In winter, it often becomes harder to get active: it’s dark when you wake up, it’s cold outside, and the sofa feels more tempting than the gym. Still, your exercise routine doesn’t have to come to a standstill. With a few practical choices, you can keep up your training even during the colder months.
How do you stay motivated to exercise in winter?
The easiest way to stay motivated is not to rely on your motivation, but on established habits: plan your workouts in advance, keep your goals small and achievable, and make it as easy as possible for yourself to get started. Motivation fluctuates from day to day, but a workout that’s already in your diary requires hardly any willpower at all.
Below, we break this approach down into practical steps, from setting goals and planning to training at home and exercising with others. Choose the tips that suit your week and incorporate them gradually, rather than trying to change everything at once.
Why does exercising feel harder in winter?
Exercising feels harder in winter because many of the natural triggers that get you moving disappear. You get up in the dark, come home in the dark, and the cold makes it much harder to bring yourself to step outside.
What’s more, a routine that was almost automatic in summer requires more conscious choices in winter. This isn’t a question of a lack of discipline: it makes sense that you need more guidance when your environment doesn’t naturally encourage you to get moving. That’s precisely why it helps to plan your training sessions in advance, so you don’t have to make the same decision over and over again every day.
What goals keep you on track?
Small, achievable goals are the best way to keep you on track. Set specific weekly goals that you can actually achieve, and don’t set the bar so high that a less successful week immediately feels like a failure.
For example, decide how many training sessions you want to do this week and make that number realistic for a busy, dark week. If you achieve your goal, take a moment to reflect on it; that brief moment of recognition makes it easier to start again the following week. If a week does go awry, simply reset your goal and pick up where you left off. One missed week says nothing about the rest of the month.
How do you turn exercise into a regular habit?
You make exercise a habit by setting aside a fixed time for it and making the barrier to getting started as low as possible. If your workout is a recurring appointment, you won’t have to think about it all over again every time.
At the start of the week, plan which days and times you’ll be training and put them in your diary as if they were a regular appointment. Pack your sports kit in the morning and head straight there from work, because flopping down on the sofa at home first and then getting up again is usually the hardest route. Once you’re on your way, the biggest hurdle is already behind you, and relaxing on the sofa afterwards feels a lot better when you’ve got a workout under your belt.
What do you do if you really don’t want to go outside?
If going outside feels like too much, train at home. A workout in the living room counts just as much, and you don’t have to brave the cold and rain for it.
There are plenty of short home workouts available that require little or no equipment. Find a programme you enjoy, put on your own music and keep it manageable: half an hour is fine. The advantage is that you can have a shower straight afterwards and get on with your day, without any travel time or queuing for the machines.
How can you make it easier to stick with it together?
Exercising together and choosing a sport that really suits you makes sticking with it a lot easier. A regular workout partner creates a gentle social obligation, and having fun means you want to go of your own accord rather than feeling you have to.
Agree on regular times with a workout buddy and remind each other why you started; on a day when you’re not feeling up to it, the other person will often help you get through it, and vice versa. Also, choose a sport or class that energises you rather than something you’re just ticking off a list. When you enjoy what you’re doing, you rely far less on sheer willpower to get through the winter.
Is nutrition part of your fitness routine? Our protein powders contain clean-label whey and plant-based variants without unnecessary additives. You can read exactly what’s in them and why in the section on the benefits of protein powder.
Frequently asked questions
Is it better to exercise indoors or outdoors in winter?
Both work; choose whatever you can actually stick to in practice. If you want to go outside, dress in layers to stay warm; if you don’t fancy the cold, a home workout is a great alternative.
How often should I train to keep my routine going?
Consistency is more important than frequency. Two to three shorter workouts a week that you stick to consistently will help you maintain your routine better than an ambitious schedule that you give up on after just two weeks.
What should I do if I’ve missed a week?
Nothing out of the ordinary: simply pick up where you left off with your next scheduled workout. A missed week isn’t a failure, and there are no ‘lost days’ to make up for. Reset your weekly goal and carry on.
Do supplements help you stay motivated?
No. Motivation comes from habits, achievable goals and enjoyment, not from a jar. Supplements can complement your diet, but they’re no substitute for a routine.
Would you like more articles to help you on your way? Then check out our training blog.
