I am one of those crazy people who really enjoys a good workout. I typically workout six days a week, and even worked out throughout my entire pregnancy. I really enjoy the way it makes me feel healthier, more confident, and even happier. That being said, even I have a really difficult time forcing myself to get up and move when the temperature starts dropping below freezing…okay below 50. I am a summer girl, what can I say? The winter workout blues hit me hard every year. Over time, I’ve developed some tips and tricks to beat the chilly weather, get up, throw on my workout clothes, and force myself to get moving.

Here’s how I manage to beat the winter workout blues!

• Plan Accordingly – I plan my workouts a day in advance and write it in my planner. I need to make sure I have time set aside to squeeze in a workout. Plus, I like the feeling of checking it off of my to-do list.

• Workout early– Getting your workout done first thing in the morning is great because, everyone else is usually still sleeping, it starts your day off with a burst of energy, and makes you feel incredibly productive. Also, when I put my workouts off for later in the day, I typically come up with numerous excuses to not do it at all.

• Lay your clothes out before you go to bed- Picking out appropriate workout gear at 5:30am seems virtually impossible. I’d rather crawl back into bed then find a matching pair of socks or a sports bra. However, if my clothes are already laid out next to my shoes, it makes it so much easier to throw them on and get moving.

• Put your alarm/phone on the other side of the room– I cannot be the only one to hit snooze 15 times and continue to fall back to sleep, right? I have learned to force myself out of bed for an early workout, I must set my phone on the other side of the room.

• Carry water with you (and a few healthy snacks too!)- Staying hydrated is one of the most important fitness rules. The easiest way to do this is to always have water with you and not get tempted to purchase sodas and juices when you get thirsty. Same goes for healthy snacks. I try to keep nuts, dried fruit and other healthy snacks with me. Otherwise, I will be sure to pull over and pick up fries on the days I’m out running tons of errands.

• Park far away. Don’t waste time driving around looking for that number one spot close to the doors. Park at the back of the lot, walk the extra steps, and burn a few more calories in the process.

• Take the stairs. Always, always, always skip the elevator and take the stairs. It’s great for your bum, its burns more calories, and gets your heart rate up.

• Squeeze in short workouts. Let’s face it, as parents it isn’t always possible to fit in a full 30 minute to 1 hour workout 6 days a week. Some days you’ve got to squeeze in what you can! Try taking a walk on your lunch break, doing squats after each bathroom break, a ten-minute YouTube workout when you get a break, play an active game with the kids, do crunches during each commercial break, or do a few yoga poses before bed. It’s really not as hard as you think!

• Have an accountability friend. Working out with a friend makes it MUCH easier to stick to it. First off, you won’t want to disappoint your friend by canceling your workout. Second, you can both hold each other accountable by calling, texting, emailing, whatever…”Did you do your workout today?”. Third, if you are even the slightest bit competitive you’ll want to prove you can do just as much if not more than your friend.

• Set small goals. Setting small attainable goals, especially in the beginning, will keep you motivated and positive when it comes to your workouts. Try working out 4 days a week for one week. Walk for a full half-hour. Run up that hill near your house. Sign up for that workout/dance class and actually go. Make it a reasonable goal, reach it, celebrate and set a new one!

• Reward yourself. I’m not talking chocolate and junk food. Once you’ve reached whatever goal you set for yourself, celebrate by rewarding yourself. It’s encouraging to have something to look forward to when you are halfway through a workout and want to stop. Need ideas? How about that cute workout top from Target, a juice from The Juice Bar, a manicure, over-priced name brand running socks, a night out without the kids, or whatever else brings a smile to your face that doesn’t involve empty calories and added sugar.

What do you do to beat the winter workout blues? We would love to read your tips in the comments!
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