Winter Makes Me Sad

Ok, not every winter day makes me sad. When there's snow on the ground and the sun is shining, I'm almost gleeful! If I need sunglasses, then really, it's a good day! But those gloomy gray days, when the temps dip below 10 degrees and you have to be out and about in it...ughhh why can't we just stay in bed? What is the best cure for that feeling?? GET OUT OF BED and MOVE! I hear so often, "I'm just not motivated."

At the end of a year, everyone feels motivated to start new healthy habits. It's a new year! Fresh start! But after the first week or two, motivation disappears.

I'll tell you a secret: Motivation is waning. We can't rely on motivation, because it's external. Something outside of ourselves motivates us to act. So, you ask, "then how do I get moving? I have zero motivation!"

Here's how:

- Find your why and get inspired! Inspiration stimulates and drives you.

- Be intentional. Set a goal and resolve to accomplish the goal.

- Go outside, breathe in the crisp winter air, and play! Snow forts, snowmen, snow angels, snowball fights, sledding, skating! Who's down? You know you miss those days!!

- Prepare yourself. Whatever the weather, dress for it. If you're exercising inside, suit up! Dress the part. Have everything you need before you start (i.e. music, water, gum, equipment, etc.) so you have no excuse to quit early.

- Treat yourself! Order those new running shoes you've been eyeing. Hate those blown-out resistance bands? Get some new ones! Swap your desk chair with a resistance ball. There's something about new gear that always gets me moving. Check out our Bonfit approved gear here. Take care of you. Treat yourself!

- Create new habits. Push outside your comfort zone, create new routines, fall into a new, healthier rhythm. Give yourself 3 weeks and you'll see this new pattern flow. And then step back and watch the changes happen faster than you ever imagined possible!

- Prioritize your to-do list. It can be overwhelming, especially with the fluctuating schedules due to COVID (kids are at school, kids are at home, work is at home and you're the teacher, too, today is actually an office day, what do I do with the kids, etc). Before going to bed, make your to-do list for the next day. Write it down, get it off your mind so it doesn't wake you all night long.

- Speaking of sleep...stay off your devices before bed. The blue light will mess up your sleep all night long, and less sleep means feeling even more depleted and down. Read a book, old-school bound paper style. It's what all the good sleepers are doing.

- Get help. Yes, I am shamelessly plugging here, but consider joining our Love Your Body 6 Week Challenge. Sometimes a new routine, a new stream of motivation can help you get moving. Not to mention, it's fun! We meet virtually every Sunday and there's a great support community you can become a part of on Facebook.

- Finally, be nice to you. Allow yourself to have a down day. There's nothing wrong with a day to hibernate. Refuel, refresh, rest, reset.

So, what is it that you want? Is there any better feeling than knowing you gave the day everything you had? Some days are less intense than others, but you have to move, you have to live, and yes, you do have to rest (more on that in next week's blog), but earn that rest! The winter days are short and dark and can be tough to fight through. But guess what? We are the only ones that can take care of ourselves. We are the only ones that can make ourselves healthy and fit. Laying around bemoaning the frozen tundra and scrolling social media all day as a means of putting off movement or productivity ends up sucking our brains and gives us literally nothing back. Wasted time, wasted hours. Set your device limits for mindless scrolling (it has its place, but just not for hours on end).

Find your why! Start today, stick with it, and one year from today, when you feel the best you've ever felt, look better than you've ever dreamed you could, you'll wonder why you waited so long to start. No more excuses. Don't know where to start? Let me help you!

You won't regret it. Check out our personal training plans here, send me an email or a chat message and we can figure out what's a great next step together.

See you next week! We will talk about more about rest and recovery. Cheers to your heath and wellness!