It’s time to dust off the bad habit cobwebs and spring clean your exercise regime!
It’s natural to cut yourself some slack during the winter. Finding the motivation to work out in the dark early hours before work in the freezing cold is just as awful as the other option: working out in the dark hours after work in the even more freezing cold. Winter gives us some wiggle room to snuggle up more often and indulge in hearty comfort meals. But it’s springtime now, and the sun is starting to melt away your excuses.
If you’ve completely disregarded exercise for the past few months, this is your chance to wipe the slate clean. If you’ve kept somewhat active during the colder months (good for you) then this is the time to build on your strength and reach your fitness goals.
5 steps for finding the motivation to work out this spring
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Start waking up earlier
You’ll naturally start to wake up more easily in warmer springtime, but why not get a head start? Waking up just fifteen minutes earlier than when your alarm is currently set can make a huge difference in preparing your body for training season.
Our advice for getting up earlier: swing your legs out of bed and put a huge smile on your face. Even if you haven’t thought of a reason to smile yet. Starting your day off decisive (immediately getting out of bed) and grateful (smiling just to smile) is a great way to wire your brain for the day ahead. A pleasant outlook on the day is going to make it easier to find motivation to work out.
Read this next: Everyday Workouts: Daily habits that exercise your body without you noticing
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Remind yourself why you’re starting
Discipline is a mental and physical game. Sometimes the mental relies on the physical to pull us through and sometimes it’s the other way around. The proof is in the protein pudding: you feel better when you look after yourself. Look back at a time when you were fit, healthy and had motivation to work out. Now, figure out those key feelings that were around then. You were probably more energised, more focused and more in tune with your capabilities. It’s a great feeling, right?
When you remind your brain about these feelings, it starts to produce the same chemicals that were produced during that exact moment. And it’s going to want more. Shifting your perspective of exercise is half the battle won.
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Get outdoors
In recent years, we’ve had something fantastic come into our lives: exercising online. Our favourite workout routines and classes are often available via paid platforms or even better, for free on streaming sites like YouTube.
We’ve spent so much time indoors during winter, it may be time to ask yourself if your home-bound workouts are giving you the reward you need. If you’re working from home, we would absolutely advise spending time hiking, swimming or stretching in your garden. A break from your routine and a change in your immediate environment can change how you approach your workout routine. It may start to feel more like an adventure than something to check off your to-do list.
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Make the time
Speaking of to-do lists, exercise needs to be on your list. There’s no use in winging the week and hoping you’ll find a spare moment to exercise because, by the time you’re tired, overworked and hungry, the time will suddenly be very hard to find.
Look at your calendar week by week and map out where you know you could get to the gym or go for a run. Take your commute and commitments into consideration so you don’t get any surprises (but hey, sometimes life doesn’t go according to plan).
Still got the winter blues? Check out The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise: 6 Reasons to Break a Sweat
What if there really is no time? Well, that’s when you start cutting other things out. Are you spending your time on things that are benefitting your body? Or are you wasting more hours than you realise doing things that don’t have long-term benefits at all?
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Fuel your body
Like most things in life, what you put in is what you’re going to get out. As seasons change, so should our diets.
Give your gut a total spring clean by taking it back to the basics: raw veggies and fruits, protein-packed leafy greens and colourful side dishes. That being said; if you’re working out like a champion, you need to eat like a champion. Make sure your body is getting the right amount of fuel to get you through your workout and recovery. Also, make sure you are including enough water in your day-to-day life.
Looking for kitchen inspiration? Read this next: 5 Brain Boosting Foods to Fuel Your Busy Days
Finding the motivation to work out may feel like a mammoth task, especially if you’re still in winter mode. Hopefully these 5 steps help motivate you to get a spring back in your step!
Your Health Insurance Family,
Oneplan
