake, or have hot chocolate with marshmallows on top, that I don’t have to start panicking that I’m going to see it on me for the next few months.
I am all about that 80-20 lifestyle, and for me to be able to do that, I need to be moving my body 3-5 days per week.
So, how can you stay disciplined during Winter?
#1 | Set an attainable goal
You want to set something that you can achieve. Don’t set out to workout 6 days a week if you have an insane workload. Rather say 4 days per week, and if you manage an extra day or two then that is an added bonus. You want to feel accomplished and not dejected, so that you want to carry on.
#2 | Choose the time of day that you can stick to
Don’t choose 5am if you know there’s more chance of an asteroid hitting Earth than you getting up when that alarm goes off. I personally would rather wake up earlier and get it out the way, than go after work and cut into Netflix time, but you might be the opposite.
#3 | Rope a friend in to join you
It’s much easier to get yourself somewhere when you know someone is waiting for you! Maybe you’re going to walk around the neighbourhood, run along the promenade, meet at the gym for a class… anything that will get you out of the door!
#4 | Choose something you ENJOY
This is the most important! If you don’t like something, you’re not going to stick to it. Do what you love. Simple.
#5 | Switch from salads to healthy hearty foods
In these cold times there is nothing more sad than eating a cold salad. Switch it up and make yourself some healthy warm salads made from roasted veg, quinoa, baby spinach and some protein. It’s also really easy to make some delicious homemade soups for dinner, which you can freeze into portions so your dinner is always sorted when you get home from training. Simply take it out of the freezer in the morning to defrost and you’re ready to heat it at night!
#6 | Leave your alarm far from your bed
If you choose to train in the morning, set your alarm and make sure it’s a few steps away from your bed: This is the best way to get you up. Once you’re up, literally, it’s much easier to keep walking. If you’re still horizontal, the chances of you pressing snooze are about 99.9%.
#7 | Try something else for a change
If you normally do yoga, try hot yoga: If you’re really worried about the cold, choose something that will warm you up. Hot yoga will definitely do that!
#8 | Workout from home
Yes this will be a difficult way to stay disciplined during winter, but you’ll be warm and also save time driving. There are so many YouTube channels with 20 minute workouts that you can follow. There are so many apps with yoga, HIIT, Pilates and every other workout on them. Set yourself a 3 month challenge over Winter and use an app to track it. Get a friend to join you and you can keep each other accountable.
It’s all about consistency and being disciplined, and that comes from DOING. So go and do it, guys!
If you need any help on how to stay disciplined during winter, you can find me on social media @gijane_zn & www.gijane.co.za
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