Top tips for staying motivated to exercise this winter

When it comes to exercise, we often talk about “getting fit” rather than staying fit. This is where our motivation really comes into play. Have you ever noticed that after the initial buzz of setting yourself fitness goals and getting into a regular exercise routine, that your motivation dwindles and your routine starts to slip?

If so, you’re certainly not alone! Research has shown that as many as 73% of people give up on their fitness goals before they have achieved them, with nearly half of those people giving up within 6 weeks. What’s more, the amount of time people spend exercising is shorter on average in winter. We also do less light intensity activity like walking and gardening and spend more time sitting and sleeping during the colder months.

So as winter approaches, try our top tips for maintaining your motivation and keep your exercise routine and mental health on track!

“Research has shown that as many as 73% of people give up on their fitness goals before they have achieved them, with nearly half of those people giving up within 6 weeks. ”

Get planning 

Planning what activities you are going to do, and how you are going to cope with any obstacles that crop up are both key to maintaining a regular exercise routine. 

The first type of planning – action planning – means planning the specific details of where, when and how you are going to exercise. For example, you might plan to go for a run in your local park when you wake up, do an online exercise class every weekend or do 20 minutes of yoga every evening before you go to bed. 

The second type of planning – coping planning – means anticipating and being prepared for potential obstacles that might crop up. If you’re exercising outdoors in winter, for example, it’s important to keep an eye on the weather forecast and plan accordingly. Make sure you’ve got suitable clothing and footwear that will keep you warm, comfortable and dry and have everything you need ready, ahead of time, so there are no hold-ups when it’s time to get moving. 

After the event, evaluate your plan. Did you stick to it? Did anything get in the way? Don’t be afraid to change what doesn’t work. Sticking to a regular exercise plan means finding the type, level and frequency of exercise that works for you. Finding this balance inevitably involves some trial and error. If you have a few false starts, don’t get bogged down in blaming yourself and feeling like a failure. Just acknowledge that what you tried didn’t work and try something else. 

Keep adjusting your goalposts

Our brains love to learn new skills and our bodies reward us for stepping outside of our comfort zones, but we need to get the balance right! If you’re an exercise beginner then set yourself a goal and build up to it gradually.  If we don’t push ourselves, we’ll get bored and won’t get the mental health benefits. If we try to do too much too soon, then we set ourselves up to fail and it can be easy to give up. Try using the “Goldilocks” principle – aim for an exercise routine that isn’t too hard or too easy, but juuuuust right!

Once we’ve mastered a skill or reached a goal then the feel-good factor diminishes, so it’s important to keep adjusting our targets as our strength and stamina increase. As your fitness improves, increase the duration or intensity of exercise accordingly to keep building on your progress. 

Do what you enjoy

Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore! It may sound obvious but doing exercise that gives you a sense of enjoyment is really important for staying motivated. Let go of doing what you think you “should” do or doing what other people are doing if it’s not working for you. I’ll give you an example. Over the years, I’ve joined several gyms and started off with lots of enthusiasm and the best intentions of going three times a week. But over time, my motivation would wane, and I’d end up paying for a gym membership that I wasn’t using! Why? Because I don’t enjoy going to the gym! 

When I accepted this and started exercising in a way that naturally brought me more pleasure (for me it’s walking or running outdoors where I feel connected to nature and can appreciate beautiful coastlines and countryside) then exercising suddenly stopped feeling like such an effort and I actually started looking forward to it!

Buddy up

Exercising with someone else can increase your enjoyment, help you to stay connected and keep you accountable for your exercise goals. It’s still possible to involve other people in your exercise routine, even with COVID-19 restrictions. For many of us, exercising with someone from our household or support bubble is still possible. 

Otherwise, why not recruit a virtual exercise buddy? From dance classes and high-intensity workouts to weightlifting and resistance training, that can all be done from the comfort of your own home, there are loads of exercise options available online or using mobile apps. 

Do you have a friend, family member or colleague who likes the same types of exercise as you or who would be interested in trying something new? Do your action planning together and share photo or message updates of how you are getting on to help encourage and motivate each other. 

Reward yourself

Rewarding yourself for hitting your exercise targets is a great way to stay motivated and this type of positive reinforcement will make it more likely that you repeat the desired behaviour in future. Don’t go overboard or you will end up undoing all your hard work! However, a well-timed treat can be a powerful incentive.  Try a favourite meal post-exercise, a soak in the bath or congratulating yourself out loud for your efforts.

Exercise is one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve AND maintain your wellbeing.

“Rewarding yourself for hitting your exercise targets is a great way to stay motivated and this type of positive reinforcement will make it more likely that you repeat the desired behaviour in future.”

Physically, exercise increases our strength, improves our immunity, and protects us against illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. 

Mentally, exercise helps to relieve stress, improves concentration and self-esteem, and helps us to manage our emotions. Regular exercise also helps to protect us against mental health problems.

There are lots of great reasons to exercise but what motivates each of us will be different. Understanding why exercise matters to YOU is an important first step in keeping your exercise routine on track. If you’d like to gain clarity on what motivates you to exercise (and what gets in the way!), you can watch my #3forme video here.